Calgary (territorial electoral district)

Calgary
Northwest Territories electoral district
Defunct territorial electoral district
Legislature	Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories
District created	1884
District abolished	1894
First contested	1884
Last contested	1891

51°02′42″N 114°03′26″W / 51.04500°N 114.05722°W / 51.04500; -114.05722

Calgary was a territorial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories, Canada.

The riding was created by royal proclamation in 1884, and split into East Calgary, West Calgary and High River in 1894.

Calgary 1884 Boundaries
Bordering districts
North	East	West	South


Legal description from Ordinances of the North-West Territories 1884^[1]
Namely: West of Fourth Principal Meridian: Range XXVIII, Townships numbered 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23; Range XXIX, Township numbered 18 and Fractional Townships numbered 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25; Range XXX, Fractional Township numbered 18. West of Fifth Principal Meridian: Range I, Townships numbered 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25; Range II, Townships numbered 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24 and 26; Range III, Township numbered 25.
Note:

Calgary Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)[edit]

Members of the Territorial Council / Legislative Assembly for Calgary
Assembly	Years	Seat 1			Seat 2
Assembly	Years	Member^[2]		Party	Member		Party
1st Council	1884-1886		James Geddes	Independent	—
1st Council	1886-1888		John Lauder			Hugh Cayley	Independent
1st	1888-1891		John Lineham
2nd	1891-1894		John Lineham
See East Calgary, West Calgary and High River 1894-1905

History of the Calgary district[edit]

When the Calgary district was created in 1884, it elected accountant and rancher James Geddes as its representative in the 1st Council of the North-West Territories. Although most of the represented parts of the Territories held elections in 1885, Geddes' term was extended. He resigned the following year.

In 1886 the Calgary district was made a double-member district, with candidates elected by the plurality at-large voting method. Four candidates contested the by-election, with North-West Rebellion veteran John Lauder and Calgary Herald publisher Hugh Cayley becoming Members of the Territorial Council. Lauder retired after two years.

When the Council was dissolved and the Territories' first general election was held in 1888, two challengers ran in Calgary. Cayley was re-elected alongside newcomer John Lineham, who won the most votes of the three men.

In the second general election, there were no challengers, and both men were re-elected by acclamation.

The Calgary district was split into East Calgary, West Calgary and High River in 1894. Cayley retired from politics, while Lineham won re-election in High River.

Election results[edit]

1891 election[edit]

1891 North-West Territories general election
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Independent	John Lineham	Acclaimed
	Independent	Hugh Cayley	Acclaimed
Source(s) "North-West Territories: Council and Legislative Assembly, 1876-1905" (PDF). Saskatchewan Archives. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-09-30.

1888 election[edit]

Each voter could cast two votes.

1888 North-West Territories general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	Elected
	Independent	John Lineham	809	43.80%	Y
	Independent	Hugh Cayley	634	34.44%	Y
	Independent	James A. Reilly	404	21.76%
Total votes			1,847
Source(s) "North-West Territories: Council and Legislative Assembly, 1876-1905" (PDF). Saskatchewan Archives. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-09-30.

1886 by-election[edit]