British Columbia general election, 1871

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Formerly a British colony, British Columbia became a province of Canada on July 20, 1871. An interim Cabinet was appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, and election writs for the first general election as a province of Canada were issued to choose 25 members of the first provincial legislature from 12 ridings (electoral districts). These ridings were:

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British colonization of the Americas began in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia, and reached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas. The English, and later the British, were among the most important colonizers of the Americas, and their American empire came to surpass the Spanish American colonies in military and economic might.

British Columbia Province of Canada

British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada, located between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. With an estimated population of 5.016 million as of 2018, it is Canada's third-most populous province.

Provinces and territories of Canada Top-level subdivisions of Canada

The provinces and territories of Canada are the sub-national governments within the geographical areas of Canada under the authority of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North America—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada —were united to form a federated colony, becoming a sovereign nation in the next century. Over its history, Canada's international borders have changed several times, and the country has grown from the original four provinces to the current ten provinces and three territories. Together, the provinces and territories make up the world's second-largest country by area.

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Cariboo was one of the twelve original electoral districts created when British Columbia became a Canadian province in 1871. Roughly corresponding to the old colonial electoral administrative district of the same name, it was a three-member riding until the 1894 election, when it was reduced through reapportionment and became a two-member riding until the 1916 election, after which it has been a single-member riding. It produced many notable Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), including George Anthony Boomer Walkem, third and fifth holder of the office of Premier of British Columbia and who was one of the first representatives elected from the riding; John Robson, ninth Premier of British Columbia; and Robert Bonner, a powerful minister in the W.A.C. Bennett cabinet, and later CEO of MacMillan Bloedel and BC Hydro.

Comox was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was one of the first twelve ridings representing that province upon its joining Confederation, and was a one-member constituency. The core of this once-vast riding, which at its inception stretched to the Yukon border, is now named Comox Valley.

Cowichan was one of the first twelve electoral districts created when British Columbia became a Canadian province in 1871. It was located on southern Vancouver Island. It was a one-member riding only. Its last appearance on the husting was in 1920. It was then superseded by Cowichan-Newcastle, which appeared in provincial elections from 1924 to 1963, after which a revised riding is named Cowichan-Malahat, which is extant today.

Polling conditions

The election was held from October through December 1871, and was conducted by means of a show of hands on nomination day and, if required, an open poll book on polling day. There were no organized political parties.

Statistics

Vancouver Island

Mainland:

Note that these figures refer to votes actually cast, not the population per se nor the total of the potential voters' list.

Results by riding

Note: There is no arrangement to the ridings and members, other than by rough alphabetical order, as all were technically independents. Actual seating of the House or political alignments are not represented.

Results of British Columbia general election, 1871
GovernmentOpposition
MemberRiding
& party		Riding
& party		Member
     Cornelius Booth Cariboo
         Comox
John Ash     
     Joseph Hunter          Cowichan
John Paton Booth     
     George Anthony Boomer Walkem 1         William Smithe     
     Henry Cogan Esquimalt          Kootenay John Andrew Mara     
     Alexander Rocke Robertson          Charles Todd     
     Thomas Basil Humphreys Lillooet          Nanaimo John Robson     
     Andrew Thomas Jamieson          New Westminster William James Armstrong     
     Henry Holbrook New Westminster City          Josiah Charles Hughes     
     Arthur Bunster Victoria          Victoria City Robert Beaven     
     Amor De Cosmos          Simeon Duck     
     James Robinson Yale          John Foster McCreight 2    
     Charles Augustus Semlin          James Trimble     
     Robert Smith     
1 Premier-Elect2 Incumbent Premier
Source: Elections BC

Byelections

Two sets of byelections were held to confirm appointments to the Executive Council (cabinet), as was the custom in earlier times. Ministerial candidates in this series of byelections were all confirmed by acclamation (so there were no actual polling dates). These byelections were:

Esquimalt was a provincial electoral district in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It was one of the province's first twelve ridings upon its entry into Confederation. It was originally a two-member riding. Its successor riding today is Esquimalt-Metchosin.

Alexander Rocke Robertson Canadian politician

Alexander Rocke Robertson was a Canadian lawyer, judge, and politician.

New Westminster City was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia from 1871 to 1912. For other electoral districts in New Westminster, please see New Westminster.

Other byelections were also held due to deaths and other appointments; all were contested:

John George Barnston was a lawyer and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Cariboo in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1872 to 1875.

Cornelius Booth (politician)

Cornelius Booth was a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1871 to 1975 from the electoral district of Cariboo.

The Lillooet electoral district was a riding in the Canadian province of British Columbia, centred on the town of the same name and with various boundaries. Originally with two members, the constituency was split into Lillooet West and Lillooet East in the 1894, 1898, and 1900 elections, with Lillooet West being recomprised as one riding in the 1903 election.

Composition of House at dissolution

Note: Government/Opposition status applies to candidate at time of election in 1871, not at time of dissolution in 1875.

Composition of 2nd British Columbia Parliament at Dissolution, 1875
GovernmentOpposition
MemberRiding
& party		Riding
& party		Member
     John George Barnston Cariboo
         Comox
John Ash     
     Joseph Hunter          Cowichan
John Paton Booth     
     George Anthony Boomer Walkem          William Smithe     
     Henry Cogan Esquimalt          Kootenay John Andrew Mara     
     Alexander Rocke Robertson          Charles Todd     
     Thomas Basil Humphreys Lillooet          Nanaimo John Robson     
     William M. Brown          New Westminster William James Armstrong     
     Henry Holbrook New Westminster City          Josiah Charles Hughes     
     William Archibald Robertson Victoria          Victoria City Robert Beaven     
     William Fraser Tolmie          Simeon Duck     
     James Robinson Yale          John Foster McCreight     
     Charles Augustus Semlin          James Trimble     
     Robert Smith     
Source: Elections BC

Further reading & references

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