1945 Ontario general election

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1945 Ontario general election
Flag of Ontario.svg
  1943 June 4, 1945 1948  

90 seats in the 22nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario
46 seats were needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
  GeorgeDrew.jpg Mitchell Hepburn1 crop.jpg
Leader George Drew Mitchell Hepburn
Party Progressive Conservative Liberal
Leader since December 9, 1938 April 2, 1945
Leader's seat High Park Elgin (lost re-election)
Last election3815
Seats won6614
Seat changeIncrease2.svg28Decrease2.svg1
Percentage44.3%29.8%
SwingIncrease2.svg8.6pp Decrease2.svg1.4pp

 Third partyFourth party
  Ted jolliffe 1942.jpg LP
Leader Ted Jolliffe Leslie Morris
Party Co-operative Commonwealth Labor-Progressive
Leader since April 3, 1942 1945
Leader's seat York South (lost re-election)Ran in Bracondale (Lost)
Last election342
Seats won82
Seat changeDecrease2.svg26±0
Percentage22.4%2.4%
SwingDecrease2.svg9.3pp Increase2.svg1.5pp

Premier before election

George Drew
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

George Drew
Progressive Conservative

The 1945 Ontario general election was held on June 4, 1945, to elect the 90 members of the 22nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Members of Provincial Parliament, or "MPPs") of the province of Ontario. [1]

Contents

Background

The Legislature was dissolved on March 24, 1945, upon the government's failure to defeat a non-confidence motion. The election call was delayed in order to implement new legislation relating to the collection of votes from servicemen and women overseas, [2] but the date was later fixed for June 11. When the 1945 Canadian federal election was set for the same date, the Ontario date was accelerated by one week to June 4, [3] in order to separate the two campaigns.

The Drew government called the election in an attempt to get a majority government. By exploiting increasing Cold War tensions, the PC Party was able to defeat Jolliffe's CCF by stoking fears about communism. Jolliffe replied by giving a radio speech (written by Lister Sinclair) that accused Drew of running a political gestapo in Ontario, alleging that a secret department of the Ontario Provincial Police was acting as a political police spying on the opposition and the media. This accusation led to a backlash, and loss of support for the CCF, including the loss of Jolliffe's own seat of York South. This probably helped Drew win his majority, although in the 1970s, archival evidence was discovered proving the charge. [4]

Campaign

Of the 90 ridings, only 8 had two-way races; 47 were three-way contests, and the Labor-Progressives forced 30 four way races:

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1945)
CandidatesPCCCFLibLLLabLab-PrSoc-LabI-LibI-PCIndSCSoldierTotal
24318
347474331141
4303027332313120
577772112135
61111116
71112117
Total9089806431421532317

Outcome

The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, led by George Drew, won a second consecutive term in office, winning a solid majority of seats in the legislature—66, up from 38 in the previous election.

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by former premier Mitchell Hepburn, was returned to the role of official opposition with 11 seats, plus 3 Liberal-Labour seats that it won, out of 6 contested, in coalition with the Labor-Progressive Party (which was, in fact, the Communist Party), in an effort to marginalize the CCF. The three new Liberal-Labour MPPs were James Newman of Rainy River, Joseph Meinzinger of Waterloo North and Alexander Parent of Essex North.

The social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), led by Ted Jolliffe, was reduced from 34 seats to 8.

Two seats were won by the Labor-Progressive Party on its own with the re-election of A.A. MacLeod and J.B. Salsberg. The LPP contested a total of 31 ridings under the leadership of Leslie Morris who was defeated in the Toronto riding of Bracondale.

Results

[1] [5] [6]

Elections to the 22nd Parliament of Ontario (1945)
Political partyParty leaderMPPsVotes
Candidates 1943 Dissol. 1945±#%± (pp)
Progressive Conservative George Drew 9038386628Increase2.svg781,34544.258.50Increase2.svg
Liberal Mitchell Hepburn 801515111Decrease2.svg479,25327.142.50Decrease2.svg
Liberal–Labour 6334,8791.98
Co-operative Commonwealth Ted Jolliffe 893434826Decrease2.svg395,70822.419.21Decrease2.svg
Labor–Progressive [a 1] Leslie Morris 31222Steady2.svg46,4182.631.73Increase2.svg
Independent Liberal [a 2] 2111Decrease2.svg6,3590.360.41Decrease2.svg
Labour [a 3] 410,8050.610.44Increase2.svg
Independent 56,9950.400.21Increase2.svg
Soldier [a 4] 21,8750.110.07Increase2.svg
Socialist Labour 49760.06
Social Credit 38520.05Returned
Independent PC13280.020.02Increase2.svg
Total3179090901,765,793100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots17,597
Registered voters / turnout2,469,96072.20%13.84Increase2.svg
  1. A. A. MacLeod (Bellwoods) and J. B. Salsberg (St. Andrew) were the only candidates nominated and elected under the Labour ticket in 1943, but switched to the new Labor-Progressive Party on its formation shortly after the election.
  2. Mitchell Hepburn (Elgin) opted not to run as a Liberal candidate in 1943, and returned to the Liberals to once again become their leader.
  3. compared with Independent Labour 1943 results
  4. George Barker (York East) was an Independent-Soldier candidate, and John Beauchamp (Ottawa East) ran under the Veterans' Reform ticket.

Vote and seat summaries


Seats and popular vote by party
PartySeatsVotesChange (pp)
  Progressive Conservative
66 / 90
44.25%
8.50
 
  Liberal/Liberal-Labour
14 / 90
29.12%
-2.50
 
  Co-operative Commonwealth
8 / 90
22.41%
-9.21
 
  Labor–Progressive
2 / 90
2.63%
1.73
 
 Other
0 / 90
1.59%
1.48
 

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1945 Ontario general election [1] [5] [6]
RidingWinning partyTurnout
[a 1]
Votes
Name [a 2] 1943 PartyVotesShareMargin
#
Margin
%
PCLibLLCCFLab-PrLabI-LibI-OthOtherTotal
 
Addington PCPC6,99254.15%2,11316.36%80.65%6,9924,8791,04212,913
Algoma—Manitoulin LibPC4,33637.42%1681.45%77.98%4,3364,1683,08311,587
Brant LibLib7,15147.68%1,1917.94%70.12%5,9607,1511,88614,997
Brantford CCFPC6,58136.91%260.15%74.69%6,5816,5554,26642617,828
Bruce LibPC7,22946.16%4492.87%76.77%7,2296,7801,65115,660
Carleton PCPC9,49559.80%5,25333.08%72.09%9,4954,2422,14115,878
Cochrane North CCFLib3,57339.07%3133.42%80.91%1,9183,5733,2603959,146
Cochrane South CCFCCF10,52140.29%2,82210.81%79.48%6,1267,69910,5211,76426,110
Dufferin—Simcoe PCPC9,21674.30%6,02848.60%62.38%9,2163,18812,404
Durham PCPC7,02753.36%2,58519.63%77.00%7,0274,4421,70013,169
Elgin Ind-LibPC10,27852.29%2,40212.22%76.50%10,2787,8761,50019,654
Essex North CCFLL6,80136.41%6853.67%69.28%6,1166,8015,76218,679
Essex South PCPC7,68851.99%1,82512.34%74.42%7,6885,8631,23714,788
Fort William CCFCCF8,19741.88%2,59013.23%74.29%5,6074,5988,1971,17119,573
Glengarry LibLib5,59454.90%1,61315.83%74.30%3,9815,59461510,190
Grenville—Dundas PCPC8,84362.17%4,59332.29%65.50%8,8434,2501,13014,223
Grey North LibPC7,27545.63%5923.71%74.17%7,2756,6831,98715,945
Grey South LibLib6,58452.66%1,54112.33%72.17%5,0436,58487612,503
Haldimand—Norfolk PCPC11,94353.64%4,62220.76%71.55%11,9437,3213,00322,267
Halton PCPC6,91444.77%1,1897.70%74.31%6,9145,7252,80615,445
Hamilton East CCFPC10,56141.70%2,73910.81%73.12%10,5614,4457,8222,29120725,326
Hamilton Centre CCFPC9,09136.23%6402.55%74.18%9,0915,6338,4511,91925,094
Hamilton—Wentworth CCFPC10,10244.00%3,85016.77%78.49%10,1026,2526,04755622,957
Hastings East*PCPC5,92856.90%2,48923.89%72.02%5,9283,4391,05210,419
Hastings West PCPC9,35150.83%2,91015.82%69.35%9,3516,4412,60418,396
Huron PCPC7,08152.67%1,92914.35%74.90%7,0815,1521,21113,444
Huron—Bruce PCPC7,18852.57%2,16915.86%76.53%7,1885,0191,46513,672
Kenora CCFCCF3,46133.92%1901.86%73.80%3,2712,9983,46147410,204
Kent East PCPC7,00053.20%8416.39%78.53%7,0006,15913,159
Kent West LibPC10,69151.68%2,55512.35%71.20%10,6918,1361,86120,688
Kingston*PCPC9,27552.71%2,90716.52%73.63%9,2756,3681,63132217,596
Lambton East LibPC5,69345.96%860.69%71.90%5,6935,6071,08712,387
Lambton West CCFPC7,25542.61%9755.73%77.16%7,2556,2803,49017,025
Lanark PCPC12,48387.26%10,66074.51%63.59%12,4831,82314,306
Leeds PCPC10,19258.05%4,22924.09%75.89%10,1925,9631,40317,558
Lincoln PCPC16,34449.91%8,29325.32%76.03%16,3448,0516,7911,56332,749
London PCPC16,64946.03%5,39014.90%77.55%16,64911,2597,86340236,173
Middlesex North PCPC7,12345.85%1,76411.35%71.76%7,1235,3593,05515,537
Middlesex South PCPC6,25144.57%1350.96%71.08%6,2516,1161,65914,026
Muskoka—Ontario LibPC8,07347.71%1,90211.24%73.95%8,0736,1712,67616,920
Niagara Falls CCFPC7,01433.39%1920.91%70.22%7,0146,8226,56061121,007
Nipissing CCFLib5,98835.45%1,1236.65%74.59%4,5125,9884,8651,52516,890
Northumberland PCPC8,67455.70%2,91118.69%76.85%8,6745,7631,13515,572
Ontario CCFPC9,13035.49%1,0794.19%74.38%9,1308,0517,69385225,726
Ottawa East LibLib10,72542.36%4,70818.60%66.34%5,28710,7252,2346,35971125,316
Ottawa South PCPC23,61653.50%9,16720.77%69.93%23,61614,4495,57150344,139
Oxford PCPC11,40250.05%3,40814.96%72.53%11,4027,9943,38622,782
Parry Sound CCFLib4,28936.81%1241.06%73.35%4,1654,2893,19911,653
Peel PCPC9,92356.19%5,51131.21%69.10%9,9234,4123,32517,660
Perth LibPC12,30248.24%1,9357.59%72.34%12,30210,3672,83525,504
Peterborough PCPC12,39850.94%4,68419.25%81.29%12,3987,7144,22524,337
Port Arthur CCFCCF6,40334.90%2,02811.05%73.01%3,2544,3756,4031,4862,82818,346
Prescott LibLib6,03751.31%2,25519.17%75.06%1,9466,0373,78211,765
Prince Edward—Lennox PCPC7,58357.46%2,87821.81%71.84%7,5834,70590913,197
Rainy River CCFLL2,58334.59%2513.36%78.63%2,3322,5832,1863667,467
Renfrew North PCPC6,11845.97%1,57011.80%80.89%6,1184,5482,64313,309
Renfrew South LibPC5,86448.39%7746.39%75.09%5,8645,0901,16412,118
Russell LibLib5,92549.94%1,51112.74%65.82%4,4145,92599752811,864
Sault Ste. Marie CCFCCF5,62334.69%1761.09%81.51%5,4475,1385,62316,208
Simcoe Centre PCPC6,22945.22%1,61311.71%77.39%6,2294,6161,7541,17613,775
Simcoe East PCPC7,43350.05%3,26521.99%60.10%7,4334,1683,24914,850
Stormont PCLib8,70149.43%2,05711.69%59.26%6,6448,7011,66459417,603
Sudbury CCFCCF13,62747.33%6,07521.10%74.80%5,9207,55213,6271,69228,791
Temiskaming CCFCCF4,32739.66%1,17610.78%78.17%3,1513,1504,32728210,910
Victoria PCPC9,73261.39%5,09832.16%75.66%9,7324,6341,48715,853
Waterloo North CCFLL11,10441.24%1,1654.33%69.96%9,93911,1045,13574526,923
Waterloo South CCFPC8,28942.32%2,03510.39%72.64%8,2895,0436,25419,586
Welland CCFPC8,16134.55%2441.03%78.35%8,1617,9175,4402,10623,624
Wellington North LibLib6,82146.89%240.16%72.58%6,7976,82192814,546
Wellington South CCFPC7,60843.40%1,5989.12%74.29%7,6086,0103,91017,528
Wentworth CCFCCF9,61239.08%5912.40%70.03%9,0214,2549,6121,32538524,597
Windsor—Walkerville CCFPC7,88040.27%1,5968.16%69.21%7,8805,4026,28419,566
Windsor—Sandwich CCFPC8,48740.59%1,5067.20%67.54%8,4876,9815,43920,907
York East CCFPC20,74146.95%5,62812.74%68.66%20,7416,16315,1137531,41144,181
York North CCFPC10,34842.16%3,04212.39%72.23%10,3487,3066,88924,543
York South CCFPC14,89340.53%7682.09%68.39%14,8936,48614,1251,02422036,748
York West CCFPC16,40843.95%4,42211.85%68.84%16,4088,01611,98692237,332
Beaches PCPC11,67652.38%4,85421.77%70.60%11,6763,7946,82222,292
Bellwoods LabLab-Pr6,79933.62%8164.03%70.28%5,9833,3014,1426,79920,225
Bracondale CCFPC6,60035.61%1,6228.75%70.77%6,6004,0194,9782,60732818,532
Dovercourt PCPC12,23645.67%4,70417.56%68.84%12,2365,7887,5321,23726,793
Eglinton PCPC26,11563.72%18,83045.95%78.93%26,1156,4507,2851,13240,982
High Park PCPC15,23857.19%3,83014.37%72.87%15,23811,40826,646
Parkdale PCPC13,87546.71%6,15920.73%71.44%13,8757,7166,8121,30429,707
Riverdale CCFPC12,62047.53%3,87114.58%67.06%12,6204,3028,74968319726,551
St. Andrew LabLab-Pr10,01051.80%5,98530.97%68.22%4,0252,5052,78610,01019,326
St. David CCFPC8,53542.24%2,97314.71%66.38%8,5354,9245,5621,18320,204
St. George PCPC13,15355.34%6,98229.38%65.87%13,1534,4426,17123,766
St. Patrick PCPC7,97450.21%4,71329.68%68.02%7,9743,1633,2611,48415,882
Woodbine CCFPC12,08343.83%2,2628.20%67.78%12,0834,1999,8214599386927,569
  1. including spoilt ballots
  2. order is as given in EO reports
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = previously incumbent in another riding
  = other incumbents renominated
  = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
  = previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada
  = multiple candidates

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place
Party in 1st placeParty in 2nd placeTotal
PCLibLLCCFLabI-Lib
Progressive Conservative 45218166
Liberal 73111
Liberal–Labour 33
Co-operative Commonwealth 538
Labor–Progressive 22
Total17482211190
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party
Parties1st2nd3rd4th5thTotal
  Progressive Conservative 6617790
  Liberal 114819280
  Co-operative Commonwealth 82159189
  Liberal–Labour 3216
  Labor–Progressive 226331
  Labour 134
 Independent Liberal11
  Independent 55
  Socialist Labour 123
  Soldier 112
  Social Credit 22
 Independent PC11
Resulting composition of the 22nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario
SourceParty
PCLibL-LCCFLab-PrTotal
Seats retainedIncumbents returned3568251
Open seats held213
Seats changing handsIncumbents defeated252229
Open seats gained314
Return of members previously elected123
Total661138290

Seats that changed hands

Elections to the 22nd Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1943–1945
Party1943Gain from (loss to)1945
PCLibCCFL-LLbr-PI-Lib
Progressive Conservative 388(1)20166
Liberal 151(8)311
Co-operative Commonwealth 34(20)(3)(3)8
Liberal–Labour 33
Labor–Progressive 22
Independent-Liberal [a 1] 1(1)
Total901(29)8(4)26(3)190
  1. Mitchell Hepburn (Elgin) campaigned as a Liberal and lost.

There were 36 seats that changed allegiance in the election.

Notable group of candidates

Ten candidates who were not incumbents had served as MPPs prior to 1943:

RidingCandidateVotesPlaced
Cochrane North   Liberal Joseph-Anaclet Habel 3,5731st
Hamilton Centre   Liberal John Newlands 5,6333rd
Hamilton—Wentworth   Liberal Thomas Baker McQuesten 6,2522nd
Lambton West   Liberal William Guthrie 6,2802nd
Niagara Falls   Liberal William Houck 6,8222nd
Parry Sound   Liberal Milton Taylor Armstrong 4,2891st
Temiskaming   Liberal William Glennie Nixon 3,1503rd
Welland   Liberal Edward James Anderson 7,9172nd
Bracondale   Liberal Lionel Pretoria Conacher 4,0193rd
Woodbine   Progressive Conservative Goldwin Corlett Elgie 12,0831st

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "1945 General Election". Elections Ontario. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  2. The Active Service Election Act, 1945 , S.O. 1945 (1st sess.), c. 1
  3. "Advance Ontario Election To June 4". Ottawa Citizen . April 16, 1945. p. 1.
  4. MacDonald, Donald C. (1998). The Happy Warrior: Political Memoirs, 2nd Ed . Toronto: Dundurn Press. pp.  292–296. ISBN   1-55002-307-1.
  5. 1 2 "Returns by Ridings". Ottawa Journal . June 5, 1945. p. 11. Party affiliation for Robert Shantz (Waterloo South) corrected - he was a Liberal candidate: "South Waterloo Liberals Name Candidate For Federal Election". Waterloo Chronicle. p. 1.
  6. 1 2 "Sessional Paper No. 40 - Return from the records of the General Election to the Legislative Assembly in 1945". Sessional Papers: Vol. LXXVIII - Part IV. Toronto: King's Printer. 1946.