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'William McDougall', C.B. (January 25, 1822 – May 29, 1905) was a Canadian lawyer, politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation.
Born near York, Upper Canada (now Toronto, Ontario), the son of Daniel McDougall and Hannah Matthews, McDougall received his education at Victoria College in Cobourg, Upper Canada, and in 1847, began practising law as an attorney and solicitor in Upper Canada. In 1862, he was called to the Upper Canada Bar.
In 1849, William McDougall's office in Toronto was the meeting place for the founding of the Clear Grit political movement. Other Clear Grit supporters included Peter Perry, David Christie, Charles Clarke, Charles Lindsay, and Malcolm Cameron.
He was elected as a member of the legislative assembly in 1858 and served as Commissioner of Crown Lands and Provincial Secretary. He attended all three Confederation Conferences, and then served as Minister of Public Works in the Macdonald government.
In the election of 1867 he was elected in the district of Lanark North, for the Liberal-Conservative party.
McDougall was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory in 1869. However, when he tried to enter that jurisdiction from the United States, he was turned back near the border by Louis Riel's insurgents before he could establish his authority at Fort Garry. He returned to Ottawa, and campaigned against Manitoba becoming a province. He also continued to serve as an interim leader of the Northwest Territories provisional government from Ottawa until Adams George Archibald, took over on May 10 1870.
In the election of 1872, he ran again for the Liberal-Conservative party in Lanark North but was defeated. In the election of 1878 he ran in Halton and was re-elected. in the election of 1882 in Algoma and Grenville South in the election of 1887 he was defeated.
In 1890 he was promised a Senate seat, but did not pursue an appointment because his health was failing.
He died fifteen years later on May 29 1905.

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Trivia

See also

External links

Trivia

McDougall was present in the crowd on November 19, 1863 when Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address.

See also

★ List of Northwest Territories premiers

★ List of Northwest Territories lieutenant-governors

External links

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★ William McDougall ''Library and Archives Canada''