James Washington Breakey (December 25, 1865 in Port Hope,

Canada West The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in British North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report ...

(now

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

) – February 27, 1952), was a politician 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 ...

, Canada. He was briefly the leader of the

Manitoba Liberal Party The Manitoba Liberal Party () is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late 19th century, following the province's creation in 1870. History Origins and early development (to 1883) Originally, there were no off ...

, and was subsequently a supporter of the province's Liberal-Progressive coalition government. He also invented the paint-roller

Biography

James Breakey was born in Millbrook,

on December 25, 1865, the son of James Breakey and Susan McCormick. He was educated in Ontario and then moved to Manitoba, settling on a ''

Dominion Lands Act The ''Dominion Lands Act'' () was an 1872 Canadian law that aimed to encourage the settlement of the Canadian Prairies and to help prevent the area being claimed by the United States. The Act was closely based on the U.S. '' Homestead Act of 186 ...

'' homestead in Melita from 1882 to 1886. He then was partner in a mercantile business in Souris from 1886 to 1896. In 1892, Breakey married Jennie Hopkins. He served as secretary-treasurer for Souris and for the Rural Municipality of Glenwood. After working as a financial agent, Breakey was elected to 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 ...

in 1914, winning Glenwood for the Liberal Party. He was re-elected in the Liberal

landslide victory A landslide victory is an election result in which the winning Candidate#Candidates in elections, candidate or political party, party achieves a decisive victory by an overwhelming margin, securing a very large majority of votes or seats far beyo ...

of 1915. The following year, he co-sponsored Fred Dixon's Workmen's Compensation Act, a version of which was subsequently enacted as law. Breakey lost to Independent Farmer William Robson in 1920. He recaptured his seat in 1922 (despite the Liberals losing most of their rural seats to the

United Farmers of Manitoba The Progressive Party of Manitoba, Canada, was a political party in Manitoba between 1920 and 1932, which was the year of its dissolution. It developed from the United Farmers of Manitoba (UFM), an agrarian movement that became politically activ ...

), and was re-elected in 1927. The Manitoba Liberals were a marginal political force following the election of 1922, having won only eight seats in a 55-member legislature. They fell to seven seats in 1927, causing some senior figures in the party to advocate a merger with the governing

Progressives Progressivism is a left-leaning political philosophy and reform movement that seeks to advance the human condition through social reform. Adherents hold that progressivism has universal application and endeavor to spread this idea to human so ...

. Hugh Robson resigned as Liberal leader in January 1930, and Breakey was chosen to lead the Liberal parliamentary group later in the month. In this capacity, he actively promoted a Liberal-Progressive union: he declined to speak in opposition to the government's 1930 throne speech, and generally attempted to ensure friendly relations between the Liberal and Progressive caucuses. Breakey stepped down as party leader in 1931, and was replaced by

Murdoch Mackay Murdoch MacKay (1 March 1930 – 18 July 2023) was a Canadian lawyer and politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was president of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba during the 1970s, and later joined the breakaway Progressive Party. His son-in-law, ...

. The Liberals and Progressives were merged into a single party shortly thereafter, and Breakey ran for re-election as a supporter of the government. He easily defeated his

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 ...

opponent, and was re-elected in 1936 and 1941. Despite his long service in the legislature, Breakey was never appointed to cabinet. He retired from politics in 1945, at age 79. He died in Souris on February 27, 1952.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Breakey, James 1865 births 1952 deaths Manitoba Liberal Party MLAs People from Souris, Manitoba 20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba