Edward Brown

Who is Edward Brown?

Edward Brown was a Manitoba politician. He served briefly as leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party, and was later a cabinet minister in Tobias C. Norris's government.

Born in Gresham, Bruce County, Ontario, the son of Edward J. Brown, was educated in St. Catharines. In 1882, he began business as a merchant in Paisley. In 1888, Brown came to Portage la Prairie; he served as mayor there for six years. He married Esther Huston in 1893. In 1909, Brown moved to Winnipeg where he established a financial brokerage firm that he operated until 1942. He was also president of the Canada West Securities Corporation and of the British Northwestern Fire Insurance Company. In 1910, he was listed as one of Winnipeg's 19 millionaires.

Brown made his electoral debut in the provincial campaign of 1903, narrowly losing to Conservative Hugh Armstrong in Portage La Prairie. He subsequently became a leading organizer for the Liberals, and was acclaimed as party leader on March 28, 1906. He was again defeated by Armstrong in the election of 1907, however, and resigned as party leader shortly thereafter.