1898 North-West Territories general election

1898 North-West Territories general election

← 1894 4 November 1898 (1898-11-04) 1902 →
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31 seats in the North-West Legislative Assembly
First party Second party   Leader Frederick W. A. G. Haultain Robert Brett Party Liberal-Conservative Liberal Leader since 1897 1897 Leader's seat Macleod Banff Seats won 7 2
Premier before election Frederick W. A. G. Haultain Liberal-Conservative Premier after election Frederick W. A. G. Haultain Liberal-Conservative

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

Frederick W. A. G. Haultain was still the first premier of the North-West Territories (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 NWT, 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 Territory out of the North-West 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 the Northwest Territories. Frederick W. A. G. Haultain would sustain the governing North-West 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.

Election results[]

Members of the Legislative Assembly elected[]

For complete electoral history, see individual districts

• Brett (Banff) was elected in a contentiously-close election, so close that a by-election had to be held, which Arthur Sifton won.^{[citation needed]}

See also[]

• List of Northwest Territories general elections

External links[]

• Haultain Ross government sustained Medicine Hat News 10 November 1898
• 4th General Election Macleod Gazette 4 November 1898
• Personnel of the Territorial Assembly 1888–1905