2nd Canadian Parliament

2nd Parliament of Canada Majority parliament   March 5, 1873 – January 2, 1874
Parliament leaders
Prime Minister	Rt. Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald
	July 1, 1867-November 5, 1873
	Rt. Hon. Alexander Mackenzie
	November 7, 1873-October 8, 1978
Leader of the Opposition	Alexander Mackenzie
	March 6, 1873-November 5, 1873
	Sir John A. Macdonald
	November 6, 1873-October 16, 1878
Party standings in the Commons
Government	Conservative Party
Opposition	Liberal-Conservative
Third Party	Liberal Party
Fourth Party	Independents
Fifth Party	Independent Conservative
Sixth Party	Independent Liberal
House of Commons
Seating arrangements of the House of Commons
Speaker of the Commons	Hon. James Cockburn
	November 6, 1867-March 5, 1874
Government House Leader
Opposition House Leader
Senate
Speaker of the Senate	The Hon. Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau
	February 21, 1872-January 8, 1874
Government Senate Leader	Alexander Campbell
	July 1, 1867-November 5, 1873
	Luc Letellier de St-Just
	November 5, 1873-December 14, 1876
Opposition Senate Leader	Alexander Campbell
	November 7, 1873-October 8, 1878
Sessions
1st Session March 5, 1873 – August 13, 1873 2nd Session October 23, 1873 – November 7, 1873
Ministries
2nd Canadian Ministry Rt. Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald November 7, 1873 – October 8, 1878 Canadian Ministry Rt. Hon. Alexander Mackenzie  – Parliamentarians Members 200 seats Senators 79 seats <1st 3rd>

Sir John A. Macdonald was Prime Minister during most of the 2nd Canadian Parliament.

Alexander Mackenzie and his Liberal Party briefly took power at the end of the 2nd Parliament.

The 2nd Canadian Parliament was in session from March 5, 1873, until January 2, 1874. The membership was set by the 1872 federal election from July 20 to October 12, 1872, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dissolved prior to the 1874 election.

It was first controlled by a Conservative/Liberal-Conservative majority under Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald and the 1st Canadian Ministry. The Official Opposition was the Liberal Party, led by Alexander Mackenzie. After a scandal in the Conservative Party, the Liberals took power, forming the 2nd Canadian Ministry. Alexander Mackenzie, now Prime Minister, immediately called an election.

The Speaker was James Cockburn. See also List of Canadian electoral districts 1872-1873 for a list of the ridings in this parliament.

The unusual case of a new party taking control of the government between elections has only happened in the federal government twice; the other occasion was in the 15th Canadian parliament.

There were 2 sessions of the 2nd Parliament:

List of members

Following is a full list of members of the second parliament listed first by province, then by electoral district.

Electoral districts denoted by an asterisk (*) indicates that district was represented by two members.

British Columbia

Manitoba

New Brunswick

Two MPs recontested their seats in byelections, and were reelected.

• Albert James Smith was reelected in Westmorland on November 28, 1873.
• Isaac Burpee was reelected in the City and County of St. John on December 1, 1873.

Nova Scotia

Two MPs recontested their seats in byelections, and were reelected.

• Hugh McDonald was reelected in Antigonish on July 7, 1873, on being named Minister of Militia and Defence.
• Thomas Coffin was reelected in Shelburne on July 11, 1873, on being named Receiver-General of Canada.

Ontario

Five MPs recontested their seats in byelections, and were reelected.

• Thomas Nicholson Gibbs was reelected in Ontario South on July 7, 1873.
• Alexander Mackenzie was reelected in Lambton on November 25, 1873.
• Donald Alexander MacDonald was reelected in Glengarry on November 26, 1873.
• Richard John Cartwright was reelected in Lennox on December 3, 1873.
• Edward Blake was reelected in Bruce South on December 4, 1873.

Quebec

Three MPs recontested their seats in byelections, and were reelected.

• Télesphore Fournier was reelected in Bellechasse on November 27, 1873, after being named Minister of Inland Revenue.
• Théodore Robitaille was reelected in Bonaventure on February 15, 1873, after being named Receiver-General.
• Antoine Aimé Dorion was reelected in Napierville on November 27, 1873, after being named Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island joined Canada on July 1, 1873. By-elections for the House of Commons were held on September 29, 1873.

References

• Government of Canada. "1st Ministry". Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation. Privy Council Office. http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/default.asp?Language=E&Page=Publications&doc=min/min_01_e.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-09. 
• Government of Canada. "2nd Ministry". Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation. Privy Council Office. http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/default.asp?Language=E&Page=Publications&doc=min/min_02_e.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-09. 
• Government of Canada. "2nd Parliament". Members of the House of Commons: 1867 to Date: By Parliament. Library of Parliament. http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliament.aspx?Item=4190e40c-3fa8-409c-bab7-5a4008b89f47. Retrieved 2012-04-28. 
• Government of Canada. "Duration of Sessions". Library of Parliament. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/compilations/parliament/Sessions.aspx. Retrieved 2006-05-12. 
• Government of Canada. "General Elections". Library of Parliament. http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/House/asp/Elections.asp?Language=E&gen=Y&Hist=Y. Retrieved 2006-05-12. 
• Government of Canada. "Key Dates for each Parliament". Library of Parliament. http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/info/parl-dates.asp?lang=E&Hist=Y. Retrieved 2006-05-12. 
• Government of Canada. "Leaders of the Opposition in the House of Commons". Library of Parliament. http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/house/OppLeader.asp?lang=E&Hist=Y. Retrieved 2006-05-12. 
• Government of Canada. "Prime Ministers of Canada". Library of Parliament. Archived from the original on 27 April 2006. http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/pm/index.asp?Language=E&param=pi&param2=gen. Retrieved 2006-05-12. 
• Government of Canada. "Speakers". Library of Parliament. http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/hf-parl-off/index.asp?Language=E&param=24&id=13&id2=29. Retrieved 2006-05-12. 

Succession

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References

1. ^ http://www2.parl.gc.ca/ParlInfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=cc73c1bc-f197-4dca-96a5-c71ca267a793&Language=E

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