Ralph Frederick Stockwell

Ralph Frederick Stockwell (1885 - 1962) is a man Québécois politiqe having occupied the function of provincial treasurer (Minister for Finance) of 1932 with 1936, that is to say under the government of Louis-Alexandre Taschereau.

Origins

Ralph Frederick Stockwell, wire of the farmers Charles Frederick Stockwell and Joséphine Roy, were born with Danville the November 21st 1885. He studies initially in Danville then made his right to the Université McGill of Montreal. He is allowed with the Barreau of Quebec the November 11th 1912 and created council in law of the king the September 14th 1922.

In 1912, it joins Edson-Grenfill Place and opens an office in Montreal. Its practice is stopped in 1914 because he enlists at the beginning of the First World War. In 1915, he is major of the Fifth Regiment of the Canadian Mounted Rifles of Montreal. It goes up in rank in 1916, becoming staff officer of the Fort Garry Horse Reserve Regiment then Canadian Training Division with Brandshatt, in Great Britain. It is rewarded for several medals at the time of the engagements.

Returned in Quebec, it is established in Granby where, in 1919, it joins Georges-Henri Boivin. The two lawyers hold a joint office of 1919 with 1926. Thereafter, Stockwell only practices. Of 1926 with 1931, it is substitute of the public prosecutor for the district of Bedford. In 1931, he becomes prosecutor for this same district. Thereafter, he will be president of the Bar of Bedford.

Stockwell does not leave its career in the army for as much. Of 1920 with 1924, he is lieutenant-colonel of the 11th Battalion of Hussards. In 1926, it is promoted ordering 4th Brigade of Cavalry.

It also occupies during some time the positions of director of the Cowansville Realties Limited and of governor of the Hospital of Brominates-Missisquoi-Perkins.

The politician

Ralph Stockwell is liberal candidate in the Bromine county to the general election of 1931. It gains it against the conservative Louis-Arthur Groulx but with only 25 votes of majority.

Little before the election, the Prime Minister Taschereau had named Gordon Wallace Scott at the post of provincial treasurer but this one east demolishes in its county. It is Taschereau which assumes the function for the moment but dream more and more with Stockwell to replace it. It analyzes initially its potential, and the new deputy the assistance to write the budget of 1932. Finally, he is considered to be ready to take up the duty and is sworn in the October 26th 1932.

The new treasurer enters the new government in a difficult context. The Economic crisis prevails since 1930, unemployment increases and the budgetary expenditure also. The governmental receipts, they, tend to decrease. Since 1930, the government spent $30,500,000 in public works and direct helps.

In spite of that, Stockwell announces all the same a surplus of $62,000 for the year 1933 - 1934 at the time of the speech of the budget of the February 9th 1933. Thereafter, it owes raviser quickly. In September 1933, he announces that budget 1932-1933 resulted in a deficit of $6,840,000. In the same breath, he declares that the incomes decreased by approximately $10 million since 1930. One year later, he declares that the old surplus of $62,000 was transformed into an enormous deficit of $6 million.

Criticized by a better and better organized opposition, the Taschereau government becomes more in more unpopular. The advertisement of a new deficit for the year 1935 helps it of nothing. It gains the elections of the autumn 1935 but by a very decreased majority. In Bromine, Stockwell makes beautiful figure because it gains its election by more than 500 votes of majority.

Stockwell presents its last budget the April 30th 1936, announcing a forthcoming deficit of $4,939,000. The debt, in one year, increased by $21 million and accounts for $134,748,000. The National union of Maurice Duplessis shouts with the incompetence and corruption and tries to prevent the vote of the budget before the May 30th, which would oblige the government to start elections. He is finally voted of sorrow and of misery the May 27th but, the same month, the Committee of the public accounts updates the corruption of the mode. Taschereau announces its resignation like that of its government at the beginning of June.

Its successor, Adélard Godbout, decides not to keep Stockwell at his station and replaces it by a newcomer, Edward Stuart McDougall. Stockwell then decides not to be represented with the election of 1936. It tries a political comeback at the time of the election of 1939 by representing liberal candidate in Brome but it is beaten by unionistic the Jonathan Robinson by 236 votes.

Ralph Stockwell dies in Cowansville the October 15th 1962.

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