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Harlan Carey Brewster

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Harlan Carey Brewster
18th Premier of British Columbia
In office
November 23, 1916 – March 1, 1918
MonarchGeorge V
Lieutenant GovernorFrancis Stillman Barnard
Preceded byWilliam John Bowser
Succeeded byJohn Oliver
MLA for Alberni
In office
February 2, 1907 – March 28, 1912
Preceded byWilliam Wallace Burns McInnes
Succeeded byJohn George Corry Wood
In office
September 14, 1916 – March 1, 1918
Preceded byJohn George Corry Wood
Succeeded byRichard Pateman Wallis
MLA for Victoria City
In office
March 4, 1916 – March 1, 1918
Preceded byRichard McBride
Succeeded byRichard Pateman Wallis
Personal details
Born(1870-11-10)November 10, 1870
Harvey, New Brunswick
DiedMarch 1, 1918(1918-03-01) (aged 47)
Calgary, Alberta
NationalityCanadian
Political partyLiberal
Spouse
Annie Lucinda Downie
(m. 1892)
Children1 son and 3 daughters
Occupationsalmon canner
Professionpolitician

Harlan Carey Brewster (November 10, 1870 – March 1, 1918) was a politician in British Columbia, Canada. Brewster arrived in British Columbia in 1893 and had various careers working on a ship and then in a cannery. He eventually became owner of his own canning company. He was elected to the provincial legislature in the 1907 election and was one of only two Liberals elected to the legislature in the 1909 election.

Brewster became leader of the opposition, and was elected party leader in March 1912. He lost his seat a few weeks later in the 1912 election, which returned no Liberals at all. In 1916, he won election to the legislature again through a by-election, and led his party to victory in a general election later that year by campaigning on a reform platform. Brewster promised to end patronage in the civil service, end political machines, improve workmen's compensation and labour laws, bring in votes for women, and other progressive reforms.

In government, Brewster brought in women's suffrage, instituted prohibition, and combatted political corruption before his unexpected death in 1918. He is interred in the Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria, British Columbia.

He also served as Minister of Finance between February 15, 1917 and June 11, 1917.

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