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Cape Breton (federal electoral district)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cape Breton
Nova Scotia electoral district
Defunct federal electoral district
LegislatureHouse of Commons
District created1867
District abolished1903
First contested1867
Last contested1900
Demographics
Census division(s)Cape Breton

Cape Breton was a federal electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1867 to 1904. It was created as part of the British North America Act, 1867.

The district consisted of the county of Cape Breton and initially returned one member, but returned two members from 1872 until its dissolution. It was abolished when it was redistributed into Cape Breton South and North Cape Breton and Victoria ridings in 1903.

Geography

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The Cape Breton riding was set by the British North America Act, 1867 to consist of Cape Breton County. The county was legally defined in 1852 as:

"all that part of the late county of Cape Breton to the southward of a line commencing at the entrance of a large stream that falls into the sea, about three miles to the westward of Point Ancomi, at the eastern extremity of the Island of Boularderie, and following the middle of the stream upwards, until it intersects the present highway between the great and little Bras d'Or; thence running parallel to the rear line of the front lot, on the north side of Boularderie, until it comes to the southwestern corner of the Reverend James Fraser's lot, on the north side thence south twenty degrees east, to the southeastern shore of Boularderie, and to continue on the same course to the middle of the Bras d'Or lake thence up the middle thereof westerly, to the middle of the strait of Barra thence following the mid channel thereof to the western end of the Strait thence in a direct line to the line at or near Point Malagawactchkt [sic] that separates the county of Cape Breton from the County of Inverness."[1]

The boundaries were not changed during the 1872 electoral redistribution, but now the riding would return two members to Parliament. No changes occurred during the electoral redistributions of 1882 or 1892. This riding was dissolved and redistributed into the ridings of Cape Breton South and North Cape Breton and Victoria in the 1903 electoral redistribution.

Members of Parliament

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Parliament Years Member Party Member Party
Cape Breton
1st 1867 – 1869[nb 1]     James Charles McKeagney Anti-Confederate
1869 – 1872     Liberal–Conservative
2nd 1872 – 1873[nb 2]     Newton LeGayet Mackay Conservative     William McDonald Conservative
1873 – 1874     Liberal
3rd 1874 – 1878
4th 1878 – 1879[nb 3]     Hugh McLeod Liberal–Conservative
1879 – 1882 William Mackenzie McLeod
5th 1882 – 1884[nb 4]     Murray Dodd Conservative
1884 – 1887     Hector Francis McDougall Liberal–Conservative
6th 1887 – 1891 David MacKeen
7th 1891 – 1895[nb 5]
1895 – 1896 Charles Tupper
8th 1896 – 1900
9th 1900 – 1904     Alexander Johnston Liberal     Arthur Samuel Kendall Liberal
Riding dissolved into Cape Breton South and Cape Breton North and Victoria

Election results

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1900 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % Elected
Liberal A. Johnston 3,922 x
Liberal A.S. Kendall 3,890 x
Conservative Charles Tupper 3,672
Liberal–Conservative Hector Francis McDougall 3,604
1896 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % Elected
Conservative Charles Tupper 3,630 x
Liberal–Conservative Hector Francis McDougall 3,430 x
Liberal A.S. Kendall 2,813
Liberal Joseph McPherson 2,328
By-election on 4 February 1896

On Mr. MacKeen's resignation to provide a seat for Sir Charles Tupper, 18 December 1895

Party Candidate Votes
Conservative Charles Tupper acclaimed n/a


1891 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % Elected
Conservative David MacKeen 2,889 x
Liberal–Conservative Hector Francis McDougall 2,681 x
Liberal George H. Murray 2,161
Liberal Joseph McPherson 2,078
1887 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % Elected
Liberal–Conservative Hector Francis McDougall 1,883 x
Conservative David MacKeen 1,873 x
Liberal George H. Murray 1,703
Liberal Michael Slattery 1,071
Independent Joseph A. Gillis 896
Independent John K. McLeod 606
Independent E. Tilton Moseley 538
By-election on 3 July 1884

On Mr. McDonald being called to the Senate

Party Candidate Votes
Liberal–Conservative Hector Francis McDougall 1,395
Liberal Newton LeGayet Mackay 1,245
1882 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % Elected
Conservative William McDonald 1,297 Green tickY
Conservative Murray Dodd 1,237 Green tickY
Liberal–Conservative William Mackenzie McLeod 1,124
Liberal Newton LeGayet Mackay 1,013
Liberal–Conservative Hector Francis McDougall 934
By-election on 23 October 1879

On Mr. McLeod's death, 5 August 1879

Party Candidate Votes
Liberal–Conservative William Mackenzie McLeod 1,094
Liberal Newton LeGayet Mackay 866
Conservative Murray Dodd 799
1878 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % Elected
Liberal–Conservative Hugh McLeod 2,056 Green tickY
Conservative William McDonald 2,051 Green tickY
Liberal Newton LeGayet Mackay 1,153
Unknown Walter Young 696
1874 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % Elected
Conservative William McDonald 1,251 Green tickY
Liberal Newton LeGayet Mackay 1,136 Green tickY
Liberal–Conservative Hugh McLeod 1,108
Source: Canadian Elections Database[2]


1872 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % Elected
Conservative Newton LeGayet MacKay 1,240 Green tickY
Conservative William McDonald 1,038 Green tickY
Liberal–Conservative Hugh McLeod 932
Liberal–Conservative James McKeagney 882
Source: Canadian Elections Database[3]
1867 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Anti-Confederation Hon. James McKeagney acclaimed
This electoral district was created by the British North America Act, 1867 from the colonial Province of Nova Scotia'a Cape Breton electoral district. Neither of the incumbents ran in this election.
Source: Library of Parliament[4]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The Anti-Confederation Party dissolved in 1869, and James McKeagney joined the Liberal-Conservative Party.
  2. ^ Newton LeGayet Mackay crossed the floor to the Liberals in 1873 in the aftermath of the Pacific Scandal.
  3. ^ Hugh McLeod died in office on 5 August 1879. His successor was determined in a by-election held on 23 October.
  4. ^ William McDonald was appointed to the Senate in 1884. His successor was determined in a by-election held on 3 July.
  5. ^ David MacKeen resigned his seat on 18 December 1895 to provide a seat for Charles Tupper, who was acclaimed in a by-election on 4 February 1896.

References

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  1. ^ Library of Parliament. "History of Federal Ridings since 1867, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia (1867 - 1904)". Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  2. ^ Sayers, Anthony M. "1874 Federal Election". Canadian Elections Database. Archived from the original on 22 January 2024.
  3. ^ Sayers, Anthony M. "1872 Federal Election". Canadian Elections Database. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024.
  4. ^ Library of Parliament. "History of Federal Ridings since 1867, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia (1867 - 1904)". Retrieved 25 Jul 2024.
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