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James Moffat Douglas

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The Hon.
James Moffat Douglas
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Assiniboia East
In office
1896–1904
Preceded byWilliam Walter McDonald
Succeeded byJohn Gillanders Turriff
Senator for Tantallon, Saskatchewan
In office
1906–1920
Appointed byWilfrid Laurier
Personal details
Born(1839-05-26)May 26, 1839
Linton Bankhead (Linton), Scotland
DiedAugust 19, 1920(1920-08-19) (aged 81)
Tantallon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Political partyLiberal (1896–1906)
Independent Liberal (1906–1920)

James Moffat Douglas (May 26, 1839 – August 19, 1920) was a farmer, missionary and politician from western Canada. He served as MP for a district in the NWT from 1896 to 1904 and as Canadian Senator from 1906 to 1920.

The son of John and Euphemia (Moffat) Douglas, he was born and received his early education in Linton, Bankhead, Roxburghshire in Scotland, and came with his parents to settle on a small farm near Cambray, Ontario, in 1851.

Douglas was elected to the House of Commons of Canada for the district of Assiniboia East in the 1896 Federal Election. He defeated William McDonald, who had been acclaimed as the riding's Member of Parliament in the previous election. Douglas won under the Liberal Party of Canada banner, but also had strong backing from the local farmers' organization, the Patrons of Industry.[1]

In 1900, he was re-elected to represent the district. He retired in 1904.

Douglas was appointed to the Senate of Canada to represent the province of Saskatchewan on the advice of Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier on March 8, 1906. He served in the Canadian Senate affiliated as an Independent Liberal until his death on August 19, 1920.

Douglas built a homestead in the Qu'Appelle Valley in 1904. He named it Tantallon because he said the location reminded him of Tantallon Castle in Scotland. Tantallon takes its name from the homestead.


1900 Canadian federal election: Assiniboia East
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal James Moffat Douglas 4,081
Conservative Richard Stuart Lake 3,822
1904 Canadian federal election: Assiniboia East
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal John Gillanders Turriff 3,770
Conservative BRIGHAM, J.R. 3,036

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 1896 Parliamentary Guide
  • "James Moffat Douglas". Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. 1979–2016.
  • James Moffat Douglas – Parliament of Canada biography
[edit]
  • [1] Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan