The 2nd Canadian Parliament was in session from March 5, 1873, until January 2, 1874 (303 days). 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. Among the by-elections were the first election of PEI MPs, PEI joining Confederation in 1873.
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 two sessions of the 2nd Parliament: SessionStartEnd 1st March 5, 1873 August 13, 1873 2nd October 23, 1873 November 7, 1873
List of members of the House of Commons Following is a full list of members of the House of Commons during the second Parliament listed first by province, then by electoral district.
Key: Party leaders are italicized. Cabinet ministers are in boldface. The Prime Minister is both. The Speaker is indicated by "()".
Electoral districts denoted by an asterisk (*) indicates that district was represented by two members.
British Columbia Electoral districtNamePartyFirst electedNo. of termsCaribooJoshua Spencer ThompsonLiberal-Conservative18712nd termNew WestminsterHugh NelsonLiberal-Conservative18712nd termVancouverFrancis HincksLiberal-Conservative18721st termVictoria*Henry Nathan Jr.Liberal18712nd termAmor De CosmosLiberal18712nd termYaleEdgar DewdneyConservative18721st term
Manitoba Electoral districtNamePartyFirst electedNo. of termsLisgarJohn Christian SchultzConservative18712nd termMarquetteRobert CunninghamLiberal18721st termProvencherThe Honourable Sir George-Étienne Cartier (to May 20, 1873) (death)Liberal-Conservative18672nd termLouis Riel (from October 13, 1873)Independent18731st termSelkirkDonald A. SmithIndependent Conservative18712nd term
New Brunswick Electoral districtNamePartyFirst electedNo. of termsAlbertJohn WallaceLiberal18672nd termCarletonThe Honourable Charles ConnellLiberal18672nd termCharlotteJohn McAdamLiberal-Conservative18721st termCity and County of St. John*Isaac BurpeeLiberal18721st termAcalus Lockwood PalmerLiberal18721st termCity of St. JohnThe Honourable Samuel Leonard Tilley (to November 15, 1873)(named Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick)Liberal-Conservative18672nd termJeremiah Smith Boies De Veber (from December 1, 1873)Liberal18731st termGloucesterTimothy Warren AnglinLiberal18672nd termKentRobert Barry CutlerLiberal18721st termKing'sJames DomvilleConservative18721st termNorthumberlandThe Honourable Peter MitchellIndependent18721st termQueen'sJohn FerrisLiberal18672nd termRestigoucheGeorge MoffatConservative18702nd termSunburyCharles BurpeeLiberal18672nd termVictoriaJohn CostiganLiberal-Conservative18672nd termWestmorlandThe Honourable Albert James SmithLiberal18672nd termYorkJohn PickardIndependent Liberal18682nd term
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 Electoral districtNamePartyFirst electedNo. of termsAnnapolisWilliam Hallett RayLiberal18672nd termAntigonishHugh McDonald (to May 11, 1873) (appointed to Supreme Court of Nova Scotia)Liberal-Conservative18672nd termAngus McIsaac (from December 20, 1873)Liberal18731st termCape Breton*Newton LeGayet Mackay Conservative18721st termWilliam McDonaldConservative18721st termColchesterFrederick M. PearsonLiberal18702nd termCumberlandCharles TupperConservative18672nd termDigbyAlfred William SavaryConservative18672nd termGuysboroughStewart CampbellLiberal-Conservative18672nd termHalifax*William Johnston AlmonLiberal-Conservative18672nd termStephen TobinLiberal18721st termHantsJoseph Howe (to July 5, 1873)Liberal-Conservative18672nd termMonson Henry Goudge (from July 5, 1873)Liberal18731st termInvernessSamuel McDonnellConservative18721st termKingsLeverett de Veber ChipmanLiberal18702nd termLunenburgCharles Edward ChurchLiberal18721st termPictou*Robert DoullLiberal-Conservative18721st termJames McDonaldConservative18721st termQueensJames Fraser ForbesLiberal18672nd termRichmondIsaac Le VesconteConservative18692nd termShelburneThomas CoffinLiberal-Conservative18672nd termLiberalVictoriaWilliam Ross (to July 11, 1873) (appointment to cabinet)Liberal18672nd termWilliam Ross (from December 20, 1873)LiberalYarmouthFrank KillamLiberal18682nd term
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 Electoral districtNamePartyFirst electedNo. of termsAddingtonSchuyler ShibleyLiberal-Conservative18721st termAlgomaJohn Beverley RobinsonConservative18721st termBothwellDavid MillsLiberal18672nd termBrant NorthGavin FlemingLiberal18721st termBrant SouthWilliam PatersonLiberal18721st termBrockvilleJacob Dockstader BuellLiberal18721st termBruce NorthJohn GilliesLiberal18721st termBruce SouthEdward BlakeLiberal18721st termCardwellJohn Hillyard CameronConservative18672nd termCarletonJohn RochesterConservative18721st termCornwallDarby BerginLiberal-Conservative18721st termDundasWilliam GibsonIndependent Liberal18721st termDurham EastLewis RossLiberal Reformer18721st termDurham WestEdward Blake (to April 10, 1873) (dual election in Durham West and Bruce South)Liberal18672nd termEdmund Burke Wood (from April 10, 1873)Liberal18731st termElgin EastWilliam HarveyLiberal18721st termElgin WestGeorge Elliott CaseyLiberal18721st termEssexJohn O'ConnorConservative18672nd termFrontenacGeorge Airey KirkpatrickConservative18702nd termGlengarryDonald Alexander MacdonaldLiberal18672nd termGrenville SouthWilliam Henry BrouseLiberal18721st termGrey EastWilliam Kingston FlesherConservative18721st termGrey NorthGeorge SniderLiberal18672nd termGrey SouthGeorge LanderkinLiberal18721st termHaldimandDavid ThompsonLiberal18672nd termHaltonJohn WhiteLiberal18672nd termHamilton*Daniel Black ChisholmLiberal-Conservative18721st termHenry Buckingham WittonConservative Labour18721st termHastings EastJohn WhiteConservative18712nd termHastings NorthMackenzie BowellConservative18672nd termHastings WestJames BrownConservative18672nd termHuron CentreHorace HortonLiberal18721st termHuron NorthThomas FarrowLiberal-Conservative18672nd termHuron SouthMalcolm Colin CameronLiberal18672nd termKentRufus StephensonConservative18672nd termKingstonThe Right Honourable Sir John A. MacdonaldLiberal-Conservative18672nd termLambtonAlexander MackenzieLiberal18672nd termLanark NorthDaniel GalbraithLiberal18721st termLanark SouthJohn Graham HaggartConservative18721st termLeeds North and Grenville NorthFrancis JonesConservative18672nd termLeeds SouthAlbert Norton RichardsLiberal18721st termLennoxRichard John CartwrightLiberal18672nd termLincolnThomas Rodman MerrittLiberal18682nd termLondonJohn CarlingLiberal-Conservative18672nd termMiddlesex EastDavid GlassConservative18721st termMiddlesex NorthThomas ScatcherdLiberal18672nd termMiddlesex WestGeorge William RossLiberal18721st termMonckJames David EdgarLiberal18721st termMuskokaAlexander Peter CockburnLiberal18721st termNiagaraAngus MorrisonConservative18672nd termNorfolk NorthJohn CharltonLiberal18721st termNorfolk SouthWilliam WallaceConservative18721st termNorthumberland EastJoseph KeelerLiberal-Conservative18672nd termNorthumberland WestJames Cockburn Conservative18672nd termOntario NorthWilliam Henry GibbsConservative18721st termOntario SouthThomas Nicholson GibbsLiberal-Conservative18672nd termOttawa (City of)*John Bower LewisConservative18721st termJoseph Merrill CurrierLiberal-Conservative18672nd termOxford NorthThomas OliverLiberal18672nd termOxford SouthEbenezer Vining BodwellLiberal18672nd termPeelRobert SmithLiberal18721st termPerth NorthThomas Mayne DalyLiberal-Conservative18721st termPerth SouthJames TrowLiberal18721st termPeterborough EastPeregrine Maitland GroverConservative18672nd termPeterborough WestJohn BertramLiberal18721st termWilliam Cluxton (not elected candidate but designated by return)Conservative18721st termPrescottAlbert HagarLiberal18672nd termPrince EdwardWalter RossLiberal18672nd termRenfrew NorthJames FindlayLiberal18721st termRenfrew SouthJames O'ReillyLiberal-Conservative18721st termRussellJames Alexander GrantConservative18672nd termSimcoe NorthHerman Henry CookLiberal18721st termSimcoe SouthWilliam Carruthers LittleLiberal-Conservative18672nd termStormontCyril ArchibaldLiberal18721st termToronto CentreRobert WilkesLiberal18721st termToronto EastJames BeatyConservative18672nd termVictoria NorthJoseph StaplesConservative18721st termVictoria SouthGeorge DormerConservative18721st termWaterloo NorthIsaac Erb BowmanLiberal18672nd termWaterloo SouthJames YoungLiberal18672nd termWellandThomas Clark Street (died September 20, 1872, 22 days before the election)Conservative18672nd termWilliam Alexander Thomson (from November 23, 1872)Liberal18721st termWellington CentreJames RossLiberal18692nd termWellington NorthNathaniel HiginbothamLiberal18721st termWellington SouthDavid StirtonLiberal18672nd termWentworth NorthThomas BainLiberal18721st termWentworth SouthJoseph RymalLiberal18672nd termWest TorontoJohn Willoughby Crawford (to November 4, 1873) (resigned)Conservative18721st termThomas Moss (from December 18, 1873)Liberal18731st termYork EastJames MetcalfeLiberal18672nd termYork NorthAnson DodgeConservative18721st termYork WestDavid BlainLiberal18721st term
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