List of senators in the 1st Parliament of Canada explained

This is a list of members of the Senate of Canada in the 1st Parliament of Canada.

Queen Victoria granted Royal Assent to the British North America Act on March 29, 1867, forming the new nation of Canada on July 1 of 1867. Dominion elections were held in August and September to elect the first Canadian Parliament. Prior to the first sitting of Parliament, the Members of Parliament met to appoint the 72 senators to the Canadian Senate.

The 72 seats in the initial Canadian Senate were divided as follows: 24 to Ontario, 24 to Quebec, 12 to New Brunswick, 12 to Nova Scotia. Of the 72 appointed, two declined the appointment, and 2 seats remained vacant.

The province of Quebec has 24 Senate divisions which are constitutionally mandated. In all other provinces, a Senate division is strictly an optional designation of the senator's own choosing, and has no real constitutional or legal standing. A senator who does not choose a special senate division is designated a senator for the province at large.

On July 15, 1870, Manitoba became the 5th Canadian province and was allotted 2 seats in the Senate. With the increase, the number of seats in the Senate rose to 74. The seats were not filled until December 13, 1871, when Lord Lisgar, on the advice of John A. Macdonald, filled those two seats.

On July 20, 1871, British Columbia became the 6th Canadian province and was allotted 3 seats in the Senate bringing the combined number of seats in the Senate to 77. On December 13, 1871, Lord Lisgar, on the advice of John A. Macdonald, appointed three persons to fill those seats.

List of senators

Senators at the beginning of the 1st Parliament

align=left class="unsortable"NameParty †Province (Division)Date appointedAppointed byLeft office during 1st ParliamentReasonJames Cox AikinsLiberal-ConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaGeorge William AllanConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaOliver BlakeLiberalOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJohn AndersonLiberalNova ScotiaOctober 23, 1867VictoriaDecember 24, 1870DeathThomas ArchibaldLiberal-ConservativeOctober 23, 1867VictoriaConservativeOctober 23, 1867VictoriaNarcisse BelleauConservativeOctober 23, 1867VictoriaOctober 23, 1867Appointment DeclinedCaleb BillLiberal-ConservativeNova ScotiaOctober 23, 1867VictoriaFebruary 1, 1872DeathAdam BlairLiberalOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaDecember 29, 1867DeathJoseph BosséConservativeOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJanuary 1, 1868ResignationAmos BotsfordConservativeNew BrunswickOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJohn BourinotLiberal-ConservativeNova ScotiaOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJacques-Olivier BureauLiberalOctober 23, 1867VictoriaAsa BurnhamConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaAlexander CampbellConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaWilliam Henry ChaffersLiberalQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaEdward ChandlerLiberal-ConservativeNew BrunswickOctober 23, 1867VictoriaOctober 23, 1867Appointment DeclinedDavid ChristieLiberalOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaCharles CormierLiberalQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaGeorge CrawfordConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJuly 4, 1870DeathRobert DickeyConservativeNova ScotiaOctober 23, 1867VictoriaWalter DicksonConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaAntoine DuchesnayConservativeQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJanuary 7, 1871ResignationHenri DuchesnayConservativeQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaMay 12, 1871DeathLéandre DumouchelConservativeQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJohn FergusonConservativeNew BrunswickOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJames FerrierConservativeQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaBilla FlintLiberalOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaAsa FosterConservativeQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJean-Baptiste GuévremontConservativeQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJohn HamiltonConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJohn HamiltonConservativeQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaRobert HazenConservativeNew BrunswickOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJohn HolmesConservativeNova ScotiaOctober 23, 1867VictoriaEdward KennyConservativeNova ScotiaOctober 23, 1867VictoriaLouis LacosteConservativeQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaElijah LeonardLiberalOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJames LeslieConservativeQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaLuc Letellier de St-JustLiberalQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJohn LockeLiberalNova ScotiaOctober 23, 1867VictoriaDavid MacphersonConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaCharles MalhiotLiberalQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaRoderick MathesonConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaAbner McClelanLiberalNew BrunswickOctober 23, 1867VictoriaWalter McCreaLiberalOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJanuary 5, 1871ResignationJonathan McCullyLiberalNova ScotiaOctober 23, 1867VictoriaSeptember 28, 1870ResignationDonald McDonaldLiberalOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaWilliam McMasterLiberalOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaWilliam MillerLiberal-ConservativeNova ScotiaOctober 23, 1867VictoriaSamuel MillsConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaPeter MitchellLiberal-ConservativeNew BrunswickOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJuly 13, 1872 Resignation [1] William OdellConservativeNew BrunswickOctober 23, 1867VictoriaLouis Auguste OlivierLiberalQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaDavid Edward PriceConservativeQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaDavid ReesorLiberalOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaLouis RenaudConservativeQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJohn RitchieConservativeNova ScotiaOctober 23, 1867VictoriaSeptember 28, 1870ResignationJohn RobertsonLiberalNew BrunswickOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJohn RossConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJanuary 31, 1871DeathThomas RyanLiberal-ConservativeQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJohn SanbornLiberalQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaOctober 1, 1872Resignation [2] Benjamin SeymourConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJames ShawConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJohn SimpsonLiberalOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaJames SkeadConservativeOntarioOctober 23, 1867VictoriaWilliam SteevesLiberalNew BrunswickOctober 23, 1867VictoriaUlric TessierLiberalQuebecOctober 23, 1867VictoriaFebruary 11, 1873Resignation [3] David WarkLiberalNew BrunswickOctober 23, 1867VictoriaBenjamin WierLiberalNova ScotiaOctober 23, 1867VictoriaApril 14, 1868DeathRobert WilmotConservativeNew BrunswickOctober 23, 1867VictoriaCharles WilsonConservativeQuebecOctober 23, 1867Victoria

† Members of the Liberal-Conservative Party were associated with the Conservative Party of Canada.

Senators appointed during the 1st Parliament

align=left class="unsortable"[4] NameParty †Province (Division)Date appointedAppointed byOn the Advice ofLeft officeReason
Joseph-Édouard CauchonIndependent ConservativeQuebec (Stadacona)November 2, 1867Viscount MonckMacdonaldJune 30, 1872ResignationJean-Charles ChapaisConservativeQuebec (De la Durantaye)January 30, 1868Viscount MonckMacdonaldJames Rea BensonLiberal-ConservativeOntarioMarch 14, 1868Viscount MonckMacdonaldJames DeverLiberalNew BrunswickMarch 14, 1868Viscount MonckMacdonaldJohn GlasierLiberalNew BrunswickMarch 14, 1868Viscount MonckMacdonaldArchibald McLelanLiberal-ConservativeNova ScotiaJune 21, 1869Baron LisgarMacdonaldAlexander MacfarlaneConservativeNova ScotiaOctober 10, 1870Baron LisgarMacdonaldJeremiah NorthupLiberalNova ScotiaOctober 10, 1870Baron LisgarMacdonaldEbenezer PerryConservativeOntarioFebruary 2, 1871Baron LisgarMacdonaldFrank SmithConservativeOntarioFebruary 2, 1871Baron LisgarMacdonaldEzra ChurchillLiberal-ConservativeNova ScotiaFebruary 3, 2871Baron LisgarMacdonaldLouis PanetConservativeQuebec (La Salle)February 10, 1871Baron LisgarMacdonaldRobert ReadConservativeOntarioFebruary 24, 1871Baron LisgarMacdonaldRobert William Weir CarrallConservativeBritish ColumbiaDecember 13, 1871Baron LisgarMacdonaldClement Francis CornwallConservativeBritish ColumbiaDecember 13, 1871Baron LisgarMacdonaldAlexandre-René Chaussegros de LéryConservativeQuebec (Lauzon)December 13, 1871Baron LisgarMacdonaldMarc-Amable GirardConservativeManitobaDecember 13, 1871Baron LisgarMacdonaldWilliam John MacdonaldConservativeBritish ColumbiaDecember 13, 1871Baron LisgarMacdonaldJohn SutherlandIndependent ConservativeManitobaDecember 13, 1871Baron LisgarMacdonaldHenry Adolphus Newman KaulbackConservativeNova ScotiaMarch 27, 1872Baron LisgarMacdonald

† Members of the Liberal-Conservative Party were associated with the Conservative Party of Canada.

Changes in party affiliation during the 1st Parliament

DateNameParty (current)Party (previously)DetailsNovember 2, 1867Joseph-Édouard CauchonIndependent ConservativeConservativeJanuary 30, 1869Archibald McLelanConservativeAnti-Confederate

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Senator Mitchell resigned after the Dissolution of the 1st Parliament on July 8, 1872, but before the convening of the 2nd Parliament on March 5, 1873.
  2. Senator Sanborn resigned after the Dissolution of the 1st Parliament on July 8, 1872, but before the convening of the 2nd Parliament on March 5, 1873.
  3. Senator Tessier resigned after the Dissolution of the 1st Parliament on July 8, 1872, but before the convening of the 2nd Parliament on March 5, 1873.
  4. Web site: Parliament of Canada. Senators: 1st Parliament of Canada. February 9, 2012.

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