Peter Mitchell

Peter Mitchell (1824-1899) was a Canadian politician. After a career in law and in business as a shipbuilder, Mitchell entered New Brunswick politics in 1852 running as a reformer, supporter of responsible government and Liberal for the colonial House of Assembly but was defeated.

Mitchell ran again in 1856 as an opponent of prohibition which had been proposed by the government. He carried a pistol for protection during the campaign and rum for his supporters and was elected. In the legislature, Mitchell opposed denominational schools and supported the creation of municipal government. He became a member of the Executive Council in 1859 and introduced the colony's first bankruptcy act in order to make things easier for debtors. Mitchell did not run for re-election in 1861 but was soon appointed to the Legislative Council (the colony's Upper House) and rejoined the Executive Council.

Peter Mitchell was a strong supporter of Canadian confederation attending the Quebec Conference in 1864. He resigned from the Executive Council in 1865 when the pro-Confederation government of Samuel Leonard Tilley was defeated and helped lieutenant-governor Arthur Hamilton Gordon force the resignation of the anti-Confederation government of Albert J. Smith in 1866. Gordon appointed Mitchell as the new Premier. Mitchell asked Gordon to call an election and he and his Confederation Party were returned with a majority that approved the participation of the colony in the Canadian confederation in 1867. Mitchell attended the conference in London that drafted the British North America Act and was appointed to the new Canadian Senate for its inaugural session in July 1867. Mitchell became a member of Sir John A. Macdonald's first cabinet as minister of marine and fisheries. He was an aggressive defender of Canadian interests and contested foreign fishing in Canadian waters to the extent of using gunboats to seize American vessels.

Mitchell resigned from the Senate in 1872 to run for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons where he felt he would have more influence. He was acclaimed in a by-election but in 1873 the Macdonald government fell due to the Pacific Scandal. Mitchell abandoned the Liberal-Conservative Party of Macdonald and declared himself an independent MP. He had little influence as an independent and was distrusted by both Conservatives and Liberals.

He ran in the 1878 Canadian election as an Independent Liberal who supported Macdonald's National Policy. Mitchell was defeated by independent candidate Jabez Bunting Snowball.

Mitchell returned to the House in 1882 and was re-elected in 1887 as an independent Liberal but was defeated in 1891.

In 1885 Mitchell purchased the Montreal Herald and Daily Commercial Gazette and used it to attack the policies of both Liberals and Conservatives. He also called for mercy for Louis Riel and blamed Macdonald for causing the Riel Rebellion by not dealing with Metis complaints. He became a supporter of Sir Wilfrid Laurier and ran as a Liberal in the 1896 Canadian election but lost. Laurier made him general inspector of fisheries for Quebec and the Maritime provinces, and Mitchell held that position until his death in 1899.

Preceded by: Albert J. Smith 1865-1866

Premier of New Brunswick 1866-1867

Succeeded by: Andrew R. Wetmore 1867-1870