William Steeves

William Henry Steeves ( born May 20, 1814 Hillsborough, New Brunswick, † December 9, 1873 in Saint John ) 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 until his death he was a senator.

Biography

Steeves, its German ancestor Heinrich Stief was five decades earlier immigrated, worked after school as a businessman. He first led a shop and was later in Saint John as a timber exporter operates. His brother Gilbert opened a branch in Liverpool. 1846 Steeves was elected to the lower house of the colony, in 1851, he was appointed to the Upper House. He advocated a reform of the government and the election of the Upper House by the people. 1854 appointed the new Liberal Prime Minister Charles Fisher Steeves in the colonial government, in which he held the supervision of land surveying.

From 1855 to 1856 Steeves led the Ministry of Public Works, as well as from 1857 to 1861. A particular concern was the railroad, which is why he supported the construction of the Intercolonial Railway. From 1861 to 1864 he was represented as a minister without portfolio in the government. In September or October 1864 Steeves attended the Charlottetown Conference and at the Quebec Conference, where it was negotiating the merger of the colonies in British North America into a federal state. After the founding of Canada in July 1867, Prime Minister John Macdonald appointed him senator. He held this office until his death.

Steeves is a great-great uncle of Jack Layton, leader of the New Democratic Party. His house in Hillsborough is now a museum.