James Cox Aikins

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James Cox Aikins

James Cox Aikins , PC (born March 30, 1823 in Toronto Township , Ontario , † August 8, 1904 in Toronto ) was a Canadian politician . He was a senator from 1867 to 1882 , during which time he held several ministerial posts in the federal government of John Macdonald . From 1882 to 1888 he served as lieutenant governor of the province of Manitoba , from 1896 until his death he was a member of the Senate again. His son James Albert Manning Aikins was later also Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba.

biography

Aikins graduated from Victoria College, a Methodist- run college in Cobourg . After graduating from high school, he worked as a farmer near Toronto . As a radical reformer, he took part in the elections for the Lower House of the Province of Canada in 1854 and prevailed in the Peel constituency. While he managed to be re-elected in 1857, he was defeated by the conservative rival candidate in 1861. In the following year he moved back into parliament, this time as a member of the upper house.

In October 1867, after the founding of the Canadian state, Aikins was named a senator by Prime Minister John Macdonald . This accepted him in December 1869 in the federal cabinet. Aikins then served as Secretary of State for Canada and Chancellery of the government. In 1873 he was for a few months managing superintendent for Indian affairs and state secretary for relations with the provinces. With the collapse of Macdonald's government in the wake of the Pacific scandal , his ministerial activities ended in November 1873.

After five years in the opposition, Macdonald's liberal-conservative coalition came back to power and Aikins was returned to his old ministerial post in October 1878. Around two years later, in November 1880, he took over the management of the Ministry of Domestic Taxes. Aikin's support for the abstinence movement was embarrassing to the government as it received substantial financial contributions from the alcohol manufacturers. In May 1882 he gave in to the pressure and resigned as senator and minister. In return, he made Aikins lieutenant governor of Manitoba and received a promise to be reappointed Senator when his term expired. The swearing-in took place on September 29, 1882.

At that time there was a deep rift between the provincial and federal governments. Macdonald had consistently rejected the railroad legislation of Manitoba's Prime Minister John Norquay . Aikins was ordered to bring provincial legislation in line with national policy, but could not exert his influence on Norquay or his successor Thomas Greenway . His term of office ended on July 1, 1888, but he was only reappointed senator in January 1896, which he remained until his death.

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personal data
SURNAME Aikins, James Cox
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Canadian politician, Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
DATE OF BIRTH March 30, 1823
PLACE OF BIRTH Toronto Township , Ontario
DATE OF DEATH August 8, 1904
Place of death Toronto