Siddhesh Joshi (Editor)

David Howard Harrison

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Monarch
  
Victoria

Nationality
  
Canadian

Succeeded by
  
Thomas Greenway

Preceded by
  
District divided

Role
  
Politician


Preceded by
  
John Crerar

Name
  
David Harrison

Preceded by
  
John Norquay

David Howard Harrison

Born
  
June 1, 1843 London Township, Upper Canada (
1843-06-01
)

Died
  
September 8, 1905, Vancouver, Canada

Party
  
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba

Education
  
University of Toronto, McGill University

Cabinet
  
Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, Minister of Finance

Political party
  
Liberal-Conservative

Lieutenant governor
  
James Cox Aikins

David Howard Harrison (June 1, 1843 – September 8, 1905) was a politician, farmer and physician. He was born in the township of London, Canada West, and moved to Manitoba in 1882. He and his family soon established themselves as substantial landowners.

Harrison's political fortunes went through a remarkable rise and fall between 1882 and 1888. He forged an alliance with Premier John Norquay soon after moving to Manitoba, and in the election of 1883 was elected for the riding of Minnedosa as a Liberal-Conservative, easily defeating his Liberal opponent David Glass. On August 27, 1886, Harrison was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Statistics and Health, and was touted as a possible successor to Norquay. He was re-elected for the new riding of Minnedosa West later in the year, this time defeating Liberal J.W. Shanks.

Norquay was forced to resign in early December 1887, after a financial crisis involving railway transfers cost him the support of his ministers. Harrison became Premier on December 26, 1887, and attempted to form an administration from the remnants of Norquay's alliance.

Harrison's ministry never got off the ground. He was unable to win the support of a clear majority of MLAs, and lost a vital by-election on January 12, 1888. He resigned one week later, at which time the Lt. Governor called on Liberal Thomas Greenway to form a new administration.

Harrison was technically a "non-partisan" Premier, but his ministry was closely aligned with the national Conservative Party of John A. Macdonald and was dominated by local Conservatives. An official Conservative Party was formed in the province soon after his resignation.

After resigning as Premier, Harrison seems to have abandoned active political life. He allowed Norquay to retake the leadership of the "Conservative Party", and did not seek re-election in 1888. Achieving success in Neepawa as a banker, he moved to British Columbia in 1900. He died of a lingering illness five years later.

References

David Howard Harrison Wikipedia