Bradford William LePage

LEPAGE, HONOURABLE BRADFORD WILLIAM, merchant and lobster packer; b. 19 February 1876 in Anglo Rustico, son of Elisha Christopher LePage and Millicent Woolner LePage; m. 24 February 1897 Harriet Edna Christie, and they had two children, William Reuel and Hilda Ruth; United; d. 4 December 1958 in Charlottetown. LePage, a Liberal, was elected to the Legislative Assembly in the general election of 1919 for 2nd Queens. He was re-elected in the general elections of 1927, 1931, and 1935. He was defeated in the general election of 1923. He was a Minister without Portfolio in the Albert Saunders* Administration from 1927 to 1930, in the Walter Lea* Administration from 1930 until 1931, and then again under Lea in 1935. LePage served as President of Executive Council in the government of Thane A. Campbell*. For a brief period, he was acting Premier and acting Minister of Agriculture. LePage represented the province at the coronation of King George VI in 1937. In the general election of 1939, in the district of 2nd Queens, the unofficial count on election night declared R. Reginald Bell the winner by one vote over LePage. However, the official numbers announced on Declaration Day declared LePage the winner. A recount and appeals by both candidates followed, until the case was finally settled in Supreme Court. Finally, the Legislature passed a bill in 1940, declaring the seat vacant. A by-election was to be held, but before that occurred LePage was named Lieutenant-Governor on 11 September 1939. Bell ultimately lost the by-election to Alexander W. Matheson*. LePage served as Lieutenant-Governor from 1939 until 1945. Near the end of his term, on 9 April 1945, he refused to give Royal Assent to a bill, known locally as the Cullen Amendment, designed to loosen the more stringent clauses of the Prohibition Act. Premier J. Walter Jones* waited for LePage's term to expire and presented the bill to his successor, Joseph A. Bernard*. The bill was signed into law in September of that year. This action was eventually declared invalid by the province's Supreme Court, but by 1948 the original Prohibition Act had been further amended. LePage was educated at the Anglo Rustico School. He became a general merchant in his father's business, where he built one of the largest mercantile firms in the province by exporting agricultural and fishery products. LePage was manager of the first Fishermen's Co-operative Lobster Packing Association in North America. He was also involved in the silver fox industry as a director of the Magic Silver Black Fox Company. After 26 years, LePage sold his business interests in Rustico and in 1920 began the LePage Shoe Company Ltd. in Charlottetown with his son Reuel. In addition to his business pursuits, LePage served the Island community as a member of the Board of Education, as a director of the Young Men's Christian Association, and as a trustee of the Falconwood Hospital. He was a member of the Rotary Club and was active as a senior presiding elder of Trinity United Church in Charlottetown. Bradford LePage died 4 December 1958 at the Prince Edward Island Hospital. Harriet LePage, the daughter of James A. Christie of Mayfield, was born 24 October 1875 and died 19 July 1961. She, too, was very active in Trinity United Church in Charlottetown.