Colin H. Campbell

Colin H. Campbell(25 December 1859 – October 24, 1914) was a politician inManitoba,Canada. He served in theLegislative Assembly of Manitobaas aConservativefrom 1899 to 1914, and was acabinet ministerin the governments ofHugh John MacdonaldandRodmond Roblin.

Colin H. Campbell
Member of theLegislative Assembly of ManitobaforMorris
In office 1899–1914
Preceded by	Stewart Mulvey
Succeeded by	Jacques Parent
Personal details
Born	(1859-12-25)25 December 1859 Burlington, Canada West
Died	24 October 1914(1914-10-24)(aged 54) Winnipeg, Manitoba
Political party	Conservative
Relations	Minnie Julia Beatrice Campbell(wife)
Children	Colin and Elizabeth

Campbell was a barrister, and ran a practice inWinnipeg.He first ran for the Manitoba legislature in the1892 provincial election,and lost toLiberalPeter McIntyreby 280 votes inWinnipeg North.

He sought election to theHouse of Commons of Canadain November 1893, as a candidate of theConservative Party of Canada.Campbell stood inby-electionfor the riding ofWinnipeg,after Hugh John Macdonald's resignation from the house. He lost toLiberalcandidateJoseph Martin.

Campbell was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the1899 election,defeating Liberal incumbentStewart Mulveyby 188 votes in the constituency ofMorris.The Conservatives won the election, and Campbell was named as aminister without portfolioin Macdonald's government on January 10, 1900. He was promoted toAttorney Generalon October 9 of the same year.

In this period of Canadian history, newly appointed ministers were required to resign their legislative seats to seek a new mandate from their electors. These by-elections were usually mere formalities, and many ministers were returned without opposition. Campbell faced a challenge from LiberalMatthew Laurie,and defeated him by 278 votes on October 29, 1900. This by-election occurred on the same day that Roblin replaced Macdonald as premier. The new premier kept Campbell as his attorney general, and also appointed him asmunicipal commissionerfrom October 29 to December 20, 1900.

Campbell was re-elected in the elections of1903,1907and1910,retaining his seat in 1907 by a single vote. He was namedminister of educationand municipal commissioner on October 11, 1911. He was later appointedminister of public works.AfterRobert Rogersleft the provincial legislature for federal politics, Campbell was seen as the second most important minister in Roblin's government.

Campbell was stricken by a severe illness on February 15, 1913, the same day that the provincial legislature was scheduled to open. He traveled toKingston,Jamaicato recover, but was afflicted with paralysis almost immediately after arriving. He resigned his ministry on November 3, 1913, and did not stand in the1914 election.

After unsuccessfully seeking medical care in theUnited States of America,EuropeandEgypt,Campbell returned to Manitoba in summer 1914. He died shortly thereafter, at age 54.

References

• Manitoba Historical Society biography
• My Dear Campbell,article by W. Leland Clark
• Mrs. Colin Campbell's war work / Crag & Canyon 01 Sept 1917
• Report on Campbell/Buck family heirlooms held at the Halton Regional Museum, Milton, Ontario
• Entry on 1901 Census, Winnipeg, Manitoba
• Entry on 1911 Census, Winnipeg, Manitoba