John Hart (politician, 1879)

John Hart (born March 31, 1879 in Mohill , County Leitrim , Ireland , † April 7, 1957 in Victoria ) was a Canadian politician and businessman . From December 9, 1941 to December 29, 1947 he was Prime Minister of the Province of British Columbia and Chairman of the British Columbia Liberal Party .

biography

In 1898, Hart emigrated to Canada, worked in a bank in Victoria, and in 1909 founded his own financial company called Gillespie, Hart and Co. He joined the British Columbia Liberal Party and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Victoria in the September 1916 election elected by British Columbia , of which he was a continuous member for 31 years. From 1917 to 1924 and from 1933 he was the provincial finance minister.

In the elections on October 21, 1941, the Liberals could not win a majority of the seats. Unlike Prime Minister Thomas Dufferin Pattullo , Hart was ready to form a coalition government with the British Columbia Conservative Party . This succeeded in keeping the socialist Co-operative Commonwealth Federation out of power. Hart took up the post of Prime Minister on December 9, 1941 and remained Minister of Finance. In the 1945 elections, the coalition government held its own.

After the end of the Second World War , Hart's government commissioned extensive infrastructure work, new power stations and main roads were built. The most complex project was the 400 km long Highway 97 between Prince George and Dawson Creek , which today bears his name. On December 29, 1947 Hart resigned and resumed his previous professional activity. He died in 1957 at the age of 78.

Web links

• John Hart ( English, French ) In: The Canadian Encyclopedia .