David Spence (Canadian politician)

For the Victoria Cross recipient see David Spence. For the candidate for Governor in Missouri see Dave Spence

David Spence (January 25, 1867 - February 13, 1940) was a Canadian politician.

Spence was born in County Armagh, Ireland and was educated at a state school before immigrating to North America in 1896. After spending a year in Pittsburgh he moved to Toronto where he established a wholesale fruit and commission business. He served as an alderman on Toronto City Council from 1910 to 1916 and was instrumental in winning approval for the construction of the Prince Edward Viaduct.^[1]

During World War I he helped form The Irish Regiment of Canada and was one of its officers but was not permitted to go overseas to fight because of his age.^[1]

Spence was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a Conservative in the 1921 federal election and was re-elected from thr riding of Parkdale in 1925, 1926, 1930 and 1935 serving in the House of Commons for almost 19 years until his death prior to the 1940 federal election in which he was nominated to again be the Tory standard-bearer in Parkdale.^[1]

He had intended to run as a Conservative in the 1917 federal election but withdrew from the race in order to support Liberal-Unionist Herbert Mowat who was running as a supporter of the Union Government formed by Conservative Prime Minister Robert Borden.^[2] Mowat was appointed to the bench prior to the 1921 federal election freeing up the riding for Spence to contest.^[2]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "David Spence, Former MP, Dies Suddenly at Home", Toronto Daily Star, February 14, 1940
2. ^ ^{a b} "David Spence Passes Away", Globe and Mail, February 14, 1940

External links

• David Spence (Canadian politician) - Parliament of Canada biography

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Name	Spence, David
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Short description
Date of birth	January 25, 1867
Place of birth
Date of death	February 13, 1940
Place of death