Mackenzie Bowell

Sir Mackenzie Bowell
Bowell in 1891
5th Prime Minister of Canada
In office
December 21, 1894 – April 27, 1896
MonarchVictoria
Governor GeneralThe Earl of Aberdeen
Preceded byJohn Thompson
Succeeded byCharles Tupper
Canadian Senator from Quebec
In office
December 1892 – December 10, 1917
Appointed byJohn Sparrow David Thompson
Member of Parliament
for Hastings North
In office
September 20, 1867 – December 1892
Preceded byRiding established
Succeeded byAlexander Augustus Williamson Carscallen
Personal details
Born(1823-12-27)December 27, 1823
Rickinghall, Suffolk, England
DiedDecember 10, 1917(1917-12-10) (aged 93)
Belleville, Ontario, Canada
Resting placeBelleville Cemetery, Belleville, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Political partyConservative
Spouse
Harriet Bowell
(m. 1847; died 1884)
Children9
AwardsOrder of St Michael and St George
Canadian General Service Medal
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration
Signature
Military service
AllegianceProvince of Canada
Dominion of Canada
Branch/serviceCanadian militia (1861-1872)
Years of service1861–1872
RankLieutenant-Colonel
UnitBelleville Volunteer Militia Rifle Company
The Argyll Light Infantry
49th Hastings Battalion
Battles/warsFenian Raids

Sir Mackenzie Bowell PC KCMG (/ˈb.əl/; December 27, 1823 – December 10, 1917) was a Canadian newspaper publisher and politician, who served as the fifth prime minister of Canada, in office from 1894 to 1896.

Bowell was born in Rickinghall, Suffolk, England. He and his family moved to Belleville, Upper Canada in 1832. When in his early teens, Bowell was apprenticed to the printing shop of the local newspaper, the Belleville Intelligencer, and some 15 years later, became its owner and proprietor.

In 1867, following Confederation, he was elected to the House of Commons for the Conservative Party. Bowell entered cabinet in 1878, and would serve under three prime ministers: John A. Macdonald, John Abbott, and John Thompson. He served variously as Minister of Customs (1878–1892), Minister of Militia and Defence (1892), and Minister of Trade and Commerce (1892–1894). Bowell kept his Commons seat continuously for 25 years, through a period of Liberal Party rule in the 1870s. In 1892, Bowell was appointed to the Senate. He became Leader of the Government in the Senate the following year.

In December 1894, Prime Minister Thompson unexpectedly died in office. The Earl of Aberdeen, Canada's governor general, appointed Bowell to replace Thompson as prime minister, due to his status as the most senior cabinet member. The main problem of Bowell's tenure as prime minister was the Manitoba Schools Question. His attempts at compromise alienated members of his own party, and following a Cabinet revolt in early 1896 he was forced to resign in favour of Charles Tupper. Bowell stayed on as a senator until his death at the age of 93, but never again held ministerial office; he served continuously as a Canadian parliamentarian for 50 years.