Simon Fraser Tolmie (1867-1937) - Find a Grave Memorial

21st Premier of British Columbia. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in this position from August 1928 until November 1933. His father was a prominent figure in the fur trading business of the Hudson's Bay Company and a British Columbia politician. He was raised on the family farm and following high school, he attended Ontario Veterinary College at Guelph, Ontario, Canada, graduating in 1891. In December 1917 he entered politics when he was elected to the Canadian Parliament for Victoria City, serving until June 1928. From 1919 until 1921 and in 1926 he was the Canadian Minister of Agriculture. In July 1928 he ran for and was elected to the British Columbia Legislature for Saanich. The following month, he became Premier, replacing John Duncan MacLean. During his tenure, his government suffered under the Great Depression, with unemployment dropping to 28 percent, the highest in Canada. The combination of high unemployment, along with recommended cuts to social services, forced his government out of office and he was replaced in November 1933 by Thomas Dufferin Pattullo. In 1936 he won his former seat in the Canadian Parliament and died in office at the age of 70.

Bio by: William Bjornstad