1st Council of the North-West Territories

The 1st Council of the North-West Territories, also known as the North-West Council in Canada, lasted from October 7, 1876, to 1888. It was created as a permanent replacement to the Temporary North-West Council which existed prior to 1876.

A 2nd Council of the North-West Territories was elected in 1888. It was replaced in 1891 by the 1st North-West Assembly when the quota of elected members was reached.

(A different 2nd Council of the Northwest Territories (1905-1951) was created in 1905, when the NWT lost most of its population, to differentiate the new one from the two legislative councils of the NWT that had existed 1876 to 1891.)

Early history and development The first members of the new council were appointed under the North-West Territories Act and consisted of the Lieutenant Governor, appointed men and Stipendiary Magistrates. Elected representatives were added later and could join the council. If an area of had 1,000 people, an electoral district could be set up and a district member elected. This created a patchwork of represented and unrepresented areas, and there was no official or independent boundaries commission; all electoral law at the beginning was under the purview of the Lieutenant Governor.

Three electoral districts were created in 1881 and for an unknown reason writs were only issued in the district of Lorne, which returned the first elected member, Lawrence Clarke.

Electors participating in the North-West Territories elections did not vote by secret ballot until the 1893 Whitewood by-election.

Early sessions When the first council formed under the new appointed government in 1876, the council consisted of the lieutenant governor who acted as the chairman (speaker), and two appointed members. Because a quorum could not be maintained, the council had to be adjourned if one member went to the washroom.

Elections Numerous elections took place during the period of 1876–1891 — 11 separate by-elections electing one or two members, 9 by-elections held on one day in September 1885 (1885 North-West Territories election), and the 1888 North-West Territories general election.

The election of 1885 took place on September 15, 1885. The election saw 11 members in 9 new districts returned to the council, due to high rate of population growth in the North-West Territories at the time.

After the 1885 election, elected members became the majority in the council vis a vis the appointed members, although they had to fight to wrest control from the "colonial" officials. It became a full assembly.

The other elections, other than the 1888 general election, are not considered general elections, as there was no dissolution of the assembly — not all the members were up for election. However, after three years from an election, a district had to have another election — the seat was declared empty to be filled in an election.

By-election dates and summaries

March 23, 1881 Lorne by-election #1 Election summary Candidates# of candidatesPopular vote#%Elected candidates125063.61%Defeated candidates114336.39%Total2393100%

May 29, 1883 Edmonton by-election Election summary -- Frank Oliver elected Candidates# of candidatesPopular vote#%Elected candidates115559.62%Defeated candidates210540.38%Total3260100%

June 5, 1883 Lorne by-election Election summary Candidates# of candidatesPopular vote#%Elected candidates127969.92%Defeated candidates112030.08%Total2399100%

August 13, 1883 Moose Jaw, Regina, Qu'Appelle sub-election Election summary Candidates# of candidatesPopular vote#%Elected candidates351772.82%Defeated candidates519327.18%Total8710100%

August 31, 1883 Broadview by-election Election summary Candidates# of candidatesPopular vote#%Elected candidates19155.83%Defeated candidates17244.17%Total2163100%

June 28, 1884 Calgary by-election Election summary — James Geddes elected Candidates# of candidatesPopular vote#%Elected candidates110053.19Defeated candidates18846.81Total2188

(vote totals not recorded in Mardon and Mardon Alberta Election Results)

June 28, 1884 Moose Mountain by-election Election summary Candidates# of candidatesPopular vote#%Elected candidates19864.9Defeated candidates15335.1Total2151

(1885 North-West Territories election -- almost a dozen by-elections were held in September 1885)

July 8, 1886 Moose Mountain by-election Election summary Candidates# of candidatesPopular voteIncumbentNew#%Acclaimed candidates1---Total1--

July 16, 1886 Calgary by-election Source:

Each voter could cast up to two votes.

Election summary — Hugh St. Q. Cayley and John D. Lauder elected Candidates# of candidatesPopular vote#%Elected candidates242761.88%Defeated candidates226338.12%Total4690100%

October 14, 1886 Qu'Appelle by-election Election summary Candidates# of candidatesPopular vote#%Elected candidates133253.37%Defeated candidates129046.62%Total2622100%

May 24, 1887 Qu'Appelle by-election Election summary Candidates# of candidatesPopular vote#%Elected candidates142761.88%Defeated candidates126338.12%Total2690100%

September 5, 1887 Macleod by-election Election summary Candidates# of candidatesPopular vote#%Elected candidates130165.86%Defeated candidates115634.14%Total2457

(1888 North-West Territories general election)100%

Legislative session dates 1st Legislative Session, March 8, 1877, to March 22, 1877 2nd Legislative Session, July 10, 1878, to August 2, 1878 3rd Legislative Session, August 28, 1879, to September 22, 1879 4th Legislative Session, May 26, 1881, to June 11, 1881 5th Legislative Session, August 20, 1883, to October 4, 1883 6th Legislative Session, July 3, 1884, to August 16, 1884 7th Legislative Session, November 5, 1885, to December 18, 1885 8th Legislative Session, October 13, 1886, to November 19, 1886 9th Legislative Session, October 14, 1887, to November 19, 1887

Elected members of the 1st Council of the North-West Territories For complete electoral history, see individual districts DistrictMemberDate electedDate left officeNo. of termsReason for leaving officeBroadviewJohn Claude HamiltonAugust 31, 1883September 16, 18851st termRetirement?BroadviewCharles MarshallsaySeptember 16, 1885November 5, 18871st termDeathCalgaryJames Davidson GeddesJune 28, 188418861st termCalgaryJohn D. LauderJuly 14, 1886June 30, 18881st termRetirementCalgaryHugh CayleyJuly 14, 1886June 30, 18881st termRe-elected 1888 electionEdmontonFrank OliverMay 29, 1883 September 15, 18851st termDefeatedEdmontonHerbert Charles WilsonSeptember 15, 1885June 30, 18881st termRe-elected 1888 electionLorneLawrence ClarkeMarch 23, 1881June 4, 18831st termRetirementLorneDay Hort MacDowallJune 5, 1883September 14, 18851st termRetirementLorneOwen HughesSeptember 15, 1885June 30, 18881st termRetirementMacleodRichard Henry BoyleSeptember 15, 1885August, 18871st termResignationMacleodFrederick HaultainSeptember 5, 1887June 30, 18881st termRe-elected 1888 electionMoose JawJames Hamilton RossAugust 13, 1883June 30, 18881st, 2nd termRe-elected 1888 electionMoose MountainJohn Gillanders TurriffJune 29, 1884June 30, 18881st, 2nd termRe-elected 1888 electionMoosominSpencer BedfordSeptember 15, 1885June 30, 18881st termRetirementQu'AppelleThomas Wesley JacksonAugust 13, 1883September, 18861st, 2nd termResignationQu'AppelleWilliam Dell PerleySeptember 15, 1885February 22, 18871st termElected in 1887 federal electionQu'AppelleRobert CrawfordOctober 14, 1886June 30, 18881st termRetirementQu'AppelleWilliam SutherlandMay 24, 1887June 30, 18881st termRe-elected 1888 electionReginaWilliam WhiteAugust 13, 1883August 12, 18851st termRetirementReginaDavid JellySeptember 15, 1885June 30, 18881st termRe-elected 1888 electionReginaJohn SecordSeptember 15, 1885June 30, 18881st termRe-elected 1888 electionSt. AlbertSamuel CunninghamSeptember 15, 1885June 30, 18881st termDefeated 1888 election

Appointed members of the 1st Council of the North-West Territories MemberDate joined councilDate left officeReason for leaving officeMatthew RyanJanuary 1, 18761883Retirement?Hugh RichardsonJanuary 1, 1876June 30, 1888Re-appointed after the election of 1888James Macleod, NWMPJanuary 1, 1876June 30, 1888Re-appointed after the election of 1888Pascal BrelandJuly 10, 1878June 30, 1888Lost appointment when Legislature dissolvedAcheson Gosford IrvineAugust 20, 1883June 30, 1888Lost appointment when Legislature dissolvedHayter ReedAugust 20, 1883June 30, 1888Lost appointment when Legislature dissolvedCharles RouleauJuly 3, 1883June 30, 1888Re-appointed after the election of 1888Jeremiah Travis1885???

See also List of Northwest Territories premiers List of Northwest Territories commissioners List of Northwest Territories lieutenant-governors List of Northwest Territories general elections

References

1st Council of the North-West Territories

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