8th Parliament of British Columbia


The 8th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia sat from 1899 to 1900. The members were elected in the British Columbia general election held in July 1898. Robert Beaven was asked to form a government but was not able to garner sufficient support, so Charles Augustus Semlin became premier. After a major government bill was defeated in February 1900, Semlin's government was dismissed. Joseph Martin succeeded Semlin but his government was subsequently defeated on a motion of no-confidence. An election followed later that year.
William Thomas Forster served as speaker.

Members of the 8th Parliament

The following members were elected to the assembly in 1898:
MemberElectoral districtPartyFirst elected / previously electedNo.# of term
Alan Webster NeillAlberniOpposition18981st term-
Hans Lars HelgesenCaribooOpposition1878, 18983rd term*-
John Charlton KinchantCaribooOpposition18981st term-
Charles William Digby CliffordCassiarGovernment18981st term-
John IrvingCassiarGovernment18942nd term-
James DunsmuirComoxGovernment18981st term-
William Russell RobertsonCowichanGovernment18981st term-
William George NeilsonEast Kootenay NorthGovernment18981st term-
Wilmer Cleveland Wells East Kootenay NorthGovernment18991st term-
James BakerEast Kootenay SouthGovernment18864th term-
David Williams HigginsEsquimaltOpposition18864th term-
Charles Edward PooleyEsquimaltGovernment18825th term-
James Douglas PrenticeLillooet EastOpposition1894, 18982nd term*-
Alfred Wellington SmithLillooet WestGovernment18894th term-
Robert Edward McKechnieNanaimo CityOpposition18981st term-
Alexander HendersonNew Westminster CityGovernment18981st term-
John BrydenNorth NanaimoGovernment1875, 18943rd term*-
John Paton BoothNorth VictoriaGovernment1871, 18904th term*-
Ralph SmithSouth NanaimoLabour18981st term-
David McEwen EbertsSouth VictoriaGovernment18903rd term-
Francis Lovett Carter-CottonVancouver CityOpposition18903rd term-
Robert MacphersonVancouver CityOpposition18942nd term-
Joseph MartinVancouver CityOpposition18981st term-
Charles Edward TisdallVancouver CityOpposition18981st term-
Richard HallVictoria CityGovernment18981st term-
Henry Dallas HelmckenVictoria CityGovernment18942nd term-
Albert Edward McPhillipsVictoria CityGovernment18981st term-
John Herbert TurnerVictoria CityGovernment18864th term-
John Frederick HumeWest Kootenay-NelsonOpposition18942nd term-
James M. KellieWest Kootenay-RevelstokeOpposition18903rd term-
James Morris MartinWest Kootenay-RosslandOpposition18981st term-
Robert Francis GreenWest Kootenay-SlocanOpposition18981st term-
Charles William MunroWestminster-ChilliwhackOpposition18981st term-
Thomas William ForsterWestminster-DeltaOpposition18903rd term-
Richard McBrideWestminster-DewdneyGovernment18981st term-
Thomas KiddWestminster-RichmondOpposition18942nd term-
Price EllisonYale-EastGovernment18981st term-
Francis John DeaneYale-NorthOpposition18981st term-
Charles Augustus SemlinYale-WestOpposition1871, 18826th term*-

Notes:

By-elections

By-elections were held for the following members appointed to the provincial cabinet, as was required at the time:
By-elections were held to replace members for various other reasons:
Electoral districtMember electedElection dateReason
AlberniAlan Webster NeillDecember 15, 1898A.W. Neill resigned, having accepted money from government for road work done after the election
CowichanWilliam Russell RobertsonDecember 28, 1898W. R. Robertson resigned, having accepted money from government for work done after the election
Vancouver CityCharles Edward TisdallJanuary 25, 1899C.E. Tisdall resigned; a clerk in his store sold cartridges to a provincial police officer
Victoria CityRichard HallFebruary 2, 1899R. Hall resigned; his company sold coal to Government House
Victoria CityAlbert Edward McPhillipsFebruary 2, 1899A.E. McPhillips resigned; a fee was paid to his firm
Victoria CityJohn Herbert TurnerFebruary 2, 1899J.H. Turner resigned; a branch of his firm sold goods to the government
East Kootenay NorthWilmer Cleveland WellsFebruary 28, 1899Death of W.G. Nielson January 6, 1899
West Kootenay-NelsonJohn Frederick HumeFebruary 28, 1899J.F. Hume resigned; a police constable and prisoner had stayed at his hotel

Notes:

Other changes