Ernest Howard Armstrong

Armstrong, Ernest Howard

Ernest Howard Armstrong, journalist, lawyer, politician, premier of Nova Scotia (b at Kingston, NS 27 July 1864; d at Bridgewater, NS 15 Feb 1946). Educated at Acadia and Dalhousie (LLB, 1888), Armstrong edited the Weymouth Free Press from 1889 to 1892, and later moved to Yarmouth, where he held various administrative posts. He was MLA for Yarmouth County (1906-20) and held the public works and mines portfolio in the Liberal government of Premier G.H. MURRAY 1911-23. A hard-working but unimaginative politician, Armstrong sought retirement to the bench when, as senior Cabinet member, he succeeded to the premiership (1923-25). Although the Liberals' rout in the June 1925 election was basically the result of regional depression, Armstrong's misreading of the MARITIME RIGHTS movement and mishandling of labour problems in the coal mines contributed to the Conservative landslide.