Peter Mitchell PC (January 4, 1824 – October 25, 1899) was a Canadian lawyer, shipbuilder, and politician from New Brunswick, and a Father of Confederation.

Peter Mitchell was born on January 4, 1824, in Newcastle (present-day Miramichi), New Brunswick, to Scottish-born immigrant parents.

[1] He was educated at a local grammar school and afterwards spent four years working for George Kerr's law office.

[2] Mitchell joined a legal partnership with John Mercer Johnson in October 1847,[3] with both practicing law in their respective locations.

He became a member of the Executive Council in 1859, and introduced the colony's first bankruptcy act in order to make things easier for debtors.

[4] Mitchell resigned from the Senate in 1872 to run for a seat in the House of Commons of Canada where he felt he would have more influence.

Mitchell resigned his seat in 1878 after being accused of violating the Independence of Parliament Act by leasing a building to the government while he was a senator.

In 1885, Mitchell purchased the Montreal Herald and Daily Commercial Gazette, and used it to attack the policies of both Liberals and Conservatives.

Laurier made him general inspector of fisheries for Quebec and the Maritime provinces, and Mitchell held that position until his death in 1899.