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David Mills (Canadian politician)

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David Mills
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Bothwell
In office
1867–1882
Succeeded byJohn Joseph Hawkins
In office
1884–1896
Preceded byJohn Joseph Hawkins
Succeeded byJames Clancy
Senator for Bothwell, Ontario
In office
1896–1902
Appointed byWilfrid Laurier
Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
In office
1902–1903
Nominated byWilfrid Laurier
Preceded byJohn Wellington Gwynne
Succeeded byWallace Nesbitt
Superintendent-general on Indian Affairs
In office
October 24, 1876 – October 8, 1878
Preceded byDavid Laird
Succeeded byJohn A. Macdonald
Personal details
Born(1831-03-18)March 18, 1831
Orford Township, Upper Canada
DiedMay 8, 1903(1903-05-08) (aged 72)
Ottawa, Ontario
Political partyLiberal
Alma materUniversity of Michigan

David Mills, PC (March 18, 1831 – May 8, 1903) was a Canadian politician, author, poet and puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.

He was born in Palmyra, in southwestern Upper Canada (now Ontario). His father, Nathaniel Mills, was one of the first settlers in the area. Mills served as superintendent of schools for Kent County from 1856 to 1865. He then attended the University of Michigan School of law, graduating with honors in 1867 with an LL.B degree.

He published The Present and Future Political Aspects of Canada in 1860 and The Blunders of the Dominion Government in connection with the North-West Territory in 1871.

Mills was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada as a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) in the 1867 federal election and re-elected in four subsequent votes until being defeated in the 1882 election. He was an opponent of dual representation (the practice in which someone could simultaneously be a member of parliament as well as a member of the Ontario or Quebec legislature. He unsuccessfully introduced a private member's bill to abolish this practice, and continued to advocate for this until it was abolished in 1873.[1]

He returned to Parliament through an 1884 by-election. He was re-elected in subsequent elections until his defeat in the 1896 election despite this being the election that brought the Liberals back to power.

He served as Minister of the Interior in the Cabinet of Alexander Mackenzie from 1876 to 1878. Sir Wilfrid Laurier appointed Mills to the Senate of Canada after he lost his Commons seat in 1896, and appointed him to Cabinet as Minister of Justice and Leader of the Government in the Canadian Senate. He resigned from the Senate and Cabinet in 1902. He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada on February 8, 1902, and served on the Court for one year until his death in 1903.

Electoral record

[edit]
1867 Canadian federal election: Bothwell
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal David Mills 1,333
Conservative David Glass 1,224
Source: Canadian Elections Database[2]
1872 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal David Mills 1,727
Unknown C. R. Atkinson 1,135
1874 Canadian federal election: Bothwell
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal David Mills 1,600
Unknown ? Dobbyn 1,137

Mr. David Mills was appointed Minister of the Interior and Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, 24 October 1876:

By-election on 15 November 1876
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal David Mills 1,650
Unknown James Dawson 1,142


1878 Canadian federal election: Bothwell
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal David Mills 1,852
Liberal–Conservative John Joseph Hawkins
1882 Canadian federal election: Bothwell
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal–Conservative John Joseph Hawkins 1,520
Liberal David Mills 1,504

Election declared void Mr. J.J. Hawkins was declared not duly elected and was unseated by judgement of Supreme Court. The seat was awarded to his opponent, 25 February 1884:

By-election on 25 February 1884
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal David Mills acclaimed


1887 Canadian federal election: Bothwell
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal David Mills 2,182
Conservative Geo. M. D. Mitchell 2,161
1891 Canadian federal election: Bothwell
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal David Mills 2,006
Conservative G. R. Langford 1,456
Unknown A. McLartey 1,088
1896 Canadian federal election: Bothwell
Party Candidate Votes
Conservative James Clancy 2,587
Liberal David Mills 2,528

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Schlee, Gary (2018). Unknown and Unforgettable: A Guide to Canada's Prime Ministers. Toronto: Shorelawn Publishing. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-7753780-0-6.
  2. ^ Sayers, Anthony M. "1867 Federal Election". Canadian Elections Database. Archived from the original on 22 January 2024.
[edit]
Parliament of Canada
Preceded by Leader of the Government in the Senate of Canada
1897–1902
Succeeded by