William Steeves

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William Steeves

William Henry Steeves (born May 20, 1814 in Hillsborough , New Brunswick , † December 9, 1873 in Saint John ) was a Canadian politician . As one of the fathers of the Confederation , he was one of the pioneers of the Canadian state founded in 1867. He was a senator from 1867 until his death .

biography

Steeves, whose German ancestor Heinrich Stief had immigrated five decades earlier, worked as a businessman after leaving school . He initially ran a shop and later worked as a timber exporter in Saint John . His brother Gilbert opened a branch in Liverpool . In 1846 Steeves was elected to the lower house of the colony, in 1851 he was appointed to the upper house. He advocated government reform and the election of the upper house by the people. In 1854, the new Liberal Prime Minister Charles Fisher Steeves appointed to the colonial government, in which he was in charge of land surveying.

From 1855 to 1856 Steeves headed the Ministry for State Building Projects, also from 1857 to 1861. A particular concern was the railway construction, which is why he supported the construction of the Intercolonial Railway . From 1861 to 1864 he was a minister without portfolio in the government. In September and October 1864, Steeves took part in the Charlottetown Conference and the Québec Conference , where negotiations were held on the merger of the colonies in British North America into a federal state. After the founding of Canada in July 1867, Prime Minister John Macdonald made him a senator . He held this office until his death.

Steeves is a great-great-uncle of Jack Layton , the former chairman of the New Democratic Party . His Hillsborough house is now a museum.

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personal data
SURNAME Steeves, William
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Steeves, William Henry
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Canadian politician
DATE OF BIRTH May 20, 1814
PLACE OF BIRTH Hillsborough (New Brunswick)
DATE OF DEATH December 9, 1873
Place of death Saint John (New Brunswick)