Daniel Mowat

Daniel Alexander Mowat (May 9, 1848 – September 19, 1923 ) was a merchant and political figure in Saskatchewan (then the Northwest Territories), Canada. He represented South Regina in the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories from 1891 to 1898 as a Conservative.^[1]

Daniel Mowat
Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories
In office 1891–1898
Preceded by	John Secord
Succeeded by	James Hawkes
Constituency	South Regina
Mayor of Regina
In office 1886–1887
Preceded by	David Lynch Scott
Succeeded by	W. Cayley Hamilton
Personal details
Born	(1848-05-09)May 9, 1848
Died	September 19, 1923(1923-09-19) (aged 75)
Residence(s)	Regina, Canada
Occupation	Rancher

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^[1] and opened the first store in Regina in 1882. Mowat served on the Regina town council and was mayor from 1886 to 1887.^[2] With his brother Alex, also a partner in the Regina store, Mowat owned a large horse ranch near the current village of Avonlea.^[3]

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.^[4]

He moved to British Columbia and so retired from territorial politics in the 1890s. He died in Burnaby, British Columbia, and was buried in Ocean View Burial Park, Burnaby.

References

1. Gemmill, John A (1897). The Canadian parliamentary companion, 1897. p. 405. Retrieved 2009-08-23.
2. Simmons, Dale (2000). Regina, the street where you live : the origins of Regina street names. p. 76. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2009-08-23.
3. "Avonlea's Prairie Pioneers". Avonlea and District Museum - Heritage House. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2009-08-23.
4. Connors, Richard; Law, John M (2005). Forging Alberta's constitutional framework. University of Alberta. p. 114. ISBN 0-88864-458-2. Retrieved 2009-08-23.