Gatineau, July 19, 2012 — Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to announce that a
new set of images of Prime Minister Richard Bedford Bennett is now available on Flickr.
Richard Bedford Bennett was born in Hopewell Hill, New Brunswick, in 1870. His first foray into politics began in 1896 as alderman in Chatham, New Brunswick. By 1911, he was elected to the House of Commons, and later held the Cabinet position of Minister of Finance under Prime Minister Arthur Meighen. In 1927, the Conservative party held its first leadership convention and Bennett was elected leader. The Conservatives campaigned aggressively to fight the Depression and, through their efforts, won the election of 1930.
After his party was defeated by the Liberals in 1935, Bennett continued to serve as Leader of the Opposition until 1938. He then retired to England where he died in 1947.
