James McShane (7 November 1833 – 14 December 1918) was a Canadian businessman and politician. He was mayor of Montreal, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, and a member of the House of Commons of Canada.

Mayor
James McShane
21st Mayor of Montreal
In office
1891–1893
Preceded byJacques Grenier
Succeeded byAlphonse Desjardins
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Montreal Centre
In office
1895–1896
Preceded byJohn Joseph Curran
Succeeded byNone, district abolished
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for Montréal division no. 6
In office
1890–1892
Preceded byNone, district created
Succeeded byPatrick Kennedy
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for Montréal-Centre
In office
1886–1890
Preceded byGeorge Washington Stephens
Succeeded byNone, district abolished
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for Montréal-Ouest
In office
1878–1886
Preceded byJohn Wait McGauvran
Succeeded byJohn Smythe Hall
Personal details
Born(1833-11-07)7 November 1833
Montreal, Lower Canada
Died14 December 1918(1918-12-14) (aged 85)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Political partyLiberal
Other political
affiliations
Quebec Liberal Party
Professionbusinessman
CabinetQuebec:
Commissioner of Agriculture and Public Works (1887-1888)

Background

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Born in Montreal, the son of James McShane and Ellen Quinn, he worked as an exporter of livestock to England. He served as a volunteer in the militia during the Fenian raids in 1866.

Montreal city politics

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He represented the Sainte-Anne Ward on the Montreal City Council, from 1868 to 1873, 1874 to 1881 and from 1883 to 1887. From 1891 to 1893, he was the mayor of Montreal.

Member of the Provincial Legislature

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In 1873, he was defeated as the Liberal Party of Quebec candidate in a Quebec provincial by-election in the riding of Montréal-Ouest.[citation needed]

He was elected in the 1878 provincial election and re-elected in 1881. He was elected in Montréal-Centre in 1886, and in Montréal division no. 6 in 1890. From 1887 to 1888, he was commissioner of agriculture and public works in the cabinet of Premier Honoré Mercier. He was defeated in the 1892 provincial election.[citation needed]

Federal politics

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In 1895, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in a by-election in the riding of Montreal Centre. A Liberal, he was defeated in the 1896 federal election in the riding of St. Anne.

1896 Canadian federal election: St. Anne
Party Candidate Votes
Conservative Michael Joseph Francis Quinn 3,071
Liberal James McShane 2,952
By-election on 27 December 1895
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal James McShane acclaimed

Retirement

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After leaving politics, he was involved with the Montreal Harbour Commission and was harbour-master from 1900 to 1912. After his death in 1918, he was entombed at the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.[1]

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References

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  1. ^ Répertoire des personnages inhumés au cimetière ayant marqué l'histoire de notre société (in French). Montreal: Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery.