Albert Edward Kemp

Sir Albert Edward Kemp, KCMG, PC (11 August 1858 – 12 August 1929) was a Canadian businessman and parliamentarian.

Born in Clarenceville, Canada East (now Quebec), he was president of the Kemp Manufacturing Co. of Toronto.

A Conservative, Kemp was elected five times to the Canadian House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for the Ontario electoral district of Toronto East. He was first elected in the Canadian federal election of 1900, and was re-elected in 1904. He lost in 1908 to an "independent Conservative", Joseph Russell, who had been nominated by some constituents unhappy with Kemp's connections to the Albany Club and Toronto's wealthy class and who also charged that Kemp was hiring foreign workers at low wages at the expense of Canadians. [http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=8218 Dictionary of Canadian Biography:Albert Edward Kemp] ] Out of office, Kemp threw his efforts into rebuilding the Conservative machine in Ontario as well as paying off its debts. He used his business connections to rally opposition to the Laurier government's Naval Service Bill as well as it's plans for reciprocity with the United States - a campaign to which he recruited prominent Ontario Liberals. Through Kemp's efforts, he regained his seat in 1911 and helped Robert Borden defeat Laurier to become Prime Minister. Borden rewarded Kemp by appointing him minister without portfolio in his first Cabinet.

Kemp and held his seat in 1916 , and was last elected in 1917. During World War I he sat as a Unionist in the coalition formed under Robert Borden, and served as the Minister of Militia and Defence from 23 November 1916 – 11 October 1917, and Minister of the Overseas Military Forces from 12 October 1917 –1 July 1920. He also on two occasions served as Minister without Portfolio.

On 4 November 1921, Kemp was appointed to the Canadian Senate on the recommendation of Prime Minister Arthur Meighen. He represented the senatorial division of Toronto, Ontario until his death.

For his service, during World War I, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1917.

Kemp married Cecilia Amanda Wilson (1858 - 1924) in 1879 and had three daughters: Alice Irene, Hazel Beatrice, and Florence E. Kemp.

Hazel married Captain F. Chattan Stephens of Montreal, who was a son of liberal politician George Washington Stephens and half-brother to Saar president George Washington Stephens, Jr.. Their only son, John H. C. Stephens, and F. Chattan's mother, Frances McIntosh Stephens, perished in the sinking of the "RMS Lusitania" in 1915.

After the death of his wirst wife Kemp remarried to Virginia Copping in 1925. By her first marriage to Norman Copping she had two daughters, Cynthia and Virginia.

Albert Edward Kemp died in 1929 and was buried in in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.

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