Career
He represented Colchester in the House of Commons of Canada from 1907 to 1917 as a Conservative member and served as Chief Government Whip from 1911 to 1917 when he retired from the House of Commons. Stanfield sat for Colchester division in the Senate of Canada from 1921 to 1934. He was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, the son of Charles East. Stanfield and Lydia Dawson.
The family moved to Truro, Nova Scotia while Stanfield was still young.
Stanfield served as government whip from 1911 to 1917. He was lieutenant in the Colchester and Hampshire Rifle Corps Reserve and took a battalion overseas during World War I. Stanfield died in office at the age of 65 in Truro.