The Honourable
David Mills
PC
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Bothwell
In office
1867–1882
Succeeded byJohn Joseph Hawkins
In office
1884–1896
Preceded byJohn Joseph Hawkins
Succeeded byJames Clancy
Senator for Bothwell, Ontario
In office
1896–1902
Appointed byWilfrid Laurier
Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
In office
1902–1903
Nominated byWilfrid Laurier
Preceded byJohn Wellington Gwynne
Succeeded byWallace Nesbitt
Superintendent-general on Indian Affairs
In office
October 24, 1876 – October 8, 1878
Preceded byDavid Laird
Succeeded byJohn A. Macdonald
Personal details
Born(1831-03-18)March 18, 1831
Orford Township, Upper Canada
DiedMay 8, 1903(1903-05-08) (aged 72)
Ottawa, Ontario
Political partyLiberal
Alma materUniversity of Michigan

David Mills, PC (March 18, 1831 – May 8, 1903) was a Canadian politician, author, poet and puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.

He was born in Palmyra, in southwestern Upper Canada (now Ontario). His father, Nathaniel Mills, was one of the first settlers in the area. Mills served as superintendent of schools for Kent County from 1856 to 1865. He then attended the University of Michigan School of law, graduating with honors in 1867 with an LL.B degree.

He published The Present and Future Political Aspects of Canada in 1860 and The Blunders of the Dominion Government in connection with the North-West Territory in 1871.

Mills was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada as a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) in the 1867 federal election and re-elected in four subsequent votes until being defeated in the 1882 election. He was an opponent of dual representation (the practice in which someone could simultaneously be a member of parliament as well as a member of the Ontario or Quebec legislature. He unsuccessfully introduced a private member's bill to abolish this practice, and continued to advocate for this until it was abolished in 1873.[1]

He returned to Parliament through an 1884 by-election. He was re-elected in subsequent elections until his defeat in the 1896 election despite this being the election that brought the Liberals back to power.

He served as Minister of the Interior in the Cabinet of Alexander Mackenzie from 1876 to 1878. Sir Wilfrid Laurier appointed Mills to the Senate of Canada after he lost his Commons seat in 1896, and appointed him to Cabinet as Minister of Justice and Leader of the Government in the Canadian Senate. He resigned from the Senate and Cabinet in 1902. He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada on February 8, 1902, and served on the Court for one year until his death in 1903.

References

  1. ↑ Schlee, Gary (2018). Unknown and Unforgettable: A Guide to Canada's Prime Ministers. Toronto: Shorelawn Publishing. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-7753780-0-6.
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