Thomas Bain
8th Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada
In office
August 1, 1899 – February 5, 1901
MonarchsVictoria
Edward VII
Governor GeneralThe Earl of Minto
Prime MinisterSir Wilfrid Laurier
Preceded byJames David Edgar
Succeeded byLouis Philippe Brodeur
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Wentworth South
In office
1896–1900
Preceded byFranklin Metcalfe Carpenter
Succeeded byE. D. Smith
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Wentworth North
In office
1872–1896
Preceded byJames McMonies
Succeeded byElectoral district was abolished
Personal details
Born(1834-12-14)December 14, 1834
Denny, Stirlingshire, Scotland
DiedJanuary 18, 1915(1915-01-18) (aged 80)
Dundas, Ontario
Political partyLiberal
SpouseHelen Weir
PortfolioSpeaker of the House of Commons (1898-1901)

Thomas Bain (December 14, 1834 – January 18, 1915) was a Scottish born Canadian parliamentarian.

Bain was born in Scotland, the son of Walter Bain,[1] and migrated to Canada with his family when he was three years old. They settled on a bush farm in Wentworth County near Hamilton, Ontario.[2]

He was elected to the County Council in the 1860s and became Warden. He was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1872 federal election as a Liberal. He was re-elected on six subsequent occasions, serving as an MP for 28 years before retiring in 1900. In the House, he usually spoke on agricultural issues, and became Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and Colonization in 1896.

In 1874, he married Helen Weir.[1]

When the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, James David Edgar, died unexpectedly in July 1899, Wilfrid Laurier asked Bain to become the new Speaker for the remainder of Egar's term.

Bain served as Speaker until the House was dissolved for the 1900 election in which he did not run.

After retiring from politics, Bain became President of the Landed Banking and Loan Company and the Malcolm and Souter Furniture Company. He died in Dundas, Ontario at age 80.

Electoral record

1896 Canadian federal election: Wentworth South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Liberal Thomas Bain 2,673
  Conservative Andrew H. Pettit 2,486
1872 Canadian federal election: Wentworth North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Liberal Thomas Bain 1,145
  Unknown R. McKechnie 1,040
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1874 Canadian federal election: Wentworth North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Liberal Thomas Bain acclaimed
1878 Canadian federal election: Wentworth North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Liberal Thomas Bain 1,343
  Unknown Thos. Stock 1,237
1882 Canadian federal election: Wentworth North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Liberal Thomas Bain 1,295
  Unknown Robt. McKechnie Jr. 1,292
1887 Canadian federal election: Wentworth North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Liberal Thomas Bain 1,639
  Conservative T.B. Townsend 1,513
1891 Canadian federal election: Wentworth North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Liberal Thomas Bain 1,517
  Conservative Alex R. Wardell 1,317

Archives

There is a Thomas Bain fonds at Library and Archives Canada. Archival reference number is R11196.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Johnson, J.K. (1968). The Canadian Directory of Parliament 1867-1967. Public Archives of Canada.
  2. ^ Bailey, Thomas Melville (1991). Dictionary of Hamilton Biography (Vol II, 1876-1924). W.L. Griffin Ltd. p. 143.
  3. ^ "Thomas Bain fonds finding aid" (PDF).

External links


Speakers of the Canadian House of Commons
Authority control databases
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