Prior ministry

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The Prior ministry was the 15th ministry of British Columbia. It governed from November 21, 1902, to June 1, 1903, during the 9th Parliament. It was led by Premier Edward Gawler Prior and formed after Premier James Dunsmuir resigned and named Prior as his successor. The government was non-partisan and included five ministers (six members in total).

This was the last non-partisan ministry in British Columbia, and the last time a lieutenant governor dismissed a premier.

Early in its term, Denis Murphy resigned from the cabinet on November 28, 1902. William Wallace Burns McInnes was appointed to replace him and to serve as president of the council. Later, a land-grant scandal led to the firing of two ministers, David McEwen Eberts and Wilmer Cleveland Wells. McInnes also resigned on his own initiative.

Due to the scandal, Lieutenant Governor Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière dismissed Premier Prior and invited opposition leader Richard McBride to form the next government, creating the McBride ministry. The Prior ministry had followed the Dunsmuir ministry and was succeeded by the McBride ministry.