Charles Tupper

From Free net encyclopedia

{{Infobox PM

| name=Rt. Hon. Sir Charles Tupper
| image=Sir charles tupper.jpg
| country=Canada
| term=May 1, 1896 – July 8, 1896
| before=Mackenzie Bowell
| after=Wilfrid Laurier
| date_birth=July 2, 1821
| place_birth=Amherst, Nova Scotia
| date_death=October 30, 1915
| place_death=Bexleyheath, England
| party=Conservative

}}

Not to be confused with Sir Charles Hibbert Tupper who was Sir Charles Tupper's son

Sir Charles Tupper, GCMG, CB, PC, DCL, LL.D, MD (July 2, 1821 – October 30, 1915) was the sixth Prime Minister of Canada and, as of 2006, the one with the shortest term of office.

Tupper was born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, studied at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and became a doctor upon his graduation in 1843. In 1846, he married Frances Morse (1826-1912), with whom he had three sons (Orin Stewart, Charles Hibbert, and William Johnston) and three daughters (Emma, Elizabeth Stewart (Lilly), and Sophy Almon).

He entered Nova Scotia politics in 1855 and became premier in 1864 as leader of the Confederation Party. As a delegate to the Charlottetown, Quebec, and London conferences, Tupper guided his province into Confederation.

Sir Charles Tupper's public career was long and successful. He was Canada's High Commissioner in Great Britain from 1884 to 1887, and later served as one of Sir John A. Macdonald's key lieutenants. In 1895, he returned from service as Canada's representative in Britain to take over the leadership of the Conservative party, replacing Mackenzie Bowell. The Conservative Party was "dissatisfied" in Bowell's leadership because of the controversial Manitoba Schools Question. Despite these successes, Tupper was Prime Minister of Canada for just 69 days in 1896, the shortest term ever for a Canadian Prime Minister. He was also the oldest, at the age of 74, to assume the office.

Tupper led the Conservatives into the 1896 election; however, the question of the educational rights of French-speaking Manitobans turned voters towards the Liberals under Wilfrid Laurier. Despite garnering 46.5% of the votes, in comparison to 45% for the Liberals, Tupper's Conservatives were defeated. He retired from the federal scene in 1901, after thirty years in national politics.

Sir Charles Tupper died in Bexleyheath, Kent, England at the age of 94, and was brought home to be buried in St. John's Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Tupper was also a notorious womanizer, his nickname 'The Ram of Cumberland' being believed to have a dual meaning. He allegedly seduced an older woman to pay for his doctorate, and was sued by his secretary while in his 70's. Rumours swirled about his paternity of a child and his advising the woman to have an abortion, although the case was eventually settled. There is evidence that during his retirement he had returned to monogamy.

External links

• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
• Political biography from the Library of Parliament

Template:Start box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:End box Template:Start box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:End box

Prime Ministers of Canada		Image:Flag of Canada.svg
Macdonald | Mackenzie | Abbott | Thompson | Bowell | Tupper | Laurier | Borden | Meighen | King | Bennett | St. Laurent | Diefenbaker | Pearson | Trudeau | Clark | Turner | Mulroney | Campbell | Chrétien | Martin | Harper

</center>

Template:Conservative Leaders

{{Persondata |NAME=Pearson, Lester Bowles "Mike" |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= |SHORT DESCRIPTION=6th Prime Minister of Canada (1896) |DATE OF BIRTH=July 2, 1821 |PLACE OF BIRTH=Amherst, Nova Scotia |DATE OF DEATH=October 30, 1915 |PLACE OF DEATH=Bexleyheath, Kent }}

de:Charles Tupper fr:Charles Tupper pl:Charles Tupper pt:Charles Tupper zh:查尔斯·塔珀