Douglas Cameron

Who was Douglas Cameron?

Sir Douglas Colin Cameron KCMG was a Canadian politician. He served in the Ontario Legislature from 1902 to 1905, and was the eighth Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba from 1911 to 1916.

Cameron was born in Hawkesbury, Canada West, and was educated at Vankleek Hill High School. He did not attend college. Cameron moved to Manitoba in 1878, and worked as a contractor at Brandon.

Cameron then moved to Rat Portage, which was claimed by both Manitoba and Ontario at the time. He oversaw developments in the lumbering and mining trades, opened a saw mill, and was one of the founders of the Maple Leaf Flour Mills. In later years, he would become President of Rat Portage Lumber Company.

Cameron entered politics in 1901, having been elected as a councillor in Rat Portage. He would later serve as the city's mayor. In 1902, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal for the riding of Fort William and Lake of the Woods, defeating Conservative Thomas Smellie, 1483 votes to 1121. Cameron sat as a backbench supporter of Premier George Ross for the next three years.

The Liberals lost the election of 1905, and Cameron lost his own riding to Smellie, 1536 votes to 1228. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Winnipeg to better oversee his business ventures.