Thomas Greenway

Thomas Greenway (March 25, 1838 – October 30, 1908) was a Canadian politician, merchant and farmer. He served as the seventh premier of Manitoba from 1888 to 1900. A Liberal, his ministry formally ended Manitoba's non-partisan government, although a de facto two-party system had existed for some years. Early life Greenway was born in Kilkhampton, UK, emigrating to Canada with his family in 1846. He was a Methodist in religion. His eldest child John Wesley Greenway was born on August 27, 1861. Greenway moved his family west in 1878 to a 1000-acre stead in Manitoba. Political career Greenway began his political career in Ontario, contesting Huron South for the Conservative Party in 1872. He narrowly lost to Liberal candidate Malcolm Colin Cameron, and suffered the same result in 1874. Cameron's 1874 victory was overturned for illegal campaign activities, however, and Greenway was elected unopposed the following year. He entered parliament as an "Independent Conservative", in opposition to Alexander Mackenzie's Liberal government. He was also an active Methodist lay preacher. Greenway's affiliation with the Conservative Party was always tenuous. He opposed protectionism, and in 1876 voted for the budget of Liberal Finance Minister Richard John Cartwright. He generally favour the Liberals for the remainder of his time in parliament (though continuing to sit as an Independent), and stood aside in favour of Cameron in 1878.