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Arthur Sturgis Hardy, (December 14, 1837 – June 13, 1901) was a Canadian lawyer and
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
politician who served as the fourth
premier of Ontario The premier of Ontario (french: premier ministre de l'Ontario) is the head of government of Ontario. Under the Westminster system, the premier governs with the Confidence and supply, confidence of a majority the elected Legislative Assembly of On ...
from 1896 to 1899.


Early life

Born in Mount Pleasant,
Brant County The County of Brant (Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population 39,474) is a Census divisions of Ontario#Single-tier municipalities, single-tier municipality in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. Although it retains t ...
, in 1837, Hardy was the son of Russell and Juletta (Sturgis) Hardy,
United Empire Loyalist United Empire Loyalists (or simply Loyalists) is an honorific title which was first given by the 1st Lord Dorchester, the Governor of Quebec, and Governor General of The Canadas, to American Loyalists who resettled in British North America duri ...
s. He studied at the Rockwood Academy in Rockwood, Ontario, and he became town solicitor for Brantford in 1867, a bencher of the
Law Society of Upper Canada The Law Society of Ontario (LSO; french: Barreau de l'Ontario) is the law society responsible for the self-regulation of lawyers and paralegals in the Canadian province of Ontario. Founded in 1797 as the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC; frenc ...
in 1875, and a QC in 1876. On January 19, 1870, he married Mary Morrison, daughter of Judge
Joseph Curran Morrison Joseph Curran Morrison (August 20, 1816 – December 6, 1885) was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Canada West. He was born in Ireland in 1816 and came to Upper Canada with his family in 1830. He studied at Upper Canada College, studied ...
.


Political career

First elected to the
Legislative Assembly of Ontario The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (OLA, french: Assemblée législative de l'Ontario) is the legislative chamber of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its elected members are known as Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs). Bills passed by ...
in 1873, he was promoted to the
Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...
of Sir
Oliver Mowat Sir Oliver Mowat (July 22, 1820 – April 19, 1903) was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and Ontario Liberal Party leader. He served for nearly 24 years as the third premier of Ontario. He was the eighth lieutenant governor of Ontario and one of ...
in 1877 as Provincial Secretary. In 1889, as Commissioner of Crown Lands, Hardy established the
Algonquin Algonquin or Algonquian—and the variation Algonki(a)n—may refer to: Languages and peoples *Algonquian languages, a large subfamily of Native American languages in a wide swath of eastern North America from Canada to Virginia **Algonquin la ...
and Rondeau provincial parks. Well known for his support of Mowat's liberalism, he was described in '' Grip'' as a hard-nosed and down-to-earth politician in Mowat's service: Entering his sixties and having been in government for over twenty years, Hardy lacked the energy and strength to take the government forward or excite the populace when he succeeded Mowat as both Premier and
Attorney-General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...
in 1896. Initially reluctant to accept the positions, he said: Aware of his weakness, he relied heavily on his minister of education,
George William Ross Sir George William Ross (September 18, 1841 – March 7, 1914) was an educator and politician in the Canadian province of Ontario. He was the fifth premier of Ontario from 1899 to 1905. Early life Born near Nairn, in Middlesex County, Upper Cana ...
. Because there were Liberal governments in both Ottawa and Ontario, Hardy was urged to reassure French-speaking Catholics' concerns over the
Manitoba Schools Question The Manitoba Schools Question () was a political crisis in the Canadian province of Province of Manitoba, Manitoba that occurred late in the 19th century, attacking publicly-funded separate schools for Roman Catholics in Canada, Roman Catholics and ...
by appointing François-Eugène-Alfred Évanturel as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. In the 1898 election, Hardy's government was returned with a narrow six seat majority due to the collapse of the agrarian
Patrons of Industry The Patrons of Industry in Canada were based on the Patrons of Industry of Michigan that had formed in 1889. It was dedicated to upholding and encouraging the moral, social, intellectual, political and financial situation of farmers and to preserve ...
party which had served as the Liberal's allies in the legislature, as well as the rise of Catholic and urban support for the Conservatives under
James Pliny Whitney Sir James Pliny Whitney (October 2, 1843 – September 25, 1914) was a Canadian politician and lawyer in the province of Ontario. He served as Conservative member of the legislature for Dundas from 1888 and as the sixth premier of Ontario from 1 ...
. Hardy's most significant—and controversial—achievement occurred in 1898 with passage of an Act providing for all pine cut under licence on crown lands to be sawn into lumber in Canada. Michigan lumbermen sought to have the amendment disallowed for encroaching on the federal trade and commerce power, but
Wilfrid Laurier Sir Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier, ( ; ; November 20, 1841 – February 17, 1919) was a Canadian lawyer, statesman, and politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911. The first French Canadian prime minis ...
's government refused to do so. Exhausted and needing money, Hardy retired from politics in 1899 and died two years later from appendicitis. Hardy's body was originally interred at Greenwood Cemetery, however 34 years after his death, his son
Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
Arthur Charles Hardy Arthur Charles Hardy, (December 3, 1872 – March 13, 1962) was a Canadian lawyer and politician."Appointed in 1922, Was Dean of Senate". ''The Globe and Mail'', March 14, 1962. Life and career Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hardy ran for the ...
had the remains of Hardy, his wife, and their daughter Gladys Mary Starr moved to Farringdon Burial Ground.


Legacy

An Ontario Historical Plaque was erected in
Brantford Brantford (Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population: 104,688) is a city in Ontario, Canada, founded on the Grand River (Ontario), Grand River in Southwestern Ontario. It is surrounded by County of Brant, Brant County, but is politically separate with ...
, Ontario, by the province to commemorate Hardy's role in
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
's history. On June 25, 2009, a new plaque was unveiled to commemorate Hardy under the initiative of Premiers' Gravesites Program. Local politicians, guests and family members paid tribute to the former politician. The family included his great-great-great-granddaughter and the children of his great-nephew
Hagood Hardy Hugh Hagood Hardy, (February 26, 1937 – January 1, 1997) was a Canadian composer, pianist, and vibraphonist. He played mainly jazz and easy listening music. He is best known for the 1975 single, "The Homecoming" from his album of the same na ...
.


References


Further reading

* * *


External links

* *
Arthur Sturgis Hardy fonds
Archives of Ontario {{DEFAULTSORT:Hardy, Arthur Sturgis 1837 births 1901 deaths Premiers of Ontario Lawyers in Ontario Canadian King's Counsel Canadian Anglicans Leaders of the Ontario Liberal Party Attorneys General of Ontario Provincial Secretaries of Ontario Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada)