Prior ministry
Prior ministry | |
|---|---|
 15th ministry of British Columbia | |
| Date formed | November 21, 1902 |
| Date dissolved | June 1, 1903 |
| People and organisations | |
| Monarch | Edward VII |
| Lieutenant Governor |
|
| Premier | Edward Gawler Prior |
| No. of ministers | 5 |
| Ministers removed | 4 |
| Total no. of members | 6 |
| Member parties | Non-partisan |
| History | |
| Legislature term | 9th Parliament |
| Predecessor | Dunsmuir ministry |
| Successor | McBride ministry |
The Prior ministry was the combined Cabinet that governed British Columbia from November 21, 1902, to June 1, 1903. It was led by Edward Gawler Prior, the 15th premier of British Columbia. It was formed during the 9th Parliament, after Premier James Dunsmuir resigned and named Prior as his successor. Prior had been a member of the Dunsmuir ministry.[1]
Prior was dismissed as premier by Lieutenant Governor Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière over a conflict of interest scandal that implicated several ministers, including Prior. Joly de Lotbinière then invited opposition leader Richard McBride to form the McBride ministry.[2][3]
This was the last British Columbia ministry to be non-partisan.[3] It is also the last time in Canadian political history that a lieutenant governor dismissed a premier.[4]
List of ministers
[edit]| Portfolio | Minister | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | ||
| Premier of British Columbia | Edward Gawler Prior | November 21, 1902 | June 1, 1903 |
| President of the Council | William Wallace Burns McInnes | November 25, 1902 | May 27, 1903 |
| Attorney General | David McEwen Eberts | November 25, 1902 | May 27, 1903 |
| Minister of Finance and Agriculture | James Douglas Prentice | November 21, 1902 | June 1, 1903 |
| Minister of Education | Denis Murphy | November 22, 1902 | November 28, 1902 |
| William Wallace Burns McInnes | December 1, 1902 | May 27, 1903 | |
| Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works | Wilmer Cleveland Wells | November 22, 1902 | May 27, 1903 |
| Minister of Mines | Edward Gawler Prior | November 21, 1902 | June 1, 1903 |
| Provincial Secretary | Denis Murphy | November 22, 1902 | November 28, 1902 |
| William Wallace Burns McInnes | December 1, 1902 | May 27, 1903 | |
Cabinet shuffles
[edit]On November 28, only days after appointment, Denis Murphy resigned from cabinet. His resignation took Prior by surprise, and Murphy gave no explanation beyond "personal reasons".[6] William Wallace Burns McInnes was appointed to replace him, in addition to his role as president of the council.[7]
Following the eruption of a scandal involving the improper granting of land,[8] Prior fired the two ministers implicated, David McEwen Eberts and Wilmer Cleveland Wells. McInnes also resigned, on his own volition.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Mr. Dunsmuir Has Resigned; Col. Prior Now Premier". The Vancouver Daily Province. November 22, 1902. p. 1.
- ^ Hamelin, Marcel. "JOLY DE LOTBINIÈRE, Sir HENRI-GUSTAVE". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
- ^ a b Roy, Patricia E. "McBRIDE, Sir RICHARD". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
- ^ Cheffins, Ronald I. (2000). "The Royal Prerogative and the Office of Lieutenant Governor". Canadian Parliamentary Review. 23 (1).
- ^ "British Columbia Executive Council Appointments (1871-1986)" (PDF). Legislative Library of British Columbia. p. 30. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ "Hon. Mr. Murphy Resigns Position". Victoria Daily Times. November 29, 1902. p. 1.
- ^ "Surprise in B.C. Politics". Free Press Prairie Farmer. December 3, 1902. p. 7.
- ^ "The B.C. Lands". Free Press Prairie Farmer. May 20, 1903. p. 7.
- ^ "Three Ministers Leave the Cabinet". Victoria Daily Times. May 27, 1903. p. 1.