Edward Philip "EP" Leacock (December 28, 1853 – 1927) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

-born confidence man, real estate speculator and political figure in

Manitoba , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital = Winn ...

. He represented Birtle from 1882 to 1886 and Russell from 1886 to 1888 in the

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba (french: Assemblée législative du Manitoba) is the deliberative assembly of the Manitoba Legislature in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly at provincial gen ...

as a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

. He was born on the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a Counties of England, county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the List of islands of England#Largest islands, largest and List of islands of England#Mo ...

and was the uncle of humorist

Stephen Leacock Stephen P. H. Butler Leacock (30 December 1869 – 28 March 1944) was a Canadian teacher, political scientist, writer, and humorist. Between the years 1915 and 1925, he was the best-known English-speaking humorist in the world. He is known ...

. He was the subject of his nephew's 1942 essay ''My Remarkable Uncle''. Leacock came to Canada in 1878 and arrived in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749, ...

the following year. In 1881, he married Georgina Eliza Vickers. Leacock ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Manitoba assembly in 1879 and then was elected in an 1882 by-election held after Stephen Clement was named sheriff. He was reelected in 1883 and 1886. Leacock was defeated when he ran for reelection to the assembly in 1888. He retired to England in 1894, where he was known as "Colonel Leacock", a retired Northwest Mounted Police colonel.

References

1853 births 1927 deaths Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba MLAs {{Manitoba-politician-stub