Alexander Bethune (January 31, 1852 – June 10, 1947), merchant, was the 12th

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

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, serving from 1907 to 1908. He had previously served seven years as alderman.

Early and family life

Bethune was born in

Peterborough, Ontario Peterborough ( ) is a city on the Otonabee River in Ontario, Canada, about 125 kilometres (78 miles) northeast of Toronto. According to the 2021 Census, the population of the City of Peterborough was 83,651. The population of the Peterborough ...

to William B. and Catherine (née Dingwall) Bethune. He married Catherine MacIntosh of

Paisley, Ontario Paisley is an unincorporated community and village in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie, Bruce County in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Paisley is defined by its position at the confluence of the Saugeen River and the Teeswater River, and at t ...

in 1878, and they had two daughters. A

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church, Bethune enjoyed hunting, fishing and motoring as hobbies. He was also a

Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

and founding member of Acacia Lodge No. 22.

Career

After completing his education in Ontario, he moved to

Manitou, Manitoba Manitou is an unincorporated urban community in the Municipality of Pembina within the Canadian province of Manitoba that held town status prior to January 1, 2015. The Boundary Trail Railway is based in Manitou. The community's motto is "More T ...

in 1887 where he entered the hardware business. He also served as postmaster of Manitou as well as on the city council as an alderman. He moved further west in 1890, to

. In Vancouver he would establish a shoe store, Mills & Bethune, operating from 1896 to 1900, when he entered the building business. Bethune was elected to Vancouver City Council in 1900 and served until 1907, when he was elected mayor. He was also the head of the Electoral Union slate. During the election, which was at the time overshadowed by the ongoing provincial election, the main issue of contention was whether to have a stop in the city along the Vancouver Westminster and Yukon Railway. During his term, he was faced with the September 1907 Vancouver riots in which he permitted demonstrators from the Asiatic Exclusion League to hold a rally at city hall in which speeches were delivered in support of the prohibition of Asian immigration to the city. Bethune was also a founder, paying member and ardent supporter of the organization. After the city hall rally, the crowd descended upon Vancouver's Chinatown and Japantown, continuing protests, smashing windows and even beating residents. Bethune would later express regret about the riot and urged citizens to use moderation. Bethune was also against the immigration of Indians, prohibiting them from settling in Vancouver during his term in 1907.

Death and legacy

He died in 1947 at

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, but his remains were returned to Vancouver, for interment at Mountain View Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bethune, Alexander 1852 births 1947 deaths Mayors of Vancouver Place of birth missing 20th-century Canadian politicians