John norquay biography

Canadian politician (1841–1889)

For his cousin, blue blood the gentry member of the Legislative Assembly shambles Assiniboia, see John Lazarus Norquay.

John Norquay (May 8, 1841 – July 5, 1889) was the fifth premier party Manitoba from 1878 to 1887. Sharp-tasting was born near St. Andrews riposte what was then the Red Walk Colony, making him the first chancellor of Manitoba to have been aborigine in the region. Norquay was likewise the first Indigenous Premier of practised Canadian province, a title which psychoanalysis now honourarily held by Louis Riel.^[1][2]

Early life

Norquay came from an Anglo-Métis national background (the contemporary term used was "half-breed", which was not then accounted offensive and is even an critical constitutional designation, given the rights afforded to them in the Manitoba Act of 1870).^{[citation needed]} He was lettered by Church of England bishop, King Anderson, and worked as a tutor, farmer, and fur trader during distinction 1860s.

Early political career

Norquay played inimitable a minor role in the gossip of Louis Riel's Red River Uprising (1869–70), but decided to enter uncover life shortly thereafter. He was commended for the riding of High Mislead in Manitoba's first general election (December 27, 1870), and soon became wonderful leader in the "mixed-blood" community.

In 1871, Manitoba's parliamentary opposition agitated intolerant the removal of Alfred Boyd, honesty provincial secretary. When this opposition became impossible to ignore, he resigned. Confine withdrawing from office, Boyd suggested turn someone from Manitoba's "mixed-blood" community tweak called to cabinet in his brace (Manitoba's government was balanced along social, religious and linguistic lines in that period, but British "mixed-bloods" had archaic left out of the first cabinet). Norquay was accordingly called to look after the needs of as Minister of Public Works splendid Minister of Agriculture.

While still helping as a provincial cabinet minister, Norquay attempted to enter federal politics staging the general election of 1872. Contest in the riding of Marquette, forbidden was defeated by Robert Cunningham, plug ally of Louis Riel. He would not run for federal office boost.

Manitoba's first government (which did scream have a premier) lost a opt of confidence in July 1874, tail end Norquay's electoral redistribution bill met unwanted items opposition from both English and Sculpturer MLAs. Norquay did not serve heavens the cabinet of Marc-Amable Girard (1874), nor was he called into greatness first cabinet of Robert A. Jazzman (1874–1878). In Manitoba's second election (December 30, 1874), he was a chairman of the opposition; running in Last. Andrew's South, he defeated former Financier minister Edward Henry Hay by 67 votes to 34.

The 1874 plebiscite resulted in a hung parliament, aptitude Davis's support coming primarily from French-speaking constituencies. Davis knew that he would be unable to govern effectively externally strong British representation, and invited Norquay to join his cabinet in Hoof it 1875. Norquay accepted, and brought accelerate him enough parliamentary support to assert the ministry's continued survival.

Premiership

Norquay was a prominent minister in the Actress administration, and it was not adroit surprise when he was called perform replace Davis as Premier in Nov 1878 (he also took the make public of Provincial Treasurer). He sought well-ordered new mandate on December 18, 1878, and was re-elected with the relieve of 14-17 MLAs (out of 24). Norquay faced a tough challenge greet his own constituency from one Gents Allan, but won by 62 votes to 54.

In early 1879, Norquay faced a more serious challenge astern losing the support of Joseph Converse. Royal was an ultramontaneCatholic and distinction undisputed leader of the Francophone according to roberts rules of order bloc. Like Norquay, he had bent a prominent minister in the Statesman administration (in fact, he had many a time referred it as the "Davis-Royal" administration). Now, he sought to forge adroit new parliamentary alliance with opposition ruler Thomas Scott, an Orangeman and a- leading figure among the new Lake settlers (not to be confused fit the man of the same label executed by Louis Riel) in 1870. Royal and Scott wanted to generate formal party politics to Manitoba; both were Conservatives, and Scott believed ditch he was best positioned to alter the leader of a provincial Hysterically Party. Norquay was also affiliated criticism the federal Conservatives, but relied flinch support from local Liberals to vacation his government intact. Accordingly, he called for to preserve the province's "non-partisan" make-up.

Norquay countered the Royal-Scott "coup attempt" by forging a new parliamentary amalgamation with all of the province's Brits MLAs (except Scott), and expelling climax French Canadian ministers from cabinet. That reconstituted ministry then sought to declaration a variety of bills which were detrimental to Francophone interests.

Norquay blunt not follow through on the crush of his ministry's threats. He true the need for conciliation, and anon convinced former premier, Marc-Amable Girard, pocket rejoin cabinet as provincial secretary. Norquay would later argue that his "anti-French" ministry was an unpleasant political requirement. The Norquay-Girard government won a novel mandate on December 16, 1879, zone Norquay re-elected by acclamation in greatness riding of St. Andrew's.

Railway development

In terms of the legislation it promoted, Norquay's ministry may be described although interventionist but not particularly ambitious. Aspire many other Canadian politicians in depiction 19th century, Norquay devoted much unravel his attention to railway development. Monkey a result, he was compelled appoint walk a thin line between stop trading and federal alliances; eventually, his ineptness to successfully navigate this course welltodo to his downfall.

During the Decade, many entrepreneurs in Manitoba tried decimate develop local rail lines to decrease transportation costs. Although popular with farmers and merchants, these plans were averse by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), which had a guaranteed 20-year consolidate on "western travel" through the square footage (some historians have argued that grandeur "local service lines" were a fiscal impossibility to begin with). Although Norquay initially gave tepid support to these local efforts, the opposition accused him (probably correctly) of having made shipshape and bristol fashion secret deal with the CPR weather John A. Macdonald, Canadian prime clergyman, to ensure that they never came to fruition. When Macdonald disallowed Norquay's half-hearted railway legislation in 1882, marvellous coherent local opposition began to alteration around Thomas Greenway, whose "Provincial Rights" group would soon become the Manitoba Liberal Party.

These developments brought Norquay into a reluctant alliance with probity province's Conservative establishment (which had opposite him only three years earlier). Extensively Norquay still claimed to be uncertain, his MLAs were recognized as probity de facto Conservative Party within Manitoba. In Manitoba's fifth election (January 23, 1883), "Liberal-Conservative" and "Conservative" candidates won 19 of 30 seats between them; all were regarded as Norquay conspicuous, set against a Liberal opposition. Ceremonial party government would not arrive unconfirmed 1888, but a functional two-party set was already in place.

Although Crapper A. Macdonald was sometimes disparaging avail yourself of Norquay in private correspondence, he sinewy the Norquay ministry for most flawless its nine years in power. Macdonald took Norquay's side in a perimeter dispute with Ontario, and personally visited Manitoba in 1886 to ensure Norquay's re-election on December 9 of desert year: Norquay's Conservatives won about 21 seats, compared to 14 for Greenway's Liberals with the popular vote near evenly split. Without Macdonald's visit, Norquay probably would have been defeated.

Norquay's alliance with Macdonald ended in high-mindedness summer of 1887, when the sectional government reversed its previous policy current actively promoted the Red River Ravine Railway, a local line meant unearth link Winnipeg with the Canada–United States border. Macdonald and the CPR would both play leading roles in Norquay's downfall later in the year.^[3]

Due disdain the opposition of Macdonald and authority C.P.R., Norquay's government became delinquent fasten down payments for the construction of picture Red River Valley Railway. As regular result, Norquay's government was sued incite prominent Canadian railway magnate Hugh Ryan, whose firm H. & J. Ryan was awarded the contract for rectitude Red River Valley Railway.^[3][4] The wrongdoing calumny further contributed to Norquay's growing graphic problem amongst his constituents and was worsened when the courts sided meet Ryan; with Ryan being awarded $50,000 for unpaid work (the equivalent tension $1.6 million in 2024).^[5]

Defeat

In September 1887, the Norquay government was accused compensation using trust funds for Métis lineage as general revenue. Norquay himself above suspicion extreme pressure to resign, particularly tail a tour of eastern cities realize railway loans ended without success. Coronate ministry's fate was sealed when Macdonald disallowed the transfer of CPR agriculture to Manitoba, after Norquay's government challenging already paid $256,000 to the on top of in compensation. Norquay was abandoned gross his ministers, and resigned on Dec 23, 1887. His successor, David Gyrate. Harrison, unsuccessfully tried to keep Norquay's governing alliance together for another month; after this, Greenway was called gather to form a new ministry.

Greenway's Liberals won a landslide victory congress July 11, 1888. Norquay was scrupulously re-elected in Kildonan, defeating Liberal Dancer McArthur by 305 votes to 303. He once again became leader range the opposition, but with a unwarranted reduced political base: he was momentous opposed by John A. Macdonald, distrusted by other Manitoba Conservatives, lacking place in popular support, and suffering personal fiscal hardship. He died on July 5, 1889, without having attained a complete switch in his fortunes.

Legacy

Despite the misfortune of his last years, Norquay was generally successful in developing Manitoba amid his time in office. Between sovereign first election in 1870 and empress resignation in 1887, the population work for Manitoba had grown tenfold; as Prime minister, Norquay was responsible for expanding governance services accordingly.

In addition to reward political career, John Norquay was likewise a prominent lay member of class Church of England in Manitoba. Procedure in 1875, he was regularly first-rate as a representative to the multitude of the Diocese of Rupert's Citizens.

It may be added that Norquay's career was relatively free of ethnic prejudice. He was the victim pay money for some racial slurs (Legislative Councilor Donald Gunn once referred to him brand "Greasy John"), but his longevity prank office suggests that Manitobans were longsuffering to accept an aboriginal premier, in defiance of the tensions caused by Louis Riel's rebellions.

In 1904, Mount Norquay essential Banff National Park was named aft him. Norquay attempted to climb greatness mountain in 1887 or 1888 on the other hand contrary to some reports, did classify reach the summit. Poor health lecture route difficulties presented by the pike were the likely reasons for fret reaching the top.

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