James William Armstrong
Encyclopedia
James William Armstrong (January 14, 1860—1928) was a politician in Manitoba
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1907 to 1922 as a member of the Liberal Party
, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Tobias C. Norris.
Armstrong was born in Kingston
, Nova Scotia
, to a Baptist
family of loyalist descent. He was educated at the Pictou Academy
, Acadia College, the Manitoba Medical College, and King's College Hospital in London
, UK
. He received a Bachelor of Arts
degree from Acadia, and medical certification from the MMC. Armstrong worked as a physician and surgeon, and was also president and director of the Gladstone
Telephone and Electric Light Company. He served as health officer for Gladstone, and was a member of the Manitoba Board of Health from 1897 to 1899.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1907 provincial election
, defeating Conservative
incumbent David Wilson by 61 votes in the constituency of Gladstone. He was re-elected by an increased margin in the 1910 election
, and again in the election of 1914
.
The Conservative administration of Rodmond P. Roblin, which had governed Manitoba since 1900, was forced to resign from office in early 1915 as the result of a corruption scandal. Although the Liberals held a minority of seats in the legislature, they were called on by the province's Lieutenant Governor to form a new government. Armstrong was appointed to Premier Norris's first cabinet on May 12, 1915, as Provincial Secretary
and Municipal Commissioner
. Armstrong was then re-elected by a landslide in the 1915 provincial election
, in which the Liberals won 40 seats out of 47. He was retained in his cabinet portfolios after the election.
The Liberals were reduced to a minority government
in the 1920 provincial election
. Armstrong defeated Farmer candidate Wesley Lobb by 180 votes, and was retained in office after the election. He chose not to run again in 1922.
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...
, 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 in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
from 1907 to 1922 as a member of the Liberal Party
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Tobias C. Norris.
Armstrong was born in Kingston
Kingston, Nova Scotia
Kingston is a village in Kings County on the north bank of the Annapolis River in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, Canada. As of 2001, the population was 3,009....
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, to a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
family of loyalist descent. He was educated at the Pictou Academy
Pictou Academy
Pictou Academy , founded in 1816 by the late Dr. Thomas McCulloch, is a secondary school in Pictou, Nova Scotia. Prior to the twentieth century, it was a liberal nonsectarian college, a grammar school, an academy and then a secondary school. Pictou Academy's current principal is James Ryan. The...
, Acadia College, the Manitoba Medical College, and King's College Hospital in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Acadia, and medical certification from the MMC. Armstrong worked as a physician and surgeon, and was also president and director of the Gladstone
Gladstone, Manitoba
Gladstone is a town in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It is located on the Yellowhead Highway at the intersection with Highway 34 within the boundaries of the Rural Municipality of Westbourne...
Telephone and Electric Light Company. He served as health officer for Gladstone, and was a member of the Manitoba Board of Health from 1897 to 1899.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1907 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1907
Manitoba's general election of March 7, 1907 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a third consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, led by premier Rodmond Palen Roblin...
, defeating Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
incumbent David Wilson by 61 votes in the constituency of Gladstone. He was re-elected by an increased margin in the 1910 election
Manitoba general election, 1910
Manitoba's general election of July 11, 1910 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fourth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, led by premier Rodmond Palen Roblin. Roblin's electoral machine won...
, and again in the election of 1914
Manitoba general election, 1914
Manitoba's general election of July 10, 1914 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fifth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party, led by premier Rodmond P. Roblin...
.
The Conservative administration of Rodmond P. Roblin, which had governed Manitoba since 1900, was forced to resign from office in early 1915 as the result of a corruption scandal. Although the Liberals held a minority of seats in the legislature, they were called on by the province's Lieutenant Governor to form a new government. Armstrong was appointed to Premier Norris's first cabinet on May 12, 1915, as Provincial Secretary
Provincial Secretary (Manitoba)
The position of Provincial Secretary was particularly important in Manitoba from 1870 to 1874, as that province's institutions were being established. The province had no Premier during this period, and its Lieutenant-Governor acted as the de facto leaders of government...
and Municipal Commissioner
Municipal Commissioner (Manitoba)
The office of the Municipal Commissioner is a former government department in the Canadian province of Manitoba, established by the government of John Norquay in 1887...
. Armstrong was then re-elected by a landslide in the 1915 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1915
Manitoba's general election of August 6, 1915 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was held only one year after the previous general election of 1914. In that election, the governing Conservatives of premier Rodmond P. Roblin were...
, in which the Liberals won 40 seats out of 47. He was retained in his cabinet portfolios after the election.
The Liberals were reduced to a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
in the 1920 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1920
Manitoba's general election of 29 June 1920 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.-Background:...
. Armstrong defeated Farmer candidate Wesley Lobb by 180 votes, and was retained in office after the election. He chose not to run again in 1922.