Edward Philip "EP" Leacock (December 28, 1853 – 1927) was an English-born confidence man, real estate speculator and political figure in

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

. He represented Birtle from 1882 to 1886 and Russell from 1886 to 1888 in the

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba () is the deliberative assembly of the Manitoba Legislature in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly at List of Manitoba genera ...

as a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

. He was born on the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight (Help:IPA/English, /waɪt/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''WYTE'') is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and Skerry, skerries, is also a ceremonial county. T ...

and was the uncle of humorist

Stephen Leacock Stephen Butler Leacock (30 December 1869 – 28 March 1944) was a Canadian teacher, political scientist, writer, and humourist. Between the years 1915 and 1925, he was the best-known English-speaking humourist in the world. Early life S ...

. He was the subject of his nephew's 1942 essay ''My Remarkable Uncle''. Leacock came to Canada in 1878 and arrived in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

the following year. In 1881, he married Georgina Eliza Vickers. Leacock ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Manitoba assembly in 1879 and then was elected in an 1882 by-election held after Stephen Clement was named sheriff. He was reelected in 1883 and 1886. Leacock was defeated when he ran for reelection to the assembly in 1888. He retired to England in 1894, where he was known as "Colonel Leacock", a retired Northwest Mounted Police colonel.

References

1853 births 1927 deaths British emigrants to Canada Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba MLAs 19th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba {{Manitoba-MLA-stub