Isaac Riley (October 1853—July 8, 1926[1]) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1899 to 1915 as a member of the Conservative Party.

Isaac Riley
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Rockwood
In office
1899–1915
Personal details
BornOctober 1853
DiedJuly 8, 1926(1926-07-08) (aged 72)

Riley was born in Mornington Township in Perth County, Canada West (now Ontario), the son of Charles Riley, and was educated at public schools. He entered business as a lumber merchant. In 1876, Riley came to Winnipeg. He later moved to Stonewall, Manitoba where he was a lumber merchant and also owned a hotel.[1] In 1882, Riley married Laura M. Poore.[2]

He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1899 provincial election, defeating Liberal incumbent Samuel Jacob Jackson by sixty-five votes in the Rockwood constituency. The Conservatives won a majority government, and Riley served as a backbench supporter of the administrations led by the Hugh John Macdonald and Rodmond Roblin. Riley was re-elected in the elections of 1903, 1907, 1910 and 1914, and continued to serve as a government backbencher. In the 1914 campaign, he defeated Liberal candidate Arthur Lobb by fifty-nine votes.[1]

The Roblin administration was forced to resign in 1915 amid a serious corruption scandal. A new general election was called, which the Liberals won in a landslide.[3] Riley did not seek re-election.

He died in Stonewall in 1926.[1]

References

edit
  1. 1 2 3 4 Quickfall, Robert Addison (1960). Rockwood echoes : 90 years of progress, 1870-1960 : a history of the men and women who pioneered the Rockwood Municipality. pp. 390–91. Retrieved 2012-11-17.[dead link]
  2. "Isaac Riley (1853-1926)". Memorable Manitobans. Manitoba Historical Society. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
  3. "Legislature Scandal". TimeLinks. Manitoba Historical Society. Retrieved 2012-11-17.