Five things you might not know about Charles Tupper

Sir Charles Tupper was Canada’s 6th Prime Minister (1896)

1) Finishes reading the entire Bible to his father (a Baptist minister) — at age 7.

2) While studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh, is saved by a former classmate after a roommate attempts to shoot him during an argument.

3) Never presides over Parliament while Prime Minister. An election is called in 1896 before he assumes office, so Parliament is already dissolved. He loses the election two months later.

4) The last survivor of Canada’s 36 Fathers of Confederation, dying 48 years after Confederation.

5) The only Prime Minister to be inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. Tupper is the first president of the Canadian Medical Association (1867-1870). Turns down a fourth term, having already served longer than anyone else in the organization’s subsequent history. The induction ceremony takes place in Hamilton in 2016.

from Unknown and Unforgettable: A Guide to Canada’s Prime Ministers

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Tupper gives up the battle

1896: Although the Conservatives clearly lost the election on June 23, 117 to 86 seats against Wilfrid Laurier‘s Liberal party, Prime Minister Sir Charles Tupper has been clinging to power ever since. He has been determined to get approval for a few initiatives before stepping down, namely a new steamship line and raft of patronage appointments.

Governor General Lord Aberdeen, who dislikes Tupper, refuses to grant his wishes. So, Tupper spent his 75th birthday two days ago arguing his case one last time before the Queen’s representative. No go. Aberdeen has finally been able to force Tupper’s resignation as Canada’s sixth and briefest Prime Minister.

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Knighthood not for Mackenzie

1879: For the second time, former prime minister Alexander Mackenzie refuses a knighthood offered by Queen Victoria. And just in case you think he wasn’t serious about rejecting a peerage offered by Britain, he’ll turn down the offer a third time in two years.

Not all politicians feel the same about the honour. On this very same day, the ‘Sir’ designation is gratefully received by Charles Tupper, Minister of Railways & Canals. In 1895, he’ll become Prime Minister for two months.

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Tupper holds down two jobs

1884: The Leader of the Opposition Edward Blake moves a resolution declaring the seat of MP Sir Charles Tupper to be  vacant, since he is now serving as High Commissioner in London.

The issue is referred to committee where Tupper successfully argues that there is no conflict because he is not being paid for his posting in Britain.

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How many Prime Ministers were editors?

Newspaper editors among past PMs were Alexander Mackenzie (Lambton Shield), Mackenzie Bowell (Belleville Intelligencer), Charles Tupper (British Colonist), and Wilfrid Laurier (Le Défricheur).

John A. Macdonald founded the Toronto Mail, William Lyon Mackenzie King edited the government’s Labour Gazette, Pierre Trudeau was heavily involved with Cité libre, Joe Clark wrote for the Albertan and various other publications, and John Turner edited his high school and university papers.

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For better or worse: PM marriages

Sir Charles Tupper can boast to having the longest marriage of any Canadian Prime Minister. He was already married for 48 years when he became the head of government and ended up being together with Frances Morse for 66 years. The second longest marriage is that of Jean Chrétien and Aline Chainé, married for 53 years and counting. Aline recently became chancellor of Laurentian University.

The record for the shortest marriage goes to Kim Campbell, married to Howard Eddy for seven years. And the second briefest coupling? Kim Campbell again, to her first husband Nathan Divinsky, for 11 years.

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HMS Blenheim does double duty

When Prime Minister Sir John Thompson died suddenly of a heart attack at the luncheon table of Queen Victoria in 1894, the High Commissioner to Britain, Sir Charles Tupper, made arrangements for his body to be sent back to Canada on the HMS Blenheim British armoured ship that was painted black for the occasion.

Twenty-one years later, the Blenheim was pressed into similar duty again, to return the body of former Prime Minister Sir Charles Tupper who had retired to England. Arrangements to return Tupper were made by High Commissioner Sir George Perley (who died in Canada, 11 years after the Blenheim was scrapped).

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Catholics predominant in past 30 years

Five of the seven Prime Ministers still living are Roman Catholics. Although, historically, most Catholic leaders tended to be French Canadians, that profile began to disappear by the late 1970s. Of the five living Catholic PMs — Joe Clark, John Turner, Brian Mulroney, Jean Chretien and Paul Martin — only one is French Canadian.

For the record, we have had 9 Roman Catholics (the others are Thompson, Laurier, St. Laurent, Trudeau), 4 Anglicans (Abbott, Tupper, Borden, Campbell), 3 Presbyterians (Macdonald, Meighen, King), 3 Methodists/Uniteds (Bowell, Bennett, Pearson), 2 Baptists (Mackenzie, Diefenbaker), and 1 Christian & Missionary Alliance (Harper) in the Prime Minister’s office.

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Did any PMs serve as provincial premiers?

Sir John Thompson is the only Canadian Prime Minister to be a provincial premier. Ten years before becoming Canada’s leader, he spent less than a month as premier of Nova Scotia, taking the Conservatives into an election they didn’t win.

Two Prime Ministers served as pre-Confederation premiers: Sir John A. Macdonald in the Canadas and Sir Charles Tupper in Nova Scotia.

Five Leaders of the Opposition who never became PMs were provincial premiers: Edward Blake and George Drew in Ontario, John Bracken in Manitoba, Robert Stanfield in Nova Scotia, and Lucien Bouchard in Quebec. Blake was the first of many provincial premiers who went on to serve in a Canadian cabinet.

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Which cabinet had the most Prime Ministers?

The cabinet of Sir John A. Macdonald in 1987-88 included John Abbott (Without Portfolio), John Thompson (Justice), Mackenzie Bowell (Customs) and Sir Charles Tupper (Finance).

The next largest collection of PMs-to-be was in the cabinet of Lester Pearson in 1967-68. They were Pierre Trudeau (Justice), John Turner (Consumer & Corporate Affairs) and Jean Chrétien (Without Portfolio, then National Revenue).

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