The 5th Legislature
From 1903 to 1905 there were three short sittings in the Legislative Assembly. The bulk of the Legislation moved by the Liberal-Conservative government was minor and had to do with incorporating organizations and communities and concurring municipal by-laws.
The remainder of the time was spent lobbying the federal government for more resources to deal with the huge influx of settlers to the territories. Haultain personally clashed with Wilfrid Laurier to settle the provincial rights question.
The last session of the legislature ended in October 1904 and would not be held again in the territories until 1921. Premier Haultain spent the early part of 1905 meeting with the federal government to work out an arrangement to settle provincial autonomy.
After the arrangement of creating Alberta and Saskatchewan were passed in the federal parliament. The party in its last months held nominations and began working on plans to prepare for the new elections in Saskatchewan and Alberta. On August 31, 1905 the 5th North-West Legislative Assembly was dissolved along with the Association and party politics in the Territories came to an end.
In September 1905 provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan were created out of the more heavily populated, southern regions of the Northwest Territories. Party members then joined the Alberta Conservative Party, and the Provincial Rights Party in Saskatchewan. Many members, including some Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) defected to the Alberta Liberal Party and Saskatchewan Liberal Party, draining the Conservative parties of man power and experienced politicians.
There was a lot of anger among remaining Conservatives at Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the Liberals for passing over Haultain and appointing Liberal members to form government in both provinces. Laurier also appointed Liberal Party supporters to draw up the new electoral boundaries, which consequently were said to favour Liberal candidates.
Read more about this topic: Northwest Territories Liberal-Conservative Party
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