The 1st Council of the North-West Territories also known as the North-West Council in Canada lasted from November 7, 1876, to 1888. It was created as a permanent replacement to the Temporary North-West Council which existed prior to 1876 and was replaced by the 1st North-West assembly when the quota of elected members was reached. The numerical denomination 1st was applied when the 2nd Council of the Northwest Territories was created to differentiate between the two councils.
Early history and development
The first members of the new council were appointed under the Northwest Territories Act and consisted of the Lieutenant Governor, appointed men and Stipendiary Magistrates. Elected representatives were added later and could join the council if an area of 1,000 square miles (2,600 km2) had 1000 people an electoral district could be set up. This created a patchwork of represented and unrepresented areas, and there was no official or independent boundaries commission, all electoral law at the beginning was under the purview of the Lieutenant Governor.
Three electoral districts were created in 1881 and for an unknown reason writs were only issued in the district of Lorne which returned the first elected member Lawrence Clarke.
Early sessions
When the first council formed under the new appointed government in 1876, the council consisted of the lieutenant governor who acted as the chairman (speaker), and two appointed members. Because a quorum could not be maintained, the council had to be adjourned if one member went to the washroom.
By-election dates and summaries
Twelve elections took place during the period of 1876–1888. The biggest was the election of 1885 that took place on September 15, 1885. The election saw 11 members in 9 districts returned to the council, due to high population growth in the Northwest Territories at the time. After the 1885 election, elected members gained control over the council, and it became a full assembly. These are not considered general elections, as there was no dissolution of the assembly. However, after four years from the first election, a district had to have another election, and the incumbent had to run for re-election.
For list of elected candidates please see below.
March 23, 1881 Lorne by-election #1
Election summary
# of candidates
Popular vote
#
%
Elected candidates
1
250
63.61%
Defeated candidates
1
143
36.39%
Total
2
393
100%
May 29, 1883 Edmonton by-election
Election summary
# of candidates
Popular vote
#
%
Elected candidates
1
155
59.62%
Defeated candidates
2
105
40.38%
Total
3
260
100%
June 5, 1883 Lorne by-election #2
Election summary
# of candidates
Popular vote
#
%
Elected candidates
1
279
69.92%
Defeated candidates
1
120
30.08%
Total
2
399
100%
August 13, 1883 Moose Jaw, Regina, Qu'Appelle sub-election
Election summary
# of candidates
Popular vote
#
%
Elected candidates
3
517
72.82%
Defeated candidates
5
193
27.18%
Total
8
710
100%
August 31, 1883 Broadview by-election
Election summary
# of candidates
Popular vote
#
%
Elected candidates
1
91
55.83%
Defeated candidates
1
72
44.17%
Total
2
163
100%
June 28, 1884 Calgary, Moose Mountain by-election
Election summary
# of candidates
Popular vote
#
%
Elected candidates
2
198
58.41%
Defeated candidates
2
141
41.59%
Total
4
339
100%
July 8, 1886 Moose Mountain by-election #2
Election summary
# of candidates
Popular vote
Incumbent
New
#
%
Acclaimed candidates
1
-
-
-
Total
1
-
-
July 14, 1886 Calgary, by-election #2
Election summary
# of candidates
Popular vote
#
%
Elected candidates
2
427
61.88%
Defeated candidates
2
263
38.12%
Total
4
690
100%
October 14, 1886 Qu'Appelle by-election #2
Election summary
# of candidates
Popular vote
#
%
Elected candidates
1
332
53.37%
Defeated candidates
1
290
46.62%
Total
2
622
100%
May 24, 1887 Qu'Appelle by-election #3
Election summary
# of candidates
Popular vote
#
%
Elected candidates
2
427
61.88%
Defeated candidates
2
263
38.12%
Total
4
690
100%
September 5, 1887 Macleod by-election
Election summary
# of candidates
Popular vote
#
%
Elected candidates
1
301
65.86%
Defeated candidates
1
156
34.14%
Total
2
457
100%
Legislative session dates
1st Legislative Session, March 8, 1877, to March 22, 1877
2nd Legislative Session, July 10, 1878, to August 2, 1878
3rd Legislative Session, August 28, 1879, to September 22, 1879
4th Legislative Session, May 26, 1881, to June 11, 1881
5th Legislative Session, August 20, 1883, to October 4, 1883
6th Legislative Session, July 3, 1884, to August 16, 1884
7th Legislative Session, November 5, 1885, to December 18, 1885
8th Legislative Session, October 13, 1886, to November 19, 1886
9th Legislative Session, October 14, 1887, to November 19, 1887
Elected members of the 1st Council of the Northwest Territories
For complete electoral history, see individual districts
