20 Facts About Edward Blake

Dominick Edward Blake, known as Edward Blake, was the second premier of Ontario, from 1871 to 1872 and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1880 to 1887.

Edward Blake is one of only three federal permanent Liberal leaders never to become Prime Minister of Canada, the others being Stephane Dion and the latter's immediate successor Michael Ignatieff.

Edward Blake was born in 1833, in Adelaide Township, Middlesex County, Upper Canada, the son of William Hume Edward Blake and Catherine Honoria Hume, and was educated at Upper Canada College.

In 1856, after Blake was called to the bar, he entered into partnership with Stephen M Jarvis in Toronto to practice law.

Edward Blake determined that the concurrence of all of the Dioceses of the Ecclesiastical Province would be required prior to the creation of the Provincial Synod, and therefore no such Synod could legally be convened until the entity first existed.

Edward Blake was recruited into active politics by George Brown, elected Member of the Provincial Parliament became leader of the Ontario Liberal Party in 1868 and premier in 1871, but left provincial politics to run in the 1872 federal election, in which he was re-elected.

The "dual mandate" rule that allowed a politician to sit simultaneously in a provincial and federal house had been abolished, and Edward Blake chose to abandon his career in provincial politics.

Edward Blake played a major role in exposing the government of Sir John A Macdonald's complicity in the Pacific Scandal forcing the government's resignation.

Edward Blake was offered the prime ministership, but turned it down due to ill health.

The Liberals were defeated in the 1878 election, and Edward Blake succeeded Mackenzie as party leader in 1880.

Edward Blake failed to defeat Macdonald's Conservatives in the 1882 or 1887 elections.

Edward Blake resigned as Liberal leader in 1887, recruiting Wilfrid Laurier as his successor, and left the House of Commons of Canada in 1891.

Edward Blake continued to serve as MP until 1907 when he resigned following a stroke and retired to Canada.

Edward Blake is perhaps best remembered for the arguments that he made to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in favour of the Provinces in interpreting the British North America Act.

Edward Blake won the case, and the Privy Council consistently afterwards took the side of the provinces.

Edward Blake married Margaret Cronyn, the daughter of Benjamin Cronyn and Margaret Ann, in 1856.

Edward Blake was born in 1835 and was educated at London, Ontario and in Toronto.

Edward Blake was a member of the Toronto Ladies' Educational Association and served as the Honorary President of the Canadian Branch of the McAll Association in Toronto.

Edward Blake frequently accompanied her husband on his political tours.

The personal and family papers of Edward Blake can be found at the Archives of Ontario, and the majority of these records were received on indefinite loan from the University of Toronto Library in June 1952.