Albert Freeman Ewing (June 29, 1871 – August 26, 1946) was a provincial politician and judge from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1913 to 1921 sitting with the Conservative caucus in opposition. After his political career he was appointed as a judge to the Supreme Court of Alberta.

Early life

Albert Freeman Ewing was born June 29, 1871, in Elora, Ontario to Alexander Ewing of Ireland and Mary Manarey, of United Empire Loyalist descent. He was educated at Elora High School and later Toronto University where he attained a Bachelor of Arts. He was married to Annie Lafferty, the daughter of

James Delamere Lafferty James Delamere Lafferty (April 28, 1849 – July 29, 1920) was a Canadian physician and politician. Lafferty served as Registrar for the Northwest Territories Medical Ordinance regulator to professionalize the practice of medicine. he was act ...

who was the fifth Mayor of Calgary.

Political career

Ewing ran a seat to the Alberta Legislature as a Conservative candidate in the

1909 Alberta general election The 1909 Alberta general election was the second general election held in the Province of Alberta, Canada on March 22, 1909, to elect 41 members of the Alberta legislature to the 2nd Alberta Legislature. The incumbent Liberal Party led by Premi ...

. He ran for office in the Edmonton electoral district. Ewing would be defeated finishing in third place out of four candidates in the block vote that elected Liberals Charles Cross and John McDougall. Ewing would run in his second attempt to gain a seat in the provincial legislature in a by-election held on May 27, 1912. He finished a close second in a very tight four-way race losing to William Henry. A year later Ewing ran in his third attempt at provincial office in the

1913 Alberta general election The 1913 Alberta general election was held in March 1913. The writ was dropped on 25 March 1913 and election day was held 17 April 1913 to elect 56 members to the 3rd Alberta Legislature. Elections in two northern districts took place on 30 July ...

. He would be elected to the second seat in the block vote by a very slim margin over Alexander MacKay. The 1917 boundary redistribution saw the Edmonton electoral district would be divided up into three single member constituencies. Ewing would run in the district of Edmonton (West). He faced incumbent William Henry in a two-way race in the 1917 general election. Ewing would defeat Henry with a solid majority to win his second term in office and pickup the new district of his party. Edmonton would again be re-constituted into a single riding in the

1921 Alberta general election The 1921 Alberta general election was held on July 18, 1921, to elect members to the 5th Alberta Legislative Assembly. It was one of only five times that Alberta has changed governments. The Liberal Party, which had governed the province since it ...

Ewing would attempt to win his seat under the new Block vote system. He would finish seventh in the field of 26 candidates and be defeated. Ewing would also contest the 1924 by-election in the Edmonton electoral district following John Robert Boyle being appointed to the Supreme Court of Alberta, however he would be defeated by William Thomas Henry.

Judicial career

Ewing was appointed to the Supreme Court of Alberta. On December 12, 1934, Ewing was appointed to Chair the ''Royal Commission on the Condition of the Halfbreed Population of the Province of Alberta'' (Ewing Commission) along with members

James McCrie Douglas James McCrie Douglas (5 February 1867 – 16 March 1950) was a politician in Alberta, Canada, a mayor of Edmonton, and a member of Parliament serving in the House of Commons of Canada from 1909 to 1921. Early life Douglas was born 5 Februa ...

and Dr. Edward A. Brathwaite to look at issues affecting the

Métis The Métis ( ; Canadian ) are Indigenous peoples who inhabit Canada's three Prairie Provinces, as well as parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United States. They have a shared history and culture which derives ...

population including land claims, hunting rights and treaty status. The commission would deliver its findings later in 1936

References

External links

Alberta Legislature Members Listing
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ewing, Albert 1870 births Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta MLAs Judges in Alberta 1946 deaths University of Toronto alumni