Michael Alban Farmer

FARMER, Q.C., LLD., MICHAEL ALBAN, school teacher, potato inspector, and lawyer; b. 27 September 1901 in Kinkora, son of Michael Farmer and Margaret Keefe; m. 12 October 1932 Mary Dorothea MacMillan of Charlottetown, and they had four children, William Alban, Mary Honora, Michael Alan, and Elinor Christine; Roman Catholic; d. 27 December 1988 in Charlottetown. Farmer, a Conservative, was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in the general election of 1959 for 5th Queens. He was re-elected in the general election of 1962. In the general election of 1966, Farmer was elected to the new riding of 6th Queens. He was defeated in the general election of 1970. From 3 January 1963 to 28 July 1966, he served as Provincial Treasurer and Attorney and Advocate General. Farmer represented Ward 2 on the Charlottetown City Council from 1946 to 1952 and made two unsuccessful attempts to become Mayor. From 1935 to 1939, he served as Private Secretary for Lieutenant-Governor George DeBlois. Alban Farmer received his primary education in the Kinkora school. He attended Prince of Wales College, later teaching school and working as a potato inspector with the federal government. Later he attended St. Dunstan's College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1925. In 1928 Farmer graduated from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Law degree. He articled with J. O. C. Campbell, and was admitted to the Bar in 1930. He began practising law with former premier H. James Palmer*. Farmer served as Crown prosecutor from 1930 to 1934, and, from 1934 to 1968, practised law without a partner. He was awarded the designation of Queen's Counsel. In 1968 he formed a partnership with his son-in-law Ronald V. Dalzell. His son Michael Alan, and his son-in-law Bertrand Plamondon, joined the firm in 1971. In time, the firm became Farmer and Farmer, and in1984 he joined the partnership of Farmer, Farmer, Fortier and Gregory. In his later years he practised with the firm of Farmer and MacLeod. Farmer served on the board of many companies and organizations. He was chairman of the board of the Charlottetown Hospital and the Maritime Hospital Service Association—later Blue Cross of Atlantic Canada and now Atlantic Blue Cross Care. From 1936 to 1937, Farmer was president of the Prince Edward Island Law Society. He was a board member and chairman of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, a board member of the Charlottetown Board of Trade, a board member of the Canadian Bar Association, and on the advisory board of Central Trust. In 1969 St. Dunstan's University awarded Farmer a Doctor of Law's degree. He served as Past State Deputy of the Knights of Columbus and was a 4th degree Knight. Alban Farmer died 27 December 1988 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Dorothea Farmer, Alban Farmer's wife, was the daughter of William J. P. MacMillan*, a premier of the province. Her sister, Catherine Bernadette, married Charles St. Clair Trainor*. Farmer's son, Michael Alan, was defeated in the 1974 general election for 6th Queens and is presently the Mayor of Stratford.