Alexander Cameron Rutherford

Alexander Cameron Rutherford, KC ( born February 2, 1857 in Osgoode (now part of Ottawa ), † 11 June 1941 in Edmonton ) was a Canadian politician. September 2, 1905 to May 26, 1910, he was the first prime minister of the newly created province of Alberta and chairman of the co-founders of Alberta Liberal Party. Rutherford is considered the " architect of the province " and is also the founder of the University of Alberta.

Studies and career

Rutherford grew up on a farm near Osgoode. He attended the local primary school and the Canadian Literary Institute, a guided Baptist High School in Woodstock. In 1881 he completed his studies of civil law at McGill University in Montreal. In 1885 he was admitted as a lawyer in the Province of Ontario and for ten years was a junior partner of the law firm Hodgkins, Kidd, and Rutherford. In 1888 he married Matilda Birkett, the couple had a son and two daughters.

1895, a year after Rutherford had business dwelt in Edmonton, he settled with his family down there. In the town of Strathcona (1912 to Edmonton amalgamated ), which was in the Alberta District of the Northwest Territories at that time, he founded his own law firm. From 1896, he held various public offices at the local and regional level. In 1902 he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. In 1905 he was one of the founding members of the Alberta Liberal Party.

Prime minister

Vice- Governor George Bulyea appointed Rutherford on September 2, 1905, a day after the founding of the province of Alberta, as prime minister. In the first election to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta on November 9, 1905, the Liberals were given a clear absolute majority. Rutherford has also held the positions of Finance and Minister of Education. His government was primarily concerned with developing infrastructure in the province in order to cope with the strong immigration can. 1906, the state telephone company Alberta Government Telephones was founded (1990 privatized as Telus ).

Rutherford was particularly interested in the rapid expansion of the educational system. In 1906 he initiated the legislative process that led to the founding of the University of Alberta two years later. Personally, he chose in his place of residence Strathcona from the location of the university. In the elections in March 1909, the Liberals were able to increase their share of the vote.

Although Rutherford was popular, but he and his cabinet were forced to resign on May 26, 1910, after allegations had been raised, he was incompetent and involved in a conflict of interest. The government fell apart because Rutherford had the controversial decision is made to send a government guarantee bonds issued by railway companies (especially the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway).

Other activities

Rutherford was acquitted of all charges in court. He turned away disappointed by the Liberals from and identified more and more with the Conservatives. In the elections in April 1913, he lost his seat in the Legislative Assembly. Rutherford went back propagated his law firm and also served on the boards of several companies. In 1921 he ran on the side of the Conservative Party unsuccessfully for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons.

From 1927 until his death was Rutherford Chancellor of the University of Alberta. In 1931 he received an honorary doctorate from McGill University. Named after him are, among other things, the library of the University of Alberta and Mount Rutherford in Jasper National Park. His extensive collection of books on Canadian topics today forms an important part of the University Library.