Peter Mitchell (politician)
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The Hon. Peter Mitchell |
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| Premier of the Colony of New Brunswick | |
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In office 1866–1867 |
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| Preceded by | Albert James Smith |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Rainsford Wetmore (Premier of the Province of New Brunswick) |
| Senator for New Brunswick, New Brunswick | |
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In office October 23, 1867 – July 13, 1872 |
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| Appointed by | Royal Proclamation |
| Member of the Canadian Parliament for Northumberland County, New Brunswick |
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In office 1872–1878 |
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| Succeeded by | Jabez Bunting Snowball |
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In office 1882–1891 |
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| Preceded by | Jabez Bunting Snowball |
| Succeeded by | Michael Adams |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
January 24, 1824 Newcastle, New Brunswick |
| Died | October 25, 1899 (aged 75) Montreal, Quebec |
| Spouse(s) | Isabella Gough, née Carvell (m. 1853) |
| Children | 1 daughter (d. 24 October 1899) |
| Cabinet | Minister of Marine and Fisheries (1867–1873) |
Peter Mitchell, PC (January 4, 1824 – October 25, 1899) was a Canadian politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation.
He was born of Scottish parents at Newcastle in the county of Northumberland, New Brunswick, on 24 January 1824. He was educated at the Quebec grammar school; he studied law and was called to the bar of the province of New Brunswick in 1848. He practised his profession for four years, and then entered into partnership with a Mr. Hawe in the business of lumbering and shipbuilding.
Mitchell ran again in 1856 as an opponent of prohibition, which had been proposed by the government. He carried a pistol for protection during the campaign and rum for his supporters. He was successful in this election. In the legislature, Mitchell opposed denominational schools and supported the creation of municipal government. He became a member of the Executive Council in 1859, and introduced the colony's first bankruptcy act in order to make things easier for debtors. Mitchell did not run for re-election in 1861, but was soon appointed to the Legislative Council (the colony's Upper House) and rejoined the Executive Council.
While attending the Quebec Conference of 1864, Peter Mitchell was a strong supporter of Canadian confederation. He resigned from the Executive Council in 1865 when the pro-Confederation government of Samuel Leonard Tilley was defeated, and helped lieutenant-governor Arthur Hamilton Gordon force the resignation of the anti-Confederation government of Albert J. Smith in 1866. Gordon appointed Mitchell as the new premier. Mitchell asked Gordon to call an election, and he and his Confederation Party were returned with a majority that approved the participation of the colony in the Canadian confederation in 1867.
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