Albert James Smith Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Sir Albert James Smith
Office:Attorney General of Canada (Acting)
Predecessor:Antoine-Aimé Dorion
Successor:Télesphore Fournier
Term Start:June 1, 1874
Term End:July 7, 1874
Office1:Premier of the Colony of New Brunswick
Predecessor1:Samuel Leonard Tilley
Successor1:Peter Mitchell
Term Start1:September 21, 1865
Term End1:April 14, 1866
Constituency Mp2:Westmorland
Parliament2:Canadian
Successor2:Josiah Wood
Term Start2:1867
Term End2:1882
Birth Date:12 March 1822
Birth Place:Shediac, New Brunswick
Death Place:Dorchester, New Brunswick
Restingplace:Dorchester Rural Cemetery
Party:Liberal
Children:one son (d. 30 June 1883)

Sir Albert James Smith (March 12, 1822  - June 30, 1883) was a New Brunswick politician and opponent of Canadian confederation. Smith's grandfather was a United Empire Loyalist who left Massachusetts to settle in New Brunswick after the American Revolution.

Smith entered politics in 1852 entering the House of Assembly as an opponent of the Tory compact that ran the colony and became a leading reform and advocate of responsible government which was granted to the colony in 1854. Smith became a member of the reform government that took power that year and went on to become Attorney-General in 1861 under Premier Samuel Leonard Tilley. Smith split with Tilley over railway policy and Canadian confederation with Smith becoming leader of the Anti-Confederates winning the 1865 election but was forced from office the next year by the lieutenant-governor.He was created a Queen's Counsel in 1862.

Smith reconciled with Confederation after it became a fact and became minister of fisheries in the Liberal government of Alexander Mackenzie in 1873. He died in 1883, and was interred in Dorchester Rural Cemetery.

Electoral record

By-election: on Mr. Smith being appointed Minister of Marine and Fisheries:|-|Liberal| Albert James Smith|align="right"| acclaimed

Further reading