Mackenzie Bowell
| Missing image Mackbowell.jpg Image:Mackbowell.jpg | |
| 5th Prime Minister of Canada | |
| Term of Office: | December 21,1894– April 27,1896 |
| Predecessor: | John Thompson |
| Successor: | Charles Tupper |
| Date of Birth: | December 27, 1824 |
| Place of Birth: | Rickinghall, England |
| Spouse: | Harriet Moore |
| Profession: | Publisher |
| Political Party: | Conservative |
The Honourable Sir Mackenzie Bowell, KBE, PC (December 27, 1824 – December 10, 1917) was the fifth Prime Minister of Canada from December 21, 1894 to April 27, 1896.
Bowell was born in Rickinghall, England. His family emigrated from there to Belleville, Ontario, where he apprenticed on the local newspaper. He became a successful printer and publisher and a prominent figure in the Orange Order, which made him Canadian grandmaster in 1870. In 1847 he married Harriet Moore (1829–1884) and with her had four sons and five daughters.
Elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 1867, Bowell joined the Conservative cabinet in 1878 as Minister of Customs. A competent, hardworking administrator, Bowell remained in cabinet as Minister of Trade and Customs and Minister of Militia and Defence when he became a senator in 1892. He became Leader of the Government in the Senate on October 31 1893 and then, in 1894, as the most senior minister, Bowell succeeded to the prime ministership when Sir John Thompson died suddenly. As Prime Minister of Canada, Bowell faced dissent in his party over the controversial Manitoba Schools Question. In 1890 Manitoba had abolished its Catholic school boards, contrary to the provisions made for Catholics in the Manitoba Act of 1870. Bowell and his predecessors had struggled to find a solution to the problem. When he decided to create a new Catholic school board for the province in 1896, seven cabinet ministers deserted him, and Bowell denounced them as "a nest of traitors." They soon returned, but with elections looming, Bowell agreed to retire. Charles Tupper, Canadian High Commissioner to London, was recalled to replace him.
Sir Mackenzie Bowell was 93 years old and still a senator when he died in Belleville. He is buried in the Belleville Cemetery, Belleville, Ontario. No elected current or former members of the government came to his funeral, though a full compliment of the Orange Order was in attendance.
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| Preceded by: Sir John Thompson | Prime Minister of Canada 1894-1896 | Succeeded by: Sir Charles Tupper |
| Conservative Leader | ||
| Preceded by: Sir George Eulas Foster | Minister of Finance (acting) 6 January 1896 – 14 January 1896 | Succeeded by: Sir George Eulas Foster |
| Prime Ministers of Canada | |
|---|---|
| Macdonald | Mackenzie | Abbott | Thompson | Bowell | Tupper | Laurier | Borden | Meighen | King | Bennett | St. Laurent | Diefenbaker | Pearson | Trudeau | Clark | Turner | Mulroney | Campbell | Chrétien | Martin Missing image Sir_John_A._Macdonald_square.png John A. Macdonald Missing image Alexander_mackenzie.jpg Alexander Mackenzie Missing image Sir_John_Abbott_square.png John Joseph Caldwell Abbott Missing image Sir_John_Thompson_square.png John Sparrow David Thompson Missing image Sir_Mackenzie_Bowell_square.png Mackenzie Bowell Missing image Pm_sq_tupper.jpg Charles Tupper Missing image Wilfred_Laurier_square.png Wilfrid Laurier Missing image Robert_Borden_square.png Robert Laird Borden Missing image Arthur_Meighen_square.png Arthur Meighen Missing image Pm_sq_king.jpg William Lyon Mackenzie King Missing image Pm_sq_bennett.jpg Richard Bedford Bennett Missing image Pm_sq_stlaurent.jpg Louis St. Laurent Missing image George_Diefenbaker_square.png John Diefenbaker Missing image Lester_Pearson_square.png Lester Bowles Pearson Missing image Pierre_Trudeau_square.png Pierre Trudeau Missing image JoeClark2.png Joe Clark Missing image Pm_sq_turner.jpg John Napier Turner Missing image Pm_sq_mulroney.jpg Brian Mulroney Missing image Pm_sq_campbell.jpg Kim Campbell Missing image Pm_sq_chretien.jpg Jean Chrétien Missing image Pm_sq_martin.jpg Paul Martin | |