Thomas Tweedie
Encyclopedia
Thomas Mitchell March Tweedie (born: March 4, 1871 River John
, Nova Scotia
died: October 4, 1944) was a politician and lawyer and Chief Justice from, Canada
.
, Nova Scotia
in 1871.
Thomas attended Harvard University
and graduated with a law degree in 1905. Thomas joined the bar and started practicing law in 1907.
in a 1911 by-election and served the Calgary seat
that had been previously vacated by Richard Bennett
. In this elected he ran under the Conservative
banner. Thomas defeated popular municipal alderman Thomas Skinner who ran as a Liberal
candidate.
Thomas was re-elected to his second term in the 1913 Alberta general election
. The Calgary riding was broken up into 3 different ridings under the redistribution bill passed by the Sifton government. Thomas ran in the new riding of Centre Calgary
. Thomas won his second term in the legislature with a large margin defeating Liberal candidate John McDougall.
In the 1917 Alberta general election
Thomas ran for re-election in Calgary Centre, this time being defeated by Alex Ross
who ran as a Labor candidate. Thomas would quickly make the jump to federal politics running in the federal election later that year.
federal riding during the 1917 federal election
. He won a comfortable victory and served as the first Member of Parliament
for the riding in the coalition government.
Thomas served most of his first in term parliament, until he vacated his seat on October 14, 1921 after he was appointed appointed as a Justice to the Bench.
River John, Nova Scotia
River John is a Canadian village in Pictou County, Nova Scotia.It is located near the mouth of the River John on the Northumberland Strait, half way between Pictou and Tatamagouche near the boundary with Colchester County...
, 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...
died: October 4, 1944) was a politician and lawyer and Chief Justice from, 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...
.
Early life
Thomas was born in River JohnRiver John, Nova Scotia
River John is a Canadian village in Pictou County, Nova Scotia.It is located near the mouth of the River John on the Northumberland Strait, half way between Pictou and Tatamagouche near the boundary with Colchester County...
, 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...
in 1871.
Thomas attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and graduated with a law degree in 1905. Thomas joined the bar and started practicing law in 1907.
Provincial career
Thomas was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of AlbertaLegislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
in a 1911 by-election and served the Calgary seat
Calgary (provincial electoral district)
Calgary was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada that existed from 1905 to 1913 and was recreated from 1921 to 1959. The district returned from one to six members to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta...
that had been previously vacated by Richard Bennett
R. B. Bennett, 1st Viscount Bennett
Richard Bedford Bennett, 1st Viscount Bennett, PC, KC was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, politician, and philanthropist. He served as the 11th Prime Minister of Canada from August 7, 1930, to October 23, 1935, during the worst of the Great Depression years...
. In this elected he ran under the Conservative
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
banner. Thomas defeated popular municipal alderman Thomas Skinner who ran as a Liberal
Alberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
candidate.
Thomas was re-elected to his second term in the 1913 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1913
The Alberta general election of 1913 was the third general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. The writ was dropped on 25 March 1913 and election day was held 17 April 1913 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Elections in two northern districts took place on 30 July...
. The Calgary riding was broken up into 3 different ridings under the redistribution bill passed by the Sifton government. Thomas ran in the new riding of Centre Calgary
Centre Calgary
Centre Calgary was a provincial electoral district from Alberta, Canada. The district returned a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1913 to 1921.-Boundary history:-Electoral history:...
. Thomas won his second term in the legislature with a large margin defeating Liberal candidate John McDougall.
In the 1917 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1917
The Alberta general election of 1917 was the fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, held on 7 June 1917 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
Thomas ran for re-election in Calgary Centre, this time being defeated by Alex Ross
Alex Ross (politician)
-Political career:Alex was first elected in the 1917 Alberta election defeating Conservative Thomas Tweedie. He was elected as the first and only member of the Labor Representation League to sit in the assembly...
who ran as a Labor candidate. Thomas would quickly make the jump to federal politics running in the federal election later that year.
Federal career
After Thomas lost his seat in the 1917 provincial election, he attempted a run at federal politics. Thomas ran as a Unionist member in the new Calgary WestCalgary West
Calgary West is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1917 to 1953, and since 1979. It is located in the western part of the City of Calgary....
federal riding during the 1917 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1917
The 1917 Canadian federal election was held on December 17, 1917, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 13th Parliament of Canada. Described by historian Michael Bliss as the "most bitter election in Canadian history", it was fought mainly over the issue of conscription...
. He won a comfortable victory and served as the first Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the riding in the coalition government.
Thomas served most of his first in term parliament, until he vacated his seat on October 14, 1921 after he was appointed appointed as a Justice to the Bench.