Joseph Burke (November 12, 1853 – after 1888) was a

land surveyor Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. A land surveying professional is ca ...

and political figure in

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

. He represented St. Francois Xavier 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 gener ...

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 i ...

. He was born in

Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec Saint-Jean-Port-Joli is a village in the Regional County Municipality of L'Islet within the Chaudière-Appalaches region of Quebec, Canada. It is located on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River and is the county seat. The village is locat ...

, the son of Walter Burke, a native of

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, and Mary Comeford, and was educated at Ste. Anne's College, at Montmagny Business College and at

McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...

. Burke qualified as a provincial land surveyor for Quebec in 1874. He served as a lieutenant in the Quebec militia during the Fenian raids. From 1877 to 1879, he was director of surveys for Richelieu County. Burke moved to Manitoba in 1880, where he spent three years subdividing townships. He then opened his own business in St. Charles. Burke was named Provincial Secretary in December 1887 but was defeated by

Frederick Francis Friedrich Franz (1783–1860) was a photography pioneer and university teacher of Gregor Mendel. Friedrich Franz (or ''Frederick Francis'') was also the name of several members of the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin: *Friedrich Franz I, Grand Duke ...

when he ran for reelection in January of the following year. The defeat of Burke in this by-election was regarded as a loss of the right to govern by the Conservatives and led to the Liberals forming a government.

References

1853 births Year of death missing Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba MLAs People from Chaudière-Appalaches Canadian surveyors McGill University alumni {{Manitoba-politician-stub