Thursday, October 10, 2013

Sir Charles Tupper

Image from Alberta Diary

Briefly the Conservative Prime Minister, Sir Charles Tupper was a medical doctor who trained in Edinburgh and became the first president of the Canadian Medical Association.

He took the reins from Mackenzie Bowell after being passed over twice as party leader, first in favour of Thompson and then of Bowell.

Tupper's mandate lasted only a few months until 1896, when Sir Wilfrid Laurier led the Liberals to victory.

In that election, the Conservatives were swept out amid a series of scandals, as well as the bungle over the Manitoba schools question. Canadian voters wanted a change.

Tupper did enjoy a long political career, however. A native Nova Scotian, he was first elected to the Nova Scotia legislature and later served the federal government as a diplomat as well as in various cabinet posts.

No comments:

Post a Comment