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Henry Douglas (Alberta politician)
Encyclopedia
Henry Ward Beecher Douglas (February 2, 1873 – April 6, 1944) was a businessman and politician in Alberta
, Canada
. He served as an alderman on the Edmonton City Council
from 1912 until 1913.
, Ontario
on February 2, 1873. His family moved to Manitoba
when he was a child, as his father was a pioneer missionary
. He was educated in public schools in Winnipeg
before studying classics
at Manitoba College
. He graduated with honours in 1898, whereupon he partnered with W. W. Miller to open a book and stationary business in Portage-la-Prairie. In 1902 he came to Edmonton and continued his business, incorporating as The Douglas Company Limited in 1905 (the company later changed its name to Douglas Printing Co. Ltd.).
, when he was elected to Edmonton City Council
on the strength of first place finish in an eighteen candidate field. He did not run for re-election at the conclusion of his term in December 1913.
In the 1915 election
, Douglas was elected as a public school trustee after a third place finish out of nine candidates. He was re-elected in 1917
, when he topped the field of seven candidates. However, in the 1919 election
, the Labour Party
ran a full slate of candidates for the first time, and swept the school board elections. Douglas, running as an independent
(as were all of the other non-Labour candidates) finished sixth of eight candidates and was defeated. He did not re-enter public life thereafter.
, the Kiwanis Club, the Edmonton Board of Trade, the Presbyterian Church, and the Liberals
. He died April 6, 1944.
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He served as an alderman on the Edmonton City Council
Edmonton City Council
The Edmonton City Council is the governing body of the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors. Until 2010, Edmonton was divided in six wards with two councillors representing citizens in each ward...
from 1912 until 1913.
Early life
Douglas was born in KemptvilleKemptville, Ontario
Kemptville is a community located in the Municipality of North Grenville in Southern Ontario, Canada in the northernmost part of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
on February 2, 1873. His family moved to Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
when he was a child, as his father was a pioneer missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
. He was educated in public schools in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
before studying classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
at Manitoba College
Manitoba College
Manitoba College was a college that existed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada from 1871 to 1967, when it became one of the University of Winnipeg's founding colleges. It was one of the first institutions of higher learning in the city of Winnipeg and the province of Manitoba...
. He graduated with honours in 1898, whereupon he partnered with W. W. Miller to open a book and stationary business in Portage-la-Prairie. In 1902 he came to Edmonton and continued his business, incorporating as The Douglas Company Limited in 1905 (the company later changed its name to Douglas Printing Co. Ltd.).
Politics
Douglas first sought political office in Edmonton's February 1912 municipal electionEdmonton municipal election, February 1912
On September 27, 1911, the voters of Edmonton approved by plebiscite the amalgamation of Edmonton with Strathcona. This amalgamation was effected February 1, 1912, and, in anticipation of this, no election was held December 11, 1911 as would normally have been required...
, when he was elected to Edmonton City Council
Edmonton City Council
The Edmonton City Council is the governing body of the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors. Until 2010, Edmonton was divided in six wards with two councillors representing citizens in each ward...
on the strength of first place finish in an eighteen candidate field. He did not run for re-election at the conclusion of his term in December 1913.
In the 1915 election
Edmonton municipal election, 1915
The 1915 municipal election was held December 13, 1915 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards....
, Douglas was elected as a public school trustee after a third place finish out of nine candidates. He was re-elected in 1917
Edmonton municipal election, 1917
The 1917 municipal election was held December 10, 1917, to elect a mayor and seven aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards...
, when he topped the field of seven candidates. However, in the 1919 election
Edmonton municipal election, 1919
The 1919 municipal election was held December 8, 1919 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on the public school board. T P Malone, Paul Janvrin, T S Magee, and Joseph Henri Picard were acclaimed to two year terms on the separate school board...
, the Labour Party
Labour candidates and parties in Canada
There have been various groups in Canada that have nominated candidates under the label Labour Party or Independent Labour Party or other variations from the 1870s until the 1960s...
ran a full slate of candidates for the first time, and swept the school board elections. Douglas, running as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
(as were all of the other non-Labour candidates) finished sixth of eight candidates and was defeated. He did not re-enter public life thereafter.
Private life and death
Douglas was active with the MasonsFreemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, the Kiwanis Club, the Edmonton Board of Trade, the Presbyterian Church, and the Liberals
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
. He died April 6, 1944.