Member of Parliament, Province of Canada William "Tiger" Dunlop

1 member of parliament, province of canada

1.1 voting record
1.2 1st warden of district of huron
1.3 resignation

member of parliament, province of canada

province of canada -- orange

tiger dunlop left canada company in 1838. 3 years later brother robert graham dunlop died leaving parliamentary seat vacant. seat contested both canada company official, james mcgill strachan , tiger dunlop. tiger declared not elected. tiger appealed election results , won. on appeal being allowed, took seat 20 august 1841. tiger colourful character , made interesting speeches , wrote direct letters newspapers of toronto. dunlop s short foray journalism gave him knowledge of trade catch eyes of editors in london, england.

when dunlop resigned canada company divisions in huron county became more evident canada company provided living , others obstacles overcome. dunlop became natural leader of group known colbornites, anti-company group.

in february 1841 robert dunlop, had represented huron in assembly since 1835, died. union of upper , lower canada took place shortly after robert dunlop s death. in subsequent election later year william ran against canada company’s choice, james mcgill strachan, son of bishop , brother-in-law of thomas mercer jones. although strachan had had little chance of winning, declared elected. dunlop s subsequent appeal successful , awarded seat. in general election of 1844 dunlop ran unopposed.

despite flamboyant character , occasional radical stances, in legislature dunlop took moderate tory position. became notable humour. in 1841 chaired committee hear grievances of exiled radical robert fleming gourlay. dunlop s report even-handed treatment of gourlay s situation

voting record

dunlop’s record parliamentarian demonstrates did not vote along party lines. not exhaustive list, list meant provide insight thought , ideology of man of contradictions genuinely spans tory reform spectrum in days of canada.

education – voted improve schooling general public.
secular university replace anglican king’s college; later known university of toronto. voted yes.
choice of speaker of house 1844 – voted bilingual member take position.
should magistrates lawyers? – voted no.
the lawful use of corpses facilitate study of anatomy – voted yes.
customs union british west indies – voted yes.
forbidding of processions private societies; aimed @ orange lodge. – voted yes.

1st warden of district of huron

tiger dunlop - warden of forests in huron tract

as member of parliament, dunlop appointed 1st warden of district of huron. experience canada company warden of woods, dunlop uniquely qualified work. however, methods left questions in minds of around him , replaced in 1846.

resignation

tiger resigned seat in 1846. not clear why did so. however, 2 reasons cited resignation; health , alcohol. years spent living in primitive forests of canada , ever-increasing use of alcohol appear have taken toll. william tiger dunlop tired , sick man. tiger not taken in parliament or in newspaper editorials of day. unfortunately, 2 political concepts of parliament of canada not absorb responsible government , concept of group or social liberty. dunlop firmly believed in individual liberty , in patronage. moreover, dunlop far ahead of time on other issues, such education, professional independence, commerce , rights of french canadians. dunlop tired of fight , irrelevant place had carved himself in parliament outspokenness.

tory ministers william henry draper , denis-benjamin viger apparently wanted colleague inspector general william cayley have safe seat in parliament , looked huron. dunlop offered superintendency of lachine canal in return seat. surprise of all, dunlop accepted post.

tiger dunlop died within 2 years of leaving legislature on 29 june 1848, @ age of 56. buried first in hamilton , then, in accordance request, body moved burial site @ gairbraid in goderich, upper canada.