Executive Council of Upper Canada

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The Executive Council of Upper Canada had a similar function to the Cabinet in England but was not responsible to the Legislative Assembly. Members of the Executive Council were not necessarily members of the Legislative Assembly but were usually members of the Legislative Council. Members were appointed, often for life. The first five members were appointed in July 1792. The council was dissolved on 10 February 1841 when Upper Canada and Lower Canada were united into the Province of Canada. It was replaced by the Executive Council of the Province of Canada the same year.

Contents

After the War of 1812, the Executive Council was dominated by members of the Family Compact, an elite clique based in York.

List of Members of the Executive Council

MemberTownStartStopNotes
James Baby Windsor, Ontario 9 July 179219 February 1833died in office
Alexanider Grant Sr. York 9 July 1792May, 1813died in office and in the United States
William Osgoode York9 July 1792July 1794to Lower Canada; left British North America for Britain 1801 and died in London; Chief Justice of Upper Canada 1794-1801
William Robertson 9 July 17924 November 1792resigned; eventually moved to Lower Canada and England; died in London
Peter Russell York9 July 179230 September 1808died in office
Æneas Shaw 1York21 June 17941807retired
Jacob Mountain Quebec City 10 June 1794N/Anever attended; died in Quebec City
John Elmsley Sr. York1 January 1796July 1802Born in Marylebone in 1762, London and was Chief Justice of Upper Canada 1801, moved to Montreal as Chief Justice of Lower Canada 1802; died in Montreal 1805
John McGill York2 March 179613 August 1818became Receiver General of Upper Canada (5 October 1813 to 2 December 1819)
David William Smith Norfolk, Oxford & Middlesex 2 March 1796July 1802left Canada for England; died in Alnwick, Northumberland
Henry Allcock York14 October 1802September 1804Chief Justice of Upper Canada 1802–1804; moved to Lower Canada to become Chief Justice and member of the Executive Council of Lower Canada 1805; died in Quebec City
Thomas Scott York8 April 1805August 1816 Attorney General 1801–1806; later Chief Justice of Upper Canada; granted a pension and retired
William Dummer Powell York8 October 1808September 1825Chief Justice of Upper Canada; resigned office upon pension
Prideaux Selby York8 October 18089 May 1813died in office
Isaac Brock York30 September 181213 October 1812died heroically and buried at Queenston Heights near Newark, Upper Canada
Roger Hale Sheaffe York20 October 18124 June 1813replaced after being recalled to England; died in Edinburgh
Baron Francis de Rottenburg York19 June 1813N/Anever attended; left of Lower Canada and England where he died in
Gordon Drummond York4 November 1813March 1814became Governor-General and Administrator of Canada; return to England and died there
Samuel Smith Etobicoke 30 November 1813October 1825retired
John Strachan 2York11 May 181512 March 1836Bishop of Anglican Church in Upper Canada; resigned 3
William Claus Niagara 12 February 1818September 1824retired? died of cancer 1826
George Herchmer Markland 4York22 October 182212 March 1836resigned 3; died in Kingston, Ontario
Peter Robinson York24 December 182312 March 1836resigned 3
James Buchanan Macaulay York5 May 1825July 1829resigned and appointed temporary judge of the Court of Queen's Bench, later as permanent judge
William Campbell York26 October 1825March 1828unable to attend due to poor health and retired 1829; Chief Justice of Upper Canada 1825-1829
John Beverley Robinson York25 April 182925 January 1831resigned; Solicitor General 1815–1818; Attorney General 1818–1829; acting Attorney General 1812–1814
Joseph Wells York13 September 183012 March 1836resigned 3
John Elmsley Jr. (1801-63) York20 September 18301841retired to management of his personal business; died in Toronto 1863
Robert Baldwin Toronto20 February 183612 March 1836resigned 3
John Henry Dunn Toronto20 February 183612 March 1836resigned 3 and returned to England; died in England
John Rolph Toronto20 February 183612 March 1836resigned 3; died in Mitchell, Ontario
William Allan Toronto14 March 183610 February 1841retired
Augustus Warren Baldwin Toronto14 March 183610 February 1841re-appointed to the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
John Elmsley Jr.Toronto14 March 18368 January 1839second term; died in Toronto 1863
Robert Baldwin Sullivan Toronto14 March 183610 February 1841not re-appointed; later appointed to the Queen's Bench
William Henry Draper Toronto27 December 183610 February 1841elected to the 1st Parliament of the United Canadas 1841; Solicitor General 1837-1839 and Attorney General 1840-1841
Richard Alexander Tucker Kingston 8 December 183810 February 1841appointed registrar of the Province of Canada in 1841–1851; retired to England 1851
Isaac Fraser Ernestown16 July 183910 February 1841

Notes:

  1. Æneas Shaw was an honorary member after 1803.
  2. The Reverend John Strachan was an honorary member until 25 July 1817.
  3. On 12 March 1836, all members of the council resigned to protest when the new Lieutenant Governor Sir Francis Bond Head refused to consult with his council.
  4. George Markland was an honorary member until 6 July 1827.

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