Robert Davidson (Canadian politician)
Robert Davidson | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Stanstead | |
| In office 14 October 1935 – 24 May 1943 | |
| Preceded by | John Thomas Hackett |
| Succeeded by | Joseph-Armand Choquette |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Greig Davidson 21 July 1875 Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada |
| Died | 3 August 1948 (aged 73) |
| Party | Liberal |
| Spouse(s) | Anna Smillie m. 18 October 1899[1] |
| Profession | farmer |
Robert Greig Davidson (21 July 1875 – 3 August 1948) was a Liberal party member of the House of Commons of Canada. He was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec and became a farmer.
Davidson attended high school in Sherbrooke and then St. Charles Borromeo College in Charlesbourg. He became a trustee of Stanstead Wesleyan College and director of the Western Townships Agricultural Association.[1]
He was first elected to Parliament at the Stanstead riding in the 1935 general election.
He was re-elected for a second term in 1940. The Supreme Court, on appeal, annulled the election, because of corrupt practices arising from the buying of votes with whiskey and money.[2][3] That ruling was also the first time the Supreme Court had set aside a lower court decision with respect to an election verdict.[4] The matter had to be referred to the House Privileges and Elections Committee for a recommendation as to how to proceed.[5] The committee would not report until May 1943, clearing the way for the byelection to be held.[6]
Davidson attempted to return to office in the byelection held August 9, 1943, but was defeated by the Bloc Populaire candidate Joseph-Armand Choquette.[7]
Electoral record
| 1935 Canadian federal election: Stanstead | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | ||||||
| Liberal | Robert Davison | 5,676 | ||||||
| Conservative | John Thomas Hackett | 5,553 | ||||||
| Reconstruction | James Bert Reed | 434 | ||||||
| 1940 Canadian federal election: Stanstead | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | ||||||
| Liberal | Robert Davison | 5,112 | ||||||
| Independent Liberal | Alphonse Girard | 4,804 | ||||||
| By-election on 9 August 1943
Election was declared void, 24 May 1943 | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes
| |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloc populaire | Joseph-Armand Choquette | 6,661 | |||
| Liberal | Robert Davison | 5,349 | |||
| Co-operative Commonwealth | Pierre Albandia Thomas | 257 | |||
References
- ^ a b Normandin, A. L. (1941). The Canadian Parliamentary Guide.
- ^ Albert, Richard (26 October 2012). "Canadian Election Administration Goes to Court". iconnectblog.com. International Society of Public Law.
- ^ Sideleau v Davidson, 1942 CanLII 50, [1942] SCR 306; [1942] 3 DLR 609 (26 June 1942)
- ^ "Quebec M.P. Unseated by Ottawa Court". Ottawa Journal. 26 June 1942. pp. 1, 16.(subscription required)
- ^ "Ousted by Court, Still Entitled to Take House Seat". Ottawa Citizen. 11 January 1943. p. 1.(subscription required)
- ^ "Stanstead to Have Election". Montreal Star. 20 May 1943. p. 17.(subscription required)
- ^ Dallaire, Gilled (8 April 1999). "Le dernier survivant du Bloc populaire n'est plus" [The last survivor of the Bloc populaire has passed away]. La Tribune (in French). Sherbrooke. p. B2..