Northwest Territories general election, 1898

The Northwest Territories general election of 1898 took place on 4 November 1898. This was the fourth general election in the history of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories.

Frederick W. A. G. Haultain was still the first premier of the NWT. That title was given by legislation passed in 1897. He was the last premier of the Northwest Territories until 1980.

There were three big issues in this election, provincial rights and how to divide the provinces.

The second issue was the transfer of education, from the federal to the territorial level, this was Haultain's personal project, unfortunately for the Territories, that power would not be turned over until 1970.

The third issue, was the territories deficit budget, the territory was facing huge pressures from a rapidly increasing population in all parts of the territory. Earlier in 1898 the territorial government tried to exert control over liquor revenue in the Klondike, since it was footing the bill for increased services and policing. The federal government however interfered and delt a huge blow, when it carved the Yukon out of the Northwest Territories and appointed a council loyal to the federal government to gain control.

This was the first general election in which the election was contested along party lines in Northwest Territories. Frederick W. A. G. Haultain would sustain the governing Northwest Territories Liberal-Conservative Party in coalition with James Hamilton Ross who was a member of the Hautain cabinet but a Liberal member. Robert Brett remained leader of the official opposition.

Political parties were still controversial in this election as noted in the Calgary Herald editorial from 17 November 1898 Weekly edition, that debated the pros and cons of the bringing the "Dominion party lines" to the territorial legislature.