3rd Parliament of Ontario

The 3rd Parliament of Ontario was in session from 18 January 1875 until 25 April 1879, following the 1875 general election in which the Liberal Party was returned as the majority party. Oliver Mowat was again the province's Premier.

The Ontario Liquor Licence Act, 1876 (often referred to as the Crooks Act),[1] which transferred control of licenses for the sale of alcohol from individual municipalities to commissioners appointed by the province, was passed.

Rupert Mearse Wells served as speaker for the assembly.[2]

Members of the Legislature
Riding Member Party Comments
Addington Hammel Madden Deroche Liberal
Algoma Simon James Dawson Liberal Member until 26 August 1878. Resigned to enter federal politics.
Robert Adam Lyon Liberal Won byelection, was member from 16 September 1878.
Brant Hugh Finlayson Liberal
Brant South Arthur Sturgis Hardy Liberal
Brockville Wilmot Howard Cole Liberal
Bruce North Donald Sinclair Liberal
Bruce South Rupert Mearse Wells Liberal
Cardwell John Flesher Conservative
Carleton George William Monk Conservative
Cornwall Alexander Fraser McIntyre Conservative Served 18 January 1875 – 18 June 1875. Election disqualified on 8 June 1875[3]
John Goodall Snetsinger Liberal Defeated McIntyre in byelection 17 July 1875 and served to end of Parliament session.[4]
Dufferin John Barr Conservative
Dundas Andrew Broder Conservative
Durham East John Rosevear Conservative
Durham West John McLeod Liberal
Elgin East John Henry Wilson Liberal
Elgin West M.G. Munroe Conservative Member until June 1875 when he was unseated in election trial.
Thomas Hodgins Liberal As opponent of Munroe, he won the seat upon conclusion of an election trial. Resigned in 1878 to become a candidate for federal politics.
David McLaws Liberal Won byelection and served from September 1878 until end of Parliament session.
Essex North James Colebrooke Patterson Conservative Member until September 1878 when he resigned to enter federal politics.
Solomon White Conservative Won byelection and was member after September 1878.
Essex South Lewis Wigle Conservative
Frontenac Peter Graham Conservative Died in office in January 1877.
Delino Dexter Calvin Conservative Won byelection in 1877 and served to end of Parliament session.
Glengarry Alexander James Grant Independent-Liberal
Grenville South Christopher Finlay Fraser Liberal
Grey North Thomas Scott Conservative Disqualified in September 1875.[5]
David Creighton Conservative Won byelection and was member from 1 November 1875.
Grey East Abram William Lauder Conservative
Grey South James Hill Hunter Liberal
Haldimand Jacob Baxter Liberal
Halton William Barber Liberal Member until 30 June 1875 after he was unseated in election trial.[6]
William Durie Lyon Liberal Won byelection and was member from 15 November 1875 until end of Parliament session.[7]
Hamilton James Miller Williams Liberal
Hastings East Nathaniel Stephen Appleby Independent-Conservative
Hastings North George Henry Boulter Conservative
Hastings West Thomas Wills Conservative
Huron East Thomas Gibson Liberal
Huron South Archibald Bishop Liberal
Huron West Alexander McLagan Ross Liberal
Kent East Archibald McKellar Liberal Member until 25 July 1875 when he retired from politics.
Daniel McCraney Liberal Won byelection in 1875 and was member until end of Parliament session.
Kent West Alexander Coutts Conservative
Kingston William Robinson Conservative
Lambton East Peter Graham Liberal
Lambton West Timothy Blair Pardee Liberal
Lanark North William Mostyn Conservative
Lanark South Abraham Code Conservative
Leeds North and Grenville North Henry Merrick Conservative
Leeds South Robert Henry Preston Conservative
Lennox John Thomas Grange Conservative
Lincoln Sylvester Neelon Liberal
London William Ralph Meredith Conservative
Middlesex East Richard Tooley Conservative
Middlesex North John McDougall Conservative
Middlesex West John Watterworth Liberal
Monck Henry Ryan Haney Liberal Member until 18 November 1878, having died in office.
Richard Harcourt Liberal Won byelection and was in the Legislature as of January 1879 until the end of the Parliament session.
Muskoka and Parry Sound John Classon Miller Liberal
Norfolk North John Fitzgerald Clarke Liberal
Norfolk South Richard Richardson Conservative
Northumberland East James Marshall Ferris Liberal
Northumberland West William Hargraft Liberal
Ontario North Thomas Paxton Liberal
Ontario South Nicholas W. Brown Conservative
Ottawa Daniel John O'Donoghue Liberal
Oxford North Oliver Mowat Liberal
Oxford South Adam Oliver Liberal Member until 15 July 1875 after he was unseated by election trial.[8]
Adam Crooks Liberal Won byelection in 1875 and was in the Legislature as of December 1875. He served until the end of the Parliament session.[9]
Peel Kenneth Chisholm Liberal
Perth North David Davidson Hay Liberal
Perth South Thomas Ballantyne Liberal
Peterborough East John C. O'Sullivan Conservative Although unseated by election trial on 2 August 1875, he retained this riding.[10]
Peterborough West George Albertus Cox Liberal Unseated in election trial 2 August 1875.[10]
William Hepburn Scott Conservative Won byelection and was member from December 1875.
Prescott William Harkin Conservative
Prince Edward Gideon Striker Liberal
Renfrew North Thomas Deacon Conservative
Renfrew South James Bonfield Liberal
Russell Adam Jacob Baker Conservative
Simcoe East John Kean Conservative
Simcoe South D'Arcy Edward Boulton Conservative Died in office 16 February 1875.
William McDougall Independent-Liberal Won byelection and was member from 1 June 1875 to 9 September 1878. Resigned early to seek seat in federal House of Commons.[11]
William James Parkhill Conservative Won by-election and was member from 1 October 1878.
Simcoe West Thomas Long Conservative
Stormont James Bethune Liberal
Toronto East Matthew Crooks Cameron Conservative Was member until 9 January 1879 when he retired from politics.
Alexander Morris Conservative Won byelection and was member from January 1879 until the end of Parliament session.
Toronto West Robert Bell Conservative
Victoria North John David Smith Liberal Was member until 27 August 1875, after being unseated in election trial.[12]
Duncan McRae Conservative Won byelection.
Victoria South Samuel Casey Wood Liberal Retained seat in August 1875 byelection.[13]
Waterloo North Moses Springer Liberal
Waterloo South John Fleming Liberal Died in office 21 January 1877.[14]
Isaac Master Liberal Won byelection after recount and was member from March 1877.[15]
Welland James George Currie Liberal
Wellington Centre Charles Clarke Liberal
Wellington South Peter Gow Liberal Member until 1876 when he resigned.
James Massie Liberal Won byelection and was in the Legislature as of January 1877 until the end of the Parliament session.
Wellington West John McGowan Liberal-Conservative
Wentworth North Thomas Stock Conservative Disqualified in September 1875. Was Conservative member until 30 June 1875.[16]
James McMahon Liberal Won byelection and was in the Legislature as of December 1875 until the end of the Parliament session.
Wentworth South William Sexton Liberal
York East John Lane Liberal
York North Joseph Henry Widdifield Liberal
York West Peter Patterson Liberal

Election trials

The early months of this Parliament were marred by election trials in many ridings. Most of these cases challenged the validity of the election results on such charges as bribery or corruption. A common accusation was that of "treating", where candidates or their agents would buy potential electors alcohol or other favours.

The following ridings and candidates were affected:

Riding Original Candidate Comment
Cardwell Flesher Retained seat.
Cornwall McIntyre Unseated - election voided 8 June 1875, then defeated by Snetsinger in byelection.
Dundas Broder Retained seat.
Elgin East Wilson Retained seat - charges dropped 13 May 1875.[17]
Essex South Wigle Retained seat - originally unseated, but appealed.[18][19][20]
Elgin West M.G. Munroe Unseated - Hodgins declared the proper member of Legislature after 16 votes declared invalid, leaving Hodgins with a majority of 6 votes.[21][22]
Grey North Scott Unseated - original petition dismissed, but reversed on appeal, therefore Scott disqualified. 8-year ban from office.[16]
Grey South Hunter Retained seat - charges dismissed 2 July 1875.[23]
Halton Barber Unseated.[6]
Hastings West Wills Retained seat - charges dismissed.[24]
Lincoln Neelon Retained seat - initially unseated, but regained seat.[25]
London Meredith Retained seat.
Middlesex North McDougall Retained seat - charges dismissed.[26]
Monck Haney Retained seat - election initially voided, byelection called which Haney won.[27][28]
Muskoka Miller Retained seat - initially unseated, but appeals on some aspects of the election trial were still in progress through November 1875.[25][29][30]
Northumberland East Ferris Retained seat.
Ontario North Paxton Retained seat - charges dismissed, upheld on appeal, although the original election was still void and required byelection.
Ontario South Brown Retained seat - charges dismissed, case appealed, seat retained.[31]
Oxford South Oliver Unseated - lost byelection 25 August 1875
Peel Chisholm Retained seat.
Perth North Hay Retained seat.
Peterborough East O'Sullivan Retained seat - although initially unseated in election trial on 2 August 1875.[10]
Peterborough West Cox Unseated - 2 August 1875.[10]
Russell Baker Retained seat - charges dismissed, byelection called in which Russell won.[32][33]
Simcoe East Kean Retained seat.
Simcoe West Long Retained seat.
Toronto East Cameron Retained seat.
Toronto West Bell Retained seat.
Victoria North Smith Unseated.
Welland Currie Retained seat - Currie won byelection.[34]
Wellington West McGowan Unseated - byelection called, McGowan regained seat.[35][36]
Wentworth North Stock Unseated - 8-year ban from office.[16]

Source: "What have they gained by it? / Election appeals". The Globe. Toronto, Ontario. 27 September 1875. p. 2..

References
  1. 39 Victoria, 3. 26; R.S.O. 1877, c. 181
  2. "Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Archived from the original on 1 August 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  3. "Cornwall Election Case / The Election Voided Through Bribery by Agents". The Globe. 9 June 1875. p. 1., courts ordered byelection
  4. ""News Summary" and "The Cornwall Election / Mr. Snetsinger Returned"". The Globe. 19 July 1875. p. 1.
  5. Scott was banned for 8 years from holding any municipal or provincial office, or from voting in a provincial election. "North Wentworth and North Grey". The Globe. 28 September 1875. p. 2.
  6. "The Halton Election Trial". The Globe. 17 May 1875. p. 2.
  7. Lyon was voted Reform candidate for this riding on 4 October 1875."Halton Reform Convention". The Globe. 11 October 1875. p. 3.
  8. "South Oxford Election Trial / Mr Oliver Unseated". The Globe. 16 July 1875. p. 1.
  9. "South Oxford". The Globe. 12 August 1875. p. 2.; new election called in August 1875.
  10. "The Peterborough Election Trials / Dr O'Sullivan unseated in the East and Mr Cox in the West". The Globe. 3 August 1875. p. 1.
  11. "Ontario Legislature". The Globe. 1 October 1878. p. 2.
  12. "North Victoria Election Case / Conclusion of the Judgment". The Globe. 20 August 1875. p. 1.
  13. "South Victoria / Triumphant return of Hon. S.C. Wood". The Globe. 16 August 1875. p. 2.
  14. "Galt / Death of Mr. Fleming MPP". The Globe. 22 January 1877. p. 1.
  15. "South Waterloo Election / Recount of the Vote". The Globe. 7 March 1877. p. 1.
  16. Stock was banned for 8 years from holding any municipal or provincial office, or from voting in a provincial election. "North Wentworth and North Grey". The Globe. 28 September 1875. p. 2.
  17. "East Elgin Petition". The Globe. 13 May 1875. p. 2.
  18. "Legal Intelligence ... Before the Chancellor". The Globe. 14 July 1875. p. 2.
  19. "South Essex Election Trial / Respondent Unseated for Corrupt Practice of an Agent". The Globe. 14 July 1875. p. 4.
  20. "Windsor". The Globe. 15 July 1875. p. 1., noting Wigle's appeal
  21. "West Elgin". The Globe. 28 June 1875. p. 4.
  22. "West Elgin Election Case". The Globe. 9 June 1875. p. 2., reporting the judgement leaving Hodgins with majority of 6 votes.
  23. "South Grey Election Trial / Petition Dismissed". The Globe. 3 July 1875. p. 8.
  24. "The West Hastings Election Trial". The Globe. 19 June 1875. p. 8.
  25. "Election Trials - Muskoka and Lincoln". The Globe. 18 September 1875. p. 4.
  26. "Legal Intelligence... Election Trial". The Globe. 28 September 1875. p. 2.
  27. "Monck Election Trial / Dr Haney Unseated". The Globe. 14 May 1875. p. 4.
  28. "Monck Elections". The Globe. 23 June 1875. p. 2., Dr Haney (Reform) re-elected.
  29. "Muskoka / Mr. Miller Called on to take his Seat". The Globe. 29 November 1875. p. 1.
  30. "The Muskoka Election Trial". The Globe. 12 August 1875. p. 2., reporting that 12 of 15 charges in the election trial were dismissed at that point.
  31. "South Ontario Election Court / Third Day". The Globe. 14 May 1875. p. 4.
  32. "Russel Election". The Globe. 5 June 1875. p. 1.
  33. "Russel Election". The Globe. 13 August 1875. p. 1.
  34. "Local Elections (editorial)". The Globe. 5 July 1875. p. 2.
  35. "West Wellington Election Case". The Globe. 28 June 1875. p. 4.
  36. "North Wellington / Return of Mr. McGowan". The Globe. 28 September 1875. p. 1., despite the title (Ontario had no North Wellington riding), the article referred to the byelection in which McGowan won.

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