George Foster

Politician

• Born: September 3, 1847
• Birthplace: Carleton County, New Brunswick
• Died: December 30, 1931
• Place of death: Ottawa, Ontario

Contribution: George Eulas Foster was a prominent Canadian academic and politician. Rising from humble beginnings, Foster achieved a successful political career, serving as a member of the House of Commons and the Senate and actively participating in the governments of seven prime ministers, including Canada’s first Prime Minister, John Macdonald.

Early Years and Education

Foster was born in Carleton County, New Brunswick, on September 3, 1847, the youngest of seven children of John Foster and Margaret Heine. Foster’s mother died when he was three.

The town where Foster lived was relatively poor, and the closest school was in a community several miles away. Wanting a more formal education, Foster established a school in his community when he was fifteen years old. After winning a scholarship from Kings County, Foster enrolled in the University of New Brunswick (UNB).

While attending UNB, Foster founded the campus’s student newspaper. The recipient of numerous awards, he graduated second in his class with a bachelor of arts degree in 1868. He obtained a doctor of law degree from UNB in 1894.

Teaching Career

After receiving his BA, Foster taught in high schools and seminaries. In 1872, he became a professor of classics at UNB and spent the first year of his appointment on a study leave at the University of Edinburgh and the University of Heidelberg. Upon returning to Canada, Foster resumed his post at UNB, serving until 1879.

Political Career

After teaching for six years at UNB, Foster entered politics. In 1882, he was elected to the House of Commons from Kings County, New Brunswick, as a Conservative. In 1885, he entered Macdonald’s government, first as minister of marine and fisheries and then as minister of finance and receiver general in 1888. Foster held this second position in subsequent governments until 1896.

From 1896 to 1900, Foster served in the House of Commons as a representative of York County, New Brunswick. He was defeated in 1900, but was reelected to the House of Commons from North Toronto, Ontario, in 1904. From 1911 until 1921, he served as minister of finance in the Borden and Meighen governments.

In 1914, Foster received the honor of being knighted. During World War I, he played an important role in the Borden government, even accompanying Borden to Paris as one of Canada’s delegates to the peace conference of 1919. Foster served as acting prime minister while Borden attended the Imperial War Conference in London in 1917, and again in 1920 while Borden was ill. From 1920 to 1921, Foster served as chairman of Canada’s delegation to the League of Nations at Geneva, Switzerland.

Foster continued in the House of Commons until 1921, when he accepted an appointment to the Senate, where he served for the remainder of his life.

Personal Life

Foster married Adeline Chisholm Davies, the former wife of fellow parliamentary member Daniel Black Chisholm, in 1889. Following her death in September 1919, Foster married Jessie Allan, in 1920. Foster died on December 30, 1931, in Ottawa.

Bibliography

Bélanger, Claude. “Sir George Foster.” The Quebec History Encyclopedia. Marianopolis College, 2005. Web. 9 Aug. 2013.

Fox, Paul ed. “Getting into the Cabinet.” Politics: Canada. Toronto: McGraw, 1970. 345–47. Print.

Heiti, Matthew. “Sir George E. Foster.” New Brunswick Literary Encyclopedia. St. Thomas University, 2011. Web. 9 Aug. 2013.

Waite, P. B. “Sir George Eulas Foster.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Canadian Encyclopedia, 2012. Web. 9 Aug. 2013.

Wallace, W. Stewart. The Memoirs of the Rt. Hon. Sir George Foster. Toronto: Macmillan, 1933. Print.