Wikipedia:Today's featured article/August 27, 2013

John Edward Brownlee was Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 1925 to 1934 as leader of the United Farmers of Alberta (UFA) caucus. After winning the 1926 election, his successes included obtaining control of Alberta's natural resources from the federal government and selling the money-losing railways to help balance the provincial budget. His government's fortunes declined after the 1930 election. Agricultural prices collapsed, throwing many farmers into poverty. He tried to broker deals between farmers and banks, but found neither side eager to compromise. In 1933, Prime Minister R. B. Bennett named Brownlee to the Royal Commission on Banking and Currency as a representative of western interests and unorthodox viewpoints. While Brownlee concurred with the commission's ultimate recommendation for the creation of a central bank, he also made his own recommendations. In 1934, he was sued for the seduction of Vivian MacMillan, a family friend and a secretary in his government's attorney-general's office, who claimed that they had carried on an affair for three years. The jury sided with MacMillan despite Brownlee's denials and, in deference to public outrage, he resigned as premier. (Full article...)

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