Tobias Norris

Tobias Crawford Norris ( born September 5, 1861 in Brampton, Upper Canada, † October 29, 1936 in Toronto ) was a Canadian politician. From 1896 to 1903, from 1907 to 1928 he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Between May 12, 1915, and August 8, 1922, he ruled the province as prime minister. He was also from 1910 to 1927 Chairman of the Manitoba Liberal Party.

Biography

Norris and his family moved to Manitoba and tried first as a farmer. By the time he walked into a professional auctioneer and became known for this activity in many parts of western Canada. As a member of the Manitoba Liberal Party, he resigned in January 1896 to the legislative elections and won the constituency Lansdowne. He received no ministerial positions in the cabinet of Thomas Greenway. In July 1903, he was defeated by Conservative candidate Harvey Hicks by 16 votes. Just four years later, in March, 1907, he succeeded in revenge: He moved to Hicks ' costs again in parliament and there was one of the leading personality of the liberal opposition. In 1910 he took over the party chairmanship.

On May 12, 1915, the Conservative Prime Minister Rodmond Roblin had to because of a corruption scandal that involved the construction of the new Parliament building in Winnipeg, withdraw and Norris formed a transitional government. The Liberals won an overwhelming success ( 40 of 47 seats) in the early general elections in August 1915. Norris ' government continued to numerous reform projects. These included the introduction of women's suffrage, compulsory education for all children up to 14 years, a state accident insurance and a minimum wage.

The first agrarian base of the province changed and the proportion of industrial workers increased. However, their wages fell back against those of other employees. As of May 15, 1919, therefore, 52 unions organized the Winnipeg general strike, which lasted until 26 June. The provincial government held largely by the struggle out and saw the violent intervention of the federal police, which led to thirty injured and one dead, without doing anything. In the elections in June 1920, the Liberals lost the absolute majority and had to form a minority government, which was under pressure from the United Farmers and the Socialists.

In the elections on 18 July 1922, the Liberals suffered a serious defeat. The victorious United Farmers had no actual chairman and first had one of their deputies to determine, before they could take over the government. On August 8, 1922 Norris stepped from the presidency to John Bracken. In 1927, he resigned as chairman of the party, one years later as a deputy. He then worked as chairman of the Railway Commission.