Arthur Meighen - Biography.

Arthur Meighen - Biography. Ninth prime minister of Canada Birth June 16, 1874 Death August 5, 1960 Place of Birth Saint Mary's, Anderson, Ontario Constituencies Portage la Prairie, Manitoba (1908-1921, 1925-1926) Grenville, Ontario (1922-1925) Political Party Conservative Terms 1920-1921 1926 Significant Introduced a closure bill in 1913 to limit debate in Parliament Acts Drafted the 1917 conscription bill, which established compulsory enrollment in the military Introduced the 1917 Wartime Elections Act, which denied the vote to Germans naturalized in Canada after 1902, and the Military Voters Act, which denied the vote to conscientious objectors Consolidated the private railroad systems into the Canadian National Railways Ended the Winnipeg general strike in 1919 with the help of the Royal North-West Mounted Police Convinced the British government not to renew its treaty with Japan in 1921 Career 1908-1921, 1922-1926 Served as a member of the House of Commons 1913-1917 Acted as solicitor general 1917 Became secretary of state 1917-1920 Served as minister of the interior 1920-1926, 1941-1942 Led the Conservative Party July 10, 1920 Succeeded Borden as prime minister and served as secretary for external affairs 1921 Resigned as prime minister after the Conservative Party was defeated in elections June 29-September 25, 1926 Served as prime minister 1932-1935 Served as minister without portfolio 1932-1941 Served as a member of the Senate Did You Know Meighen was notoriously reluctant to throw out old clothes. His colleagues once stole his worn-out coat and threw it out a train window; a railway worker found it and returned it to Meighen, who wore it for several more years. Meighen loved the works of English playwright William Shakespeare, and could recite from memory as many as 150 lines from several of Shakespeare's plays. Meighen was known for his skill as a debater. Meighen named his first child Theodore Roosevelt Meighen. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.