James Kidd Flemming

Who was James Kidd Flemming?

James Kidd Flemming was a businessman and politician in New Brunswick, Canada.

Flemming was a school teacher and lumberman before entering politics and serving as Provincial Secretary-Treasurer from 1908 to 1911 and Minister of Lands and Mines from 1911-1914. He succeeded Douglas Hazen as the Premier of New Brunswick in 1911. In June 1912, Flemming led his provincial party to the biggest electoral victory in its history. In addition to two independent Conservative seats, the Conservative Party captured 42 of the province's 46 seats.

Under Flemming, the French language was used for the first time in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick.

In 1914, Premier Flemming was forced to resign after charges of fundraising irregularities against him were made public by a powerful group of back-room Liberals known as the "Dark Lantern Brigade" led by party organizers Peter Veniot and Edward S. Carter plus lawyer and Federal Member of Parliament, Frank Carvell.

Nevertheless, Flemming remained popular and won a seat in the Canadian House of Commons in the 1925 federal election and again in the 1926 election.