Donald Ferguson, PC

Queen's Privy Council for Canada

The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...

 ( 7 March 1839 – 4 September 1909 ) was a Canadian politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

.

Born in Marshfield, Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...

, originally a livestock farmer, Ferguson spent much of his life in public service; from 1872–1873 he served as a justice of the peace

Justice of the Peace

A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

, resigning that position in prior to his first of unsuccessful bid for a position on the PEI Legislative Council

Legislative Council

A Legislative Council is the name given to the legislatures, or one of the chambers of the legislature of many nations and colonies.A Member of the Legislative Council is commonly referred to as an MLC.- Unicameral legislatures :...

. He also failed in his bid for a Legislative Council seat in 1874, and for a seat as a Conservative

Conservative Party of Canada (historical)

The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...

 in the Prince Edward Island House of Assembly in 1876. However, in 1878 he finally succeeded in winning, by acclamation, a seat in the House, a position he defended for twelve years until his resignation in October 1890. During this twelve-year period he served variously as commissioner of public works

Commissioner of Public Works

The Commissioner of Public Works heads one of the departments in those local governments in New Jersey that operate under the Walsh Act form of municipal governance. This is a standalone position in Walsh Act municipalities with a five-member commission...

, provincial secretary

Provincial Secretary

The Provincial Secretary was a senior position in the executive councils of British North America's colonial governments, and was retained by the Canadian provincial governments for at least a century after Canadian Confederation was proclaimed in 1867...

, treasurer

Treasurer

A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...

, and commissioner of crown lands

Commissioner of Crown Lands

Commissioner of Crown Lands may refer to:*Commissioners of Crown Lands *Commissioner of Crown Lands...

.

Ferguson also hoped to become a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons

Canadian House of Commons

The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...

, but was defeated in the Canadian federal election of 1887

Canadian federal election, 1887

The Canadian federal election of 1887 was held on February 22, 1887 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 6th Parliament of Canada.The Conservative Party of Prime Minister Sir John A...

 and again in 1891

Canadian federal election, 1891

The Canadian federal election of 1891 was held on March 5 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 7th Parliament of Canada. It was won by the Conservative Party of Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald....

 when he stood as member for the electoral district

Electoral district (Canada)

An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...

 of Queen's County

Queen's County (electoral district)

Queen's County was a federal electoral district in Prince Edward Island, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1873 to 1896.This riding was created in 1873 when Prince Edward Island joined the Canadian Confederation....

. However, on 4 September 1893, he was appointed to the Canadian Senate

Canadian Senate

The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...

 on the recommendation of John Sparrow David Thompson.
He became influential in federal politics, and in January 1895 was appointed Minister without portfolio

Minister without Portfolio

A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...

 in the cabinet of Sir Mackenzie Bowell

Mackenzie Bowell

Sir Mackenzie Bowell, PC, KCMG was a Canadian politician who served as the fifth Prime Minister of Canada from December 21, 1894 to April 27, 1896.-Early life:Bowell was born in Rickinghall, Suffolk, England to John Bowell and Elizabeth Marshall...

's government. From 6 January 1896 – 14 January 1896, Ferguson also functioned as the acting Minister of Agriculture

Minister of Agriculture (Canada)

The Minister of Agriculture is a Minister of the Crown in the Cabinet of Canada, who is responsible for overseeing several organizations including Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canadian Dairy Commission, Farm Credit Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, National Farm Products Council and...

. Ferguson served representing the senatorial division

Canadian Senate divisions

Canadian Senate divisions refers to two things. First, to the four regional Senate divisions of 24 senators as set out in the Constitution of Canada Canadian Senate divisions refers to two things. First, to the four regional Senate divisions of 24 senators as set out in the Constitution of Canada...

of Queen's, Prince Edward Island until his death in 1909.