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ALEXANDER BRADSHAW CAMPBELL WAS BORN in Summerside on December 1, 1933, the son of Thane Alexander Campbell, a former Premier and Chief Justice of Prince Edward Island and Cecilia L. Bradshaw.
Following his early education in Summerside schools, Mr. Campbell entered Dalhousie University in Halifax, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He went on to Dalhousie Law School where he obtained his degree in law and was admitted to the Bar of Prince Edward Island in 1959.
In 1965, Alexander Campbell entered Provincial politics by contesting and winning a by-election in the Fifth District of Prince on February 9. On December 11, 1965, Mr. Campbell was elected Leader of the Prince Edward Island Liberal Party and acted in that capacity for one full session of the Legislative Assembly in 1966. In the General Election of 1966, Alex Campbell led the Liberal Party to victory over the incumbent Progressive Conservative Government led by Premier Walter R. Shaw. Alex Campbell became one of the youngest Canadians ever to be elected as Premier of a Province. He was sworn in as Premier on July 28, 1966 and during his first term of office held the portfolio of Attorney General until 1969. In 1967, Mr. Campbell was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council of Canada.
On May 11, 1970, Premier Campbell returned to the electorate for another mandate and on this occasion led his party to a clear victory by winning twenty-seven of the thirty-two seats in the Provincial Legislature. Following the election, Premier Campbell was sworn in as Minister of Development and held that portfolio until May, 1972 when he was sworn in as Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.
During his term of office, Premier Campbell concentrated on developing programs and policies to strengthen the Province's economy, to better the social conditions of the citizens of Prince Edward Island and to foster greater understanding and respect of the Province's history and cultural traditions. Such programs as assistance to homeowners and home builders, revamping of the educational system from the primary level to the post-secondary level, strengthening of the family farm and a concern for questions of land ownership and land use dominated government activity under his leadership. It was also Premier Campbell who established by legislation the PEI Heritage Foundation, an organization now actively at work in preserving the Island's history.
Premier Campbell's government also promoted legislation which established a number of new government agencies designed to assist Prince Edward Islanders in improving their economic positions; such organizations as the Land Development Corporation and the PEI Lending Authority have played an active role in Prince Edward Island's economic development. Honourable Alex Campbell was appointed to the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island in November 1978 and retired on December 14th, 1994.