1949 Manitoba general election

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1949 Manitoba general election
Flag of Manitoba.svg
  1945 November 10, 1949 (1949-11-10) 1953  

57 seats of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
29 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Leader Douglas Campbell Errick Willis Edwin Hansford
Party Liberal–Progressive Progressive Conservative Co-operative Commonwealth
Leader sinceNovember 13, 1948 June 9, 1936 1948
Leader's seat Lakeside Turtle Mountain St. Boniface
Last election25139
Seats won31197
Seat changeIncrease2.svg6Decrease2.svg4Decrease2.svg2
Percentage38.70%19.013%25.6%

Premier before election

Douglas Lloyd Campbell
Liberal–Progressive

Premier after election

Douglas Lloyd Campbell
Liberal–Progressive

The 1949 Manitoba general election was held on November 10, 1949, to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.

Contents

This election pitted the province's coalition government, made up of the Liberal-Progressive Party and the Progressive Conservative Party, against a variety of opponents.

The social democratic Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) was the coalition's primary challenger, while the communist Labour Progressive Party and an assortment of independent candidates also challenged the coalition in some constituencies.

Liberal-Progressive and Progressive Conservative candidates ran against each other in some ridings, generally where no anti-coalition candidates had a serious chance of winning.

The result was a landslide victory for the coalition. Premier Douglas Campbell's Liberal-Progressives remained the dominant party in government, increasing their caucus to thirty-one seats out of fifty-seven—enough to form a majority government even without assistance from other parties. One of these candidates was elected simply as a "Liberal", but sat as a full member of the Liberal-Progressive caucus.

The Progressive Conservative Party, led by Errick Willis, remained the junior partner in government, falling to nine seats from thirteen in the previous election. Five independent "Conservative" or "Progressive Conservative" candidates were also elected, with all but one opposing the coalition government. These results provoked serious debate in the Progressive Conservative Party about the wisdom of staying with the coalition.[ citation needed ]

The CCF under Edwin Hansford fell to seven seats, down from nine in the previous election. Bill Kardash of the LPP retained his seat in north-end Winnipeg. Three pro-coalition independents were also elected, as was Edmond Prefontaine, an independent Liberal opposing the coalition.

The Social Credit League did not contest the election, having fallen into a state of internal disorganization.

Winnipeg had 12 seats filled through Single Transferable Voting, with four members elected in each of three Winnipeg districts. St. Boniface had two seats filled through STV.

The other districts elected one MLA each through Alternative Voting, where a candidate had to have majority of the votes to be elected. In Iberville, Morris and Rhineland, where no candidate had the majority in the First Count, only the First Count totals are shown - the final vote count and the intermediate counts are not. In all three cases, the leader in the first count was elected. Instant runoff voting thus made no change to who would have been elected versus who would have been elected under First past the post.

Results

Manitoba general election (November 10, 1949) [1]
PartyLeaderFirst-preference votesSeats
Votes % FPv± (pp)Cand. 1941 ElectedChange
 Coalition candidates
  Liberal–Progressive John Bracken 75,29138.26.0Increase2.svg4425305Increase2.svg
  Progressive Conservative Errick Willis 23,41011.94.0Decrease2.svg161394Decrease2.svg
  Independent 7,4523.80.9Increase2.svg5341Increase2.svg
  Liberal 4,3112.21.8Increase2.svg111Increase2.svg
 Independent Liberal-Progressive2,6251.30.2Decrease2.svg1
 Independent-Liberal1,0150.50.1Increase2.svg1
  Social Credit 1.3Decrease2.svg22Decrease2.svg
 Anti-Coalition candidates
  Co-operative Commonwealth Seymour Farmer 49,93325.38.5Decrease2.svg25972Decrease2.svg
  Progressive Conservative 9,6964.94.9Increase2.svg433Increase2.svg
  Independent 6,8923.50.8Decrease2.svg411Decrease2.svg
  Labor–Progressive 5,2432.72.1Increase2.svg211Steady2.svg
 Independent-PC5,0442.62.6Increase2.svg211Increase2.svg
 Independent-Liberal4,0942.12.1Increase2.svg3
 Independent-CCF1,1710.61.4Decrease2.svg111Decrease2.svg
 Independent Liberal-Progressive8600.40.4Increase2.svg111Increase2.svg
  Independent Labour 991
  Social Credit 0.7Decrease2.svg
 Socialist0.1Decrease2.svg
Valid197,136100.011155572Increase2.svg
Rejected2,540
Total votes cast199,676
Registered voters/Turnout [a 1] 369,64454.0
  1. Excludes constituencies where candidates returned by acclamation

Results by riding

Bold names indicate members returned by acclamation. Italicized names indicate Anti-Coalition candidates returned. Incumbents are marked with *.

  1. 1 2 3 4 Elected in 1945 as a Coalition candidate
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 New single-member ridings arising from redistribution
  3. Previously MLA for Deloraine
  4. Elected in 1945 under the CCF banner
  5. 1 2 Elected in byelection
  6. Previously MLA for Springfield
  7. Previously MLA for Manitou
  8. Previously MLA for Kildonan & St. Andrews

Multi-member constituencies

MLAs returned by party (multi-member constituencies)
PartySt. BonifaceWinnipeg CentreWinnipeg NorthWinnipeg South
Liberal–Progressive 1212
Co-operative Commonwealth 1221
Labor–Progressive 1
Independent-PC1
Total2444

St. Boniface

St. Boniface
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
123
Liberal–Progressive Joseph Van Belleghem (Coalition)26.773,9364,055 5,906
Co-operative Commonwealth (incumbent) Edwin Hansford 26.563,9054,897 5,206
Progressive Conservative Paul Marion (Anti-Coalition)18.572,7302,836 3,105
Liberal–Progressive G.P. Shearer (Coalition)18.012,6472,681  
Co-operative Commonwealth E.R. Gagnon10.091,483  
Electorate: 29,981  Valid: 14,701  Spoilt: 237  Quota: 4,901  Turnout: 14,938 (49.82%)  
    St. Boniface (analysis of transferred votes, ranked in order of 1st preference votes)
    PartyCandidateMaximum
    round
    Maximum
    votes
    Share in
    maximum
    round
    Maximum votes
    First round votesTransfer votes
    Liberal-Progressive Joseph Van Belleghem 35,90641.54%
    Co-operative Commonwealth Edwin Hansford 35,20636.62%
    Progressive Conservative Paul Marion 33,10521.84%
    Liberal-Progressive G.P. Shearer22,68118.53%
    Co-operative Commonwealth E.R. Gagnon11,48310.09%
    Exhausted votes4843.29%

    Winnipeg Centre

    Four to be elected.

    Winnipeg Centre
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    12345678
    Liberal–Progressive (incumbent) Charles Rhodes Smith (Coalition)25.015,140
    Co-operative Commonwealth (incumbent) Donovan Swailes 24.455,0255,025
    Progressive Conservative Hank Scott (Coalition)11.402,3382,529 2,559 2,681 2,965 3,122 3,258 3,378
    Co-operative Commonwealth Gordon Fines 10.482,1492,170 2,749 2,784 2,871 3,225 4,321
    Liberal–Progressive Paul Bardal (Coalition)8.971,8392,448 2,478 2,903 3,193 3,279 3,444 3,578
    Labor–Progressive John McNeil 5.911,2111,230 1,256 1,286 1,392
    Co-operative Commonwealth Ina Thompson5.451,1171,146 1,366 1,396 1,491 1,741
    Independent Liberal Stephen Juba (Coalition)4.951,0151,065 1,078 1,155
    Liberal–Progressive J.H. Walker (Coalition)3.27621830 845
    Electorate: 50,339  Valid: 20,555  Spoilt: 220  Quota: 4,112  Turnout: 20,775 (41.27%)  
      Winnipeg Centre (analysis of transferred votes, ranked in order of 1st preference votes)
      PartyCandidateMaximum
      round
      Maximum
      votes
      Share in
      maximum
      round
      Maximum votes
      First round votesTransfer votes
      Liberal-Progressive Charles Rhodes Smith 15,14025.01%
      Co-operative Commonwealth Donovan Swailes 15,02524.45%
      Progressive Conservative Hank Scott 83,37817.51%
      Co-operative Commonwealth Gordon Fines 74,32122.45%
      Liberal-Progressive Paul Bardal 83,57818.55%
      Labor-Progressive John McNeil 51,3926.91%
      Co-operative Commonwealth Ina Thompson61,7418.89%
      Independent Liberal Stephen Juba 41,1555.65%
      Liberal-Progressive J.H. Walker38454.11%
      Exhausted votes1,2636.14%

      Winnipeg North

      Winnipeg North
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      12345678
      Co-operative Commonwealth (incumbent) Morris Gray 27.336,718
      Labor–Progressive (incumbent) Bill Kardash 16.404,0324,199 4,219 4,240 4,772 4,804 4,862 5,204
      Liberal–Progressive Frank Chester (Coalition)14.853,6493,714 3,923 4,035 4,107 4,501 4,824 5,660
      Co-operative Commonwealth John Hawryluk 7.881,9382,569 2,616 2,678 3,497 3,700 4,316 4,485
      Liberal–Progressive John M. Kozoriz (Coalition)7.331,8041,818 1,868 1,914 1,935 2,110 2,681 2,809
      Independent Liberal-Progressive(incumbent)William Scraba (Coalition)6.811,6731,697 1,718 1,810 1,827 2,046
      Liberal–Progressive Abe Simkin (Coalition)6.541,6072,139 2,227 2,243 2,270 2,351 2,411
      Progressive Conservative Stan Carrick (Coalition)4.581,1261,149 1,211 1,369 1,384
      Co-operative Commonwealth Herman Shaak3.127671,100 1,116 1,131
      Independent Jerdry Wach (Coalition)2.63646651 671
      Liberal–Progressive Donald Callis2.12521533
      Independent Labour A.J. Yallits0.4099104
      Electorate: 46,649  Valid: 24,580  Spoilt: 329  Quota: 4,917  Turnout: 24,909 (53.39%)  
        Winnipeg North (analysis of transferred votes, ranked in order of 1st preference votes)
        PartyCandidateMaximum
        round
        Maximum
        votes
        Share in
        maximum
        round
        Maximum votes
        First round votesTransfer votes
        Co-operative Commonwealth Morris Gray 16,71827.33%
        Labor-Progressive Bill Kardash 85,20422.55%
        Liberal-Progressive Frank Chester 85,66024.53%
        Co-operative Commonwealth John Hawryluk 84,48519.44%
        Liberal-Progressive John M. Kozoriz 82,80912.17%
        Independent Liberal-Progressive William Scraba 42,0468.38%
        Liberal-Progressive Abe Simkin72,41110.04%
        Progressive Conservative Stan Carrick 51,3845.61%
        Co-operative Commonwealth Herman Shaak41,1314.65%
        Independent Jerdry Wach36712.74%
        Liberal-Progressive Donald Callis25332.17%
        Independent Labour A.J. Yallits21040.42%
        Exhausted votes1,5056.12%

        Winnipeg South

        4 to be elected. Quota was 5522.

        Winnipeg South
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        12345
        Liberal–Progressive (incumbent) John McDiarmid (Coalition)23.426,466
        Co-operative Commonwealth (incumbent) Lloyd Stinson 22.996,3466,346
        Liberal–Progressive (incumbent) Ronald Turner (Coalition)20.025,5265,526 5,526 5,526 5,526
        Independent Progressive Conservative Dufferin Roblin (Anti-Coalition)12.473,4433,572 3,767 4,601 5,557
        Independent C.F. Green (Anti-Coalition)8.512,3492,444 2,833 3,151 3,959
        Liberal–Progressive J. Gurzon Harvey (Coalition)6.301,7392,320 2,447 3,003
        Progressive Conservative (incumbent)Alex Stringer (Coalition)6.301,7381,877 1,990
        Electorate: 53,742  Valid: 27,607  Spoilt: 155  Quota: 5,522  Turnout: 27,762 (51.7%)  
          Winnipeg South (analysis of transferred votes, ranked in order of 1st preference votes)
          PartyCandidateMaximum
          round
          Maximum
          votes
          Share in
          maximum
          round
          Maximum votes
          First round votesTransfer votes
          Liberal-Progressive John McDiarmid 16,46623.42%
          Co-operative Commonwealth Lloyd Stinson 16,34622.99%
          Liberal-Progressive Ronald Turner 15,52620.02%
          Independent Progressive Conservative Dufferin Roblin 55,55721.30%
          Independent C.F. Green53,95915.18%
          Liberal-Progressive J. Gurzon Harvey43,00310.99%
          Progressive Conservative Alex Stringer 31,9907.21%
          Exhausted votes1,5215.51%

          Post-election changes

          On August 15, 1950, Progressive Conservative leader Errick Willis resigned his seat in cabinet. The party formally left the coalition later in the summer, and John McDowell, Hugh Morrison and Dufferin Roblin joined the party caucus.

          Some Progressive Conservative MLAs opposed their party's decision, and chose to remain with the coalition side. Charles Greenlay and Wallace C. Miller chose to remain in cabinet, while James Argue and Joseph Donaldson sat as pro-coalition independents. Argue rejoined the Progressive Conservatives in 1953, while Donaldson resigned his seat. Thomas Seens did not initially support the party's decision to leave the coalition, but sat with the Progressive Conservatives in the legislature.

          Ronald Robertson and Edmond Prefontaine rejoined the Liberal-Progressives, while independents Rod Clement and Walter Weir also remained on the government side. Harry Shewman appears to have sided with the opposition.

          St. Andrews (dec. James McLenaghen, June 23, 1950), October 24, 1950:

          St. Clements (dec. Nicholas Stryk, 1950), October 24, 1950:

          Brandon City (res. Joseph Donaldson, April 18, 1951), January 21, 1952:

          La Verendrye (dec. Sauveur Marcoux, November 16, 1951), January 21, 1952:

          Winnipeg South (res. Charles Rhodes Smith, 1952)

          St. Clements (dec. Albert Trapp, January 9, 1953)

          Cypress (dec. James Christie, January 19, 1953)

          Virden (dec. Robert Mooney, January 30, 1953)

          Ste. Rose (dec. Maurice MacCarthy, June 8, 1953)

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