Sir James Albert Manning Aikins (December 10, 1851 – March 1, 1929) was a politician 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 ...

, Canada. He was the leader of the Manitoba Conservative Party in the provincial election of 1915, and later served as the province's ninth Lieutenant Governor. Aikins was born in Grahamsville,

Toronto Gore Township Toronto Gore (also the Gore of Toronto) is a former incorporated and now geographic township in Ontario, Canada. It is today split between Mississauga and Brampton. History Toronto Gore came into existence as a township in when it was separated ...

, Peel County,

Canada West The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report on the ...

(now Mississauga,

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 C ...

) and educated at Toronto's

Upper Canada College Upper Canada College (UCC) is an elite, all-boys, private school in Toronto, Ontario, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The college is widely described as the country's most prestigious preparatory school, and has produce ...

. His father,

James Cox Aikins James Cox Aikins, (March 30, 1823 – August 8, 1904) was a prominent Canadian politician in the 19th century. He twice served as a cabinet minister in the government of John A. Macdonald, and was the fourth Lieutenant Governor of Manitob ...

, was a prominent Canadian politician, serving as a cabinet minister from 1869 to 1873 and 1878 to 1882, and serving as Manitoba's Lieutenant-Governor between 1882 and 1888. The younger Aikins was educated at

and the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 ...

, receiving his B.A. in 1875. He subsequently moved to

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, ...

with his father, and remained in the western city after the elder Aikins returned to Ontario. From 1879 to 1896, Aikins was a counsel for the Department of Justice. In 1880, he was part of a committee that investigated the administration of justice in the North-West Territories. Aikins was appointed counsel to the Manitoba government in 1900, and was responsible for drafting the ''Temperance Act'' passed by the government of

Hugh John Macdonald Sir Hugh John Macdonald, (March 13, 1850 – March 29, 1929) was the only surviving son of the first prime minister of Canada, John A. Macdonald. He too was a politician, serving as a member of the House of Commons of Canada and a federal cabi ...

. He also served as President of the Law Society of Manitoba, and was a solicitor for the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1881 to 1911. In the 1911 federal election, Aikins was elected as a Conservative candidate to the House of Commons of Canada, for the riding of

Brandon Brandon may refer to: Names and people *Brandon (given name), a male given name *Brandon (surname), a surname with several different origins Places Australia *Brandon, a farm and 19th century homestead in Seaham, New South Wales *Brandon, Q ...

. The Conservative Party won this election, and Aikins served as a backbench supporter of

Robert Borden Sir Robert Laird Borden (June 26, 1854 – June 10, 1937) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the eighth prime minister of Canada from 1911 to 1920. He is best known for his leadership of Canada during World War I. Borde ...

's administration. Aikins left federal politics in 1915, amid unexpected circumstances. The provincial

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 ...

government of

Rodmond Roblin Sir Rodmond Palen Roblin (February 15, 1853 – February 16, 1937) was a businessman and politician in Manitoba, Canada. Early life and career Roblin was born in Sophiasburgh, in Prince Edward County, Canada West (later Ontario). The Robli ...

was forced to resign amid scandal in May 1915. Aikins served as chair of the provincial party's convention in July, and accepted the position of party leader on July 15 when no other candidates came forward. He resigned his federal seat, and led the provincial party into a new election. The new

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 ...

government of

Tobias Norris Tobias Crawford Norris (September 5, 1861 – October 29, 1936) was a Canadian politician who served as the tenth premier of Manitoba from 1915 to 1922. Norris was a member of the Liberal Party.J. M. Bumsted"Tobias Crawford Norris" ''The Cana ...

was extremely popular, and portrayed Aikins as the tool of more sinister figures in the Conservative Party. The Liberals won 40 seats in the election, against only five for the Tories. Aikins was resoundingly defeated in Brandon City. The following year, Aikins was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba on the recommendation of

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

. He served in this largely ceremonial position from August 5, 1916, to October 25, 1926. Although his initial appointment was greeted with skepticism, Aikins proved to be a popular office-holder. Even the pro-Liberal ''

Winnipeg Free Press The ''Winnipeg Free Press'' (or WFP; founded as the ''Manitoba Free Press'') is a daily (excluding Sunday) broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It provides coverage of local, provincial, national, and international news, as well as ...

'' approved of the continuance of his appointment on the recommendation of Prime Minister

Arthur Meighen Arthur Meighen (; June 16, 1874 – August 5, 1960) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the ninth prime minister of Canada from 1920 to 1921 and from June to September 1926. He led the Conservative Party from 1920 to 1926 and fro ...

in 1921. Aikins gave the Norris government permission to continue in office for a few weeks after losing a

vote of confidence A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...

in 1922, such that important legislation could be passed before the next election. Aikins was the first president of the

Canadian Bar Association The Canadian Bar Association (CBA), or Association du barreau canadien (ABC) in French, represents over 37,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers and law students from across Canada. History The Association's first Annual Meeting was he ...

, holding that office for 13 years. He was the first of five lawyers from the Aikins firm to serve as president of the CBA, the others being his son Gordon Harold Aikins (1942–1943), John MacAulay (1953–1954),

A. Lorne Campbell Andrew Lorne Campbell (known as A. Lorne Campbell), Order of Canada, O.C., Canadian Forces' Decoration, C.D., Bachelor of Laws#Canada, LL.B., Doctor of Law#Canada, LL.D., Doctor of Canon Law, D.C.L., Queen's Counsel, Q.C. (September 18, 1920 � ...

(1970–1971), and Guy Joubert (2008-2009). Aikins died on March 1, 1929.

References

External links

*
Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Aikins, James 1851 births 1929 deaths Canadian Knights Bachelor Lieutenant Governors of Manitoba Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Manitoba Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) MPs Leaders of the Manitoba Conservative Party 20th-century Canadian lawyers Lawyers in Manitoba Canadian King's Counsel Canadian Bar Association Presidents Canadian people of Ulster-Scottish descent University of Toronto alumni Upper Canada College alumni