Alexander Campbell (Canadian senator)

Sir Alexander Campbell, PC, KCMG, QC ( born March 9, 1822 in Hedon, Yorkshire, † May 24, 1892 in Toronto ) was a Canadian politician. As one of the Fathers of Confederation, he is among the pioneers of the Canadian federal government established in 1867. From 1867 to 1887, he was a senator, then he served until his death as Vice- Governor of the Province of Ontario.

Biography

The British-born doctor's son Campbell was one year old with his parents to Canada. The family lived first in Montreal, then in Lachine and finally in Kingston. A part of his youth spent Campbell at the seminar in Saint- Hyacinthe, where he learned French. After graduating from high school in Kingston, he studied law and worked at the law firm of John Macdonald. In 1843 he was admitted as a lawyer and had the following six years Macdonalds partner.

Campbell's political career began in 1850 with his election to the City Council of Kingston, where he remained until 1852. In 1858 he was elected to the House of the Province of Canada. In 1863 he was Speaker, from 1864 he was a member as Commissioner for Crown Lands of the government. In 1864 he took part in the Charlottetown Conference and at the Quebec Conference, where it was deliberate on the union of the colonies in British North America. In September 1873, two months after the founding of the Canadian state, his former law firm partner Macdonald appointed him senator.

In Macdonald's cabinet had Campbell various ministerial posts: Minister of Posts (1867-1873, 1879-1881, 1885-1887), Minister for Internal Taxes (1868-1869), Minister of the Interior (1873 ), Treasurer ( 1878-1879 ), Minister of Defense (1880 ) Minister of Justice ( 1881-1885 ). Following the resignation as a senator sworn Governor General Lord Lansdowne Campbell as Vice- Governor of Ontario. This representative office he held nearly five years until his death.

His eldest son Charles Sandwith Campbell was later Governor of McGill University.