Richard McBride

Sir Richard McBride
KCMG KC
16th Premier of British Columbia
In office
June 1, 1903 – December 15, 1915
MonarchsEdward VII
George V
Lieutenant GovernorHenri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière
James Dunsmuir
Thomas Wilson Paterson
Francis Stillman Barnard
Preceded byEdward Gawler Prior
Succeeded byWilliam John Bowser
MLA for Westminster-Dewdney
In office
July 9, 1898 – October 3, 1903
Preceded byColin Buchanan Sword
Succeeded bydistrict abolished
MLA for Dewdney
In office
October 3, 1903 – November 25, 1909
Preceded byfirst member
Succeeded byWilliam J. Manson
MLA for Yale
In office
November 25, 1909 – March 28, 1912
Preceded byStuart Alexander Henderson
Succeeded byAlexander Lucas
MLA for Victoria City
In office
February 2, 1907 – December 15, 1915
Preceded byWilliam George Cameron
Richard Low Drury
Richard Hall
James Dugald McNiven
Succeeded byHarlan Carey Brewster
Personal details
Born(1870-12-15)December 15, 1870
New Westminster, Colony of British Columbia, British Empire
DiedAugust 6, 1917(1917-08-06) (aged 46)
London, England
NationalityCanadian
Political partyConservative
Other political
affiliations
Government
Spouse
Christine Margaret McGillivray
(m. 1896)
Children6 daughters
Alma materSchulich School of Law
Occupationlawyer
Professionpolitician
CabinetMinister of Mines (1900–1901)

Sir Richard McBride, KCMG KC (December 15, 1870 – August 6, 1917) was a British Columbia politician and is often considered the founder of the British Columbia Conservative Party. McBride was first elected to the provincial legislature in the 1898 election and served in the cabinet of James Dunsmuir from 1900 to 1901 as Minister of Mines. McBride believed that the province's system of non-party government was unstable and hindered development. The lieutenant-governor appointed him the 16th premier in June 1903 and McBride announced that his government was a Conservative Party administration and would contest the upcoming election along party lines. On October 3, 1903, McBride's party, the British Columbia Conservative Party won the first provincial election to be fought along party lines with a two-seat majority.

Richard McBride is interred in the Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria, British Columbia.