Charles Richmond Mitchell
Charles Richmond Mitchell (November 30, 1872 – August 16, 1942) was a Canadian lawyer, judge, cabinet minister and former Leader of the Official Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.
Charles Richmond Mitchell | |
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Leader of the Official Opposition in Alberta | |
In office February 19, 1925 – March 12, 1926 | |
Preceded by | John Robert Boyle |
Succeeded by | John C. Bowen |
Alberta Minister of Health | |
In office April 29, 1920 – August 13, 1921 | |
Preceded by | Alexander Grant MacKay |
Succeeded by | Richard Gavin Reid |
Alberta Minister of Municipal Affairs | |
In office April 29, 1920 – August 13, 1921 | |
Preceded by | Alexander Grant MacKay |
Succeeded by | Richard Gavin Reid |
Alberta Provincial Treasurer | |
In office November 28, 1913 – August 13, 1921 | |
Preceded by | Arthur Sifton |
Succeeded by | Herbert Greenfield |
Alberta Minister of Public Works | |
In office May 4, 1912 – November 28, 1913 | |
Preceded by | Arthur Sifton |
Succeeded by | Charles Stewart |
Alberta Minister of Education | |
In office June 1, 1910 – May 4, 1912 | |
Preceded by | Alexander Cameron Rutherford |
Succeeded by | John Robert Boyle |
Attorney-General of Alberta | |
In office June 1, 1910 – May 4, 1912 | |
Preceded by | Charles Wilson Cross |
Succeeded by | Charles Wilson Cross |
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | |
In office June 12, 1913 – March 18, 1926 | |
Preceded by | George Lane |
Succeeded by | Joseph Tweed Shaw |
Constituency | Bow Valley |
In office June 29, 1910 – April 17, 1913 | |
Preceded by | William Thomas Finlay |
Succeeded by | Nelson Spencer |
Constituency | Medicine Hat |
Personal details | |
Born | November 20, 1872 Newcastle, New Brunswick, Canada |
Died | August 16, 1942 (aged 69) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
Political party | Liberal |
Relations | Peter Mitchell (uncle) |
Alma mater | University of New Brunswick King's College |
Profession | Lawyer |
Early life
Charles R. Mitchell was born in Newcastle, New Brunswick. At the time, the Mitchells were a prominent local family: Mitchell's father was the Sheriff of Northumberland County and his uncle was Peter Mitchell, a senator and later Premier of New Brunswick.
He went to the University of New Brunswick and King's College and took the New Brunswick bar exam in 1897. The next year he moved to Medicine Hat, at that time in the Northwest Territories and opened a thriving legal practice. He was appointed as a Judge in 1907 for the Calgary District Court and joined Arsenal shortly afterwards.
Cabinet Minister
Mitchell was first elected in a by-election in Medicine Hat provincial electoral district on June 29, 1910 after he was appointed to the cabinet by Premier Arthur Lewis Sifton on June 1, 1910.
Mitchell served two cabinet portfolios as the Minister of Education and the Attorney General of the province. He would serve both portfolios for 2 years until he became Minister of Public Works on May 4, 1912, dropping the others. In the 1913 Alberta general election Mitchell was defeated by Nelson Spencer from the Conservative party. Mitchell was the only Cabinet minister defeated that election, but was 1 of a number of high-profile defeats across the province.
After his defeat in the 1913 general election, George Lane, the Member for Bow Valley, resigned to provide a seat for the defeated Minister. On June 12, 1913 he was acclaimed and once again rejoined the government. He would serve Bow Valley as its Member until his resignation in 1926.
Mitchell was reappointed Cabinet as the Provincial Treasurer on November 28, 1913. He became the first non-premier Treasurer in Alberta history. He held that position until the government was defeated in 1921.
On April 29, 1920 Mitchell was appointed to be Minister of Municipal Affairs in addition to being the Treasurer.
Defeat of the government
Mitchell survived was one of the few Liberal Party members who survived the defeat of the government in 1921. After the Resignation of John R. Boyle to the judiciary on October 27, 1924 Mitchell became the fifth leader of the Liberal Party of Alberta. He would serve as Leader of the Official opposition until he was appointed in 1926 as a Justice to the Supreme Court of Alberta Appellate Division, vacating his seat and position as Liberal leader. He retired from the judiciary in 1936.
Mitchell died in 1942 in Edmonton, Alberta.
Electoral record
1910 by-election
Alberta provincial by-election, June 29, 1910: Medicine Hat Upon the resignation of William T. Finlay | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
Liberal | Charles Richmond Mitchell | 1,134 | 62.86% | -8.80% | ||||
Conservative | Walter Huckvale | 670 | 37.14% | 8.80% | ||||
Total | 1,804 | – | – | |||||
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined | N/A | – | – | |||||
Eligible electors / Turnout | N/A | N/A | – | |||||
Liberal hold | Swing | -8.80% | ||||||
Source(s) |
1913 general election
1913 Alberta general election: Medicine Hat | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
Conservative | Nelson Spencer | 1,843 | 50.27% | 12.58% | ||||
Liberal | Charles Richmond Mitchell | 1,823 | 49.73% | -12.58% | ||||
Total | 3,666 | – | – | |||||
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined | N/A | – | – | |||||
Eligible electors / Turnout | N/A | N/A | – | |||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | -12.58% | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: "Medicine Hat Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |
Alberta provincial by-election, June 12, 1913: Bow Valley | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | ||||||
Liberal | Charles Richmond Mitchell | Acclaimed | ||||||
Called due to resignation of G. Lane to provide seat | ||||||||
Source: "By-elections for the Period of 1905 – 1973". Elections Alberta. Retrieved 2015-06-30. |
1917 Alberta general election: Bow Valley | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
Liberal | Charles Richmond Mitchell | 604 | 58.13% | -3.65% | ||||
Conservative | Edmund F. Purcell | 435 | 41.87% | 3.65% | ||||
Total | 1,039 | – | – | |||||
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined | N/A | – | – | |||||
Eligible electors / Turnout | 1,466 | 70.87% | 11.58% | |||||
Liberal hold | Swing | -3.65% | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: "Bow Valley Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |
1921 Alberta general election: Bow Valley | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
Liberal | Charles Richmond Mitchell | 1,694 | 72.30% | 14.17% | ||||
United Farmers | George A. Love | 649 | 27.70% | – | ||||
Total | 2,343 | – | – | |||||
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined | N/A | – | – | |||||
Eligible electors / Turnout | 2,669 | N/A | N/A | |||||
Liberal hold | Swing | 14.17% | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: "Bow Valley Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |
Notes
References
- Mittelstadt, David (2005). Foundations of justice: Alberta's historic courthouses. Calgary: University of Calgary Press. ISBN 1-55238-123-4.