Daniel Mowat

Who is Daniel Mowat?

Daniel Mowatt was a merchant and political figure in Saskatchewan, Canada. He represented South Regina in the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories from 1891 to 1898 as a Conservative.

He was born in Ottawa, Canada West, the son of Alex Mowat, of Scottish descent. In 1871, he married Amelia M. Hoy. Mowat was a member of the Ottawa public school board. He came to the Northwest Territories in 1880 and opened the first store in Regina in 1882. Mowat served on the Regina town council and was mayor from 1886 to 1887. With his brother Alex, also a partner in the Regina store, Mowat owned a large horse ranch near the current village of Avonlea.

While a member of the assembly, Mowat proposed that English be the sole language of instruction in schools in the Northwest Territories. A compromise was reached that allowed a course in French at the primary level.