Sir Charles James Townshend, KC (22 March 1844 – 16 June 1924) was a Canadian judge and politician.
Canon Townshend, rector of Amherst, and Elizabeth, his wife, daughter of the late honourable Alexander Stewart, C.B., formerly master of the Rolls of the Province of Nova Scotia and judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court.
He continued an active officer until the change made after Confederation reorganizing the whole system when he retired from further connection with the service.
Shortly after Townshend had been admitted to the bar, Senator Dickey retired from practice, and he succeeded to a large and lucrative business.
In 1878, he again contested the county for the local seat in conjunction with Sir Charles Tupper, who ran at the same time for the House of Commons, and with him was returned by a majority of nearly 600.
On the resignation of Sir Charles Tupper of his seat in the House of Commons in May 1884, Townshend was almost unanimously nominated by the Liberal-Conservatives as their candidate for the Dominion.
On January 29, 1885, he seconded the Address in answer to the Speech from the Throne and was complimented by both Sir John A. Macdonald and Mr Blake.
He married in April 1867, Laura, fourth daughter of John D. Kinnear, judge of Probate for the County of Cumberland.