Peter Tyerman
{{Short description|Canadian politician (1859–1933)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Peter Tyerman
| smallimage =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1867|10|1}}
| birth_place = Bowmanville, Ontario
| death_date = {{death date and age|1958|5|16|1867|10|1}}
| death_place = Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
| residence =
| office1 = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for Prince Albert
| term_start1 = December 13, 1905
| term_end1 = February 20, 1906
| predecessor1 = first member
| successor1 = Samuel James Donaldson
| party = Liberal
| spouse =
| religion =
| occupation = physician
}}
Peter David Tyerman (October 1, 1867 - May 16, 1958) was a Canadian physician and politician. He represented Prince Albert in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1905 to 1906, although virtually the entirety of his brief term in office was tied up in legal wrangling over irregularities that had left the result in dispute. Tyerman himself, however, was never implicated in any wrongdoing, which related entirely to allegations of improper conduct by provincial election officials.
Background
Born in Bowmanville, Ontario, he studied medicine at the University of Toronto before moving to Prince Albert in 1898.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hamilton-spectator/166927188/ "Dr. Tyerman dies at 91"]. Regina Leader-Post, May 20, 1958.
During World War I, he served as a medical officer in the Canadian Armed Forces.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-phoenix-obituary-for-peter-david-ty/166933961/ "Early Doctor At P.A. Dead"]. Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, May 20, 1958. After retiring as a doctor, he took up farming and served on Prince Albert's public school board.
Political career
His election to the legislature in the 1905 Saskatchewan general election was not confirmed until a week after election day. He was reported as the initial winner,[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-victoria-daily-times/166927894/ "Fifteen Liberals Were Returned"]. Victoria Daily Times, December 14, 1905. although conflicting results left it unclear for a number of days as both Tyerman and challenger Samuel James Donaldson were reported to have narrow leads of less than ten votes at different times,[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-windsor-star/166928009/ "Scott Pleased With Election"]. Windsor Star, December 16, 1905. until three ballot boxes arrived from the remote far northern communities of Pine Point, Bear Lake and Sandy Lake, finally giving Tyerman a secure lead.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-leader-post/166928216/ "Prince Albert County Clinches Liberal Victory"]. Regina Leader-Post, December 20, 1905.
The final result, 411 votes for Tyerman to 316 for Donaldson, was declared on January 9, 1906.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/manitoba-morning-free-press/166928917/ "Tyerman's Majority"]. Manitoba Morning Free Press, January 10, 1906. By January 22, however, the deputy returning officers from the northern communities had been charged and fined with election irregularities, with the court finding that they had not conducted the election on the correct date, overturning Tyerman's entire majority.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/calgary-herald/166928692/ "Crooked Election Officials"]. Calgary Herald, January 22, 1906.
Tyerman offered his resignation from the legislature within days, although this was deferred by the government pending the results of a judicial recount.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hamilton-spectator/166927188/ "Has Resigned: Dr. Tyerman Won't Hold On To Stolen Seat"]. Hamilton Spectator, January 29, 1906. Although the officers asserted that the delay was caused solely by the difficulty of travel to the remote communities, Donaldson's Provincial Rights Party alleged that the returning officers had not actually set up any proper voting procedures at all, but in fact had merely stuffed the ballot boxes with votes for Tyerman themselves.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette/166929769/ "Polling Scandal"]. Montreal Gazette, February 5, 1906.
The recount in February upheld the original result,[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star/166926385/ "Tyerman Holds Prince Albert"]. Toronto Star, February 19, 1906. with the judge declining to exclude the disputed ballots from the count on the grounds that he did not have legal jurisdiction to assess their validity.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-windsor-star/166931058/ "Dr. Tyerman Will Resign"]. Windsor Star, February 20, 1906. As soon as the recount concluded, Tyerman nonetheless resubmitted his deferred resignation,[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-winnipeg-tribune/166932535/ "Dr. Tyerman Is Resigning"]. Winnipeg Tribune, February 20, 1906. stating that he was "disgusted" with both the behaviour of the returning officers and the bureaucratic complications that had held up the process, and never actually sat in a session of the legislature.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/free-press-prairie-farmer/166933178/ "Saskatchewan Political Map"]. Free Press Prairie Farmer, March 14, 1906.
As a result of his resignation, however, the government then came under fire around the question of whether it was proper for Tyerman to have resigned, thus forcing a full by-election, as opposed to the legislature simply awarding the seat directly to Donaldson.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/free-press-prairie-farmer/166933178/ "Tyerman's Resignation Not As Nice As It Looks"]. St. Catharines Standard, March 1, 1906. On April 2, 1907, over a year after Tyerman's resignation, the seat was awarded to Donaldson by the legislature's standing committee on elections.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-phoenix/166926037/ "Committee Declares S. J. Donaldson Member For Prince Albert District"]. Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, April 2, 1907.