George William Ross

Sir George William Ross ( born September 18, 1841 in Nairn, Middlesex County, Upper Canada, † March 7, 1914 in Toronto, Ontario ) was a Canadian politician ( Liberal Party of Canada). He was from 1872 to 1883 Member of the House, then to 1908 Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Nearly 16 years he was the Minister of Education of Ontario. Of 20 October 1899 to 8 February 1905, he ruled the province of Ontario as Prime Minister. Finally, he served from 1907 as a senator.

Biography

Professional and federal policy

Ross was one of eight children of an immigrant from Scotland farmer. At the age of 16, he began to teach in the local school. In 1867 he bought the paper Strathroy Age and tried his hand as a publisher. But he was not successful, as in 1869 at the Seaforth Expositor. According to a development he worked as a school inspector in 1871. Ross began while also studying law and acquired in 1883 at Albert College in Belleville the Bachelor of Laws. From 1876 to 1880 he was a member of the highest school supervisory authority of the Ministry of Education of Ontario.

Ross stepped to no avail to the first general election in 1867. Five years later he was successful and was elected in the general election in 1872, the 56 -vote lead for the Members of the constituency of West Middlesex. In Parliament in Ottawa Ross was an unremarkable backbencher. Twice he succeeded with each small margin re-election. The result of the general election in 1882 in his constituency was contested and canceled ( he had won with 54 -vote lead ). Rather than to compete in December 1883 for the by-election became necessary, he resigned.

Minister of Education in Ontario

The reason for his resignation was the change in the provincial policy. Oliver Mowat, Premier of Ontario, Ross was appointed in November 1883, for the Minister of Education. After a successful election a month later, he represented the constituency of West Middlesex in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Ross led a reform of the education system, with which the access to higher education has been facilitated. He supervised the construction of over 300 libraries, the kindergarten system expanded and created a teacher training college for the training of principals and school inspectors. Under his leadership, the universities were expanded and several small colleges teamed up with the University of Toronto.

The conservative opposition protested against Ross ' support of a denominationally separate Catholic school system. The Catholics again sat down to ensure that they received the same universities and other educational institutions, as they already had the Protestants. In response to these demands established members of the Orange Order in the 1890s the Protestant Protective Association. This association sought unsuccessfully then to curb the expansion of the rights of Catholics and to exclude them from public life in the province. Ross refused repeated demands from and to adjust instruction in French. Nevertheless, he was re-elected each in the elections of 1886, 1890, 1894 and 1898.

Prime Minister and Senator

After Oliver Mowat became senator in 1896, Arthur Sturgis Hardy had taken over the office and Ross confirmed as Minister of Education. Hardy resigned on October 20, 1898 for health reasons. As the oldest member of the Cabinet Office Ross joined its successor as head of government and also took over the position of Treasurer. The Ontario Liberal Party chose him as the new chairman. A year earlier the borders of the province were moved to the north. Ross ordered a comprehensive survey of the vast territory and promoted the immigration. In order to develop the North, the national railway company, Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway was founded in 1902, mining and timber companies received subsidies for new developments.

The Liberal government appeared after nearly three decades spent in power, even Ross could not stop the gradual decline. In the elections in February 1902, the Liberals were only two more seats than the Conservatives. This was too little to maintain in the long run a stable government. Ross was a supporter of the temperance movement and wanted to introduce in Ontario Prohibition. A similar law was, however, narrowly rejected in December 1902 in a referendum. In March 1903 it was announced that a year had been previously purchased in different constituencies votes in the elections. Ross had but of these operations no knowledge of the scandal still damaged his reputation.

The elections on January 25, 1905 ended with a clear victory of the conservatives. Ross transferred on 8 February, the government responsibility to James Whitney and was then Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly. Canadian Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier appointed him in January 1907 for Senator. As of January 1912, he led the opposition faction in the Senate. He remained until his death in this office.