David Laird

The Honourable
David Laird
The Hon. David Laird
3rd Lieutenant Governor of the North-West Territories
In office
October 7, 1876 – December 3, 1881
MonarchVictoria
Governors GeneralThe Earl of Dufferin
Marquess of Lorne
Preceded byAlexander Morris
Succeeded byEdgar Dewdney
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Queen's County
In office
September 29, 1873 – October 7, 1876
Preceded bynone
Succeeded byJames Colledge Pope
Member of the General Assembly of Prince Edward Island for 4th Queens
In office
1871 – September 29, 1873
Serving with Benjamin Davies
Preceded byNone
Succeeded byWilliam Welsh
Personal details
Born(1833-03-12)March 12, 1833
New Glasgow, Prince Edward Island
DiedJanuary 12, 1914(1914-01-12) (aged 80)
Ottawa
NationalityCanadian
Political partyLiberal
Spouse
Mary Louise Owen
(m. 1864)
Children6
Alma materPresbyterian Theological Seminary
Occupationnewspaper editor, publisher
ProfessionPolitician

David Laird, PC (March 12, 1833 – January 12, 1914) was a Canadian politician. He was born in New Glasgow, Prince Edward Island, into a Presbyterian family noted for its civic activism. His father Alexander had been a long time Reformer and Liberal MLA. David became a Liberal MLA for Belfast. He also established and edited The Patriot.

After initially opposing Confederation, he led in the talks by which Prince Edward Island became a province of Canada. He became a Liberal member of the Canadian parliament in the government of Alexander Mackenzie. He served as minister of the interior and guided the passage of the Indian Act into Canadian law. He was the first resident lieutenant governor of North-West Territories. He was the fifth lieutenant governor in charge of the territory. He negotiated several aboriginal treaties. Even though David Laird adopted the paternalistic views of his time in working with aboriginals, colleagues noted his consistent hard work, reliability and honesty in his dealings as a federal official.