1949 Manitoba general election

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

1949 Manitoba general election

← 1945 November 10, 1949 (1949-11-10) 1953 →

57 seats of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
29 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Douglas Campbell Errick Willis Edwin Hansford
Party Liberal–Progressive Progressive Conservative Co-operative Commonwealth
Leader since November 13, 1948 June 9, 1936 1948
Leader's seat Lakeside Turtle Mountain St. Boniface
Last election 25 13 9
Seats won 31 19 7
Seat change Increase6 Decrease4 Decrease2
Percentage 38.70% 19.013% 25.6%
Swing Increase6.50% Increase3.10% Decrease8.2%

Premier before election

Douglas Lloyd Campbell
Liberal–Progressive

Premier after election

Douglas Lloyd Campbell
Liberal–Progressive

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

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Manitoba general election (November 10, 1949)[1]
Party Leader First-preference votes Seats
Votes % FPv ± (pp) Cand. 1941 Elected Change
  Coalition candidates
 Liberal–Progressive Douglas Campbell 75,291 38.2 6.0  44 25 30 5 
 Progressive Conservative Errick Willis 23,410 11.9 4.0  16 13 9 4 
 Independent 7,452 3.8 0.9  5 3 4 1 
 Liberal 4,311 2.2 1.8  1 1 1 
 Independent Liberal-Progressive 2,625 1.3 0.2  1
 Independent-Liberal 1,015 0.5 0.1  1
 Social Credit 1.3  2 2 
  Anti-Coalition candidates
 Co-operative Commonwealth Seymour Farmer 49,933 25.3 8.5  25 9 7 2 
 Progressive Conservative 9,696 4.9 4.9  4 3 3 
 Independent 6,892 3.5 0.8  4 1 1 
 Labor–Progressive 5,243 2.7 2.1  2 1 1  
 Independent-PC 5,044 2.6 2.6  2 1 1 
 Independent-Liberal 4,094 2.1 2.1  3
 Independent-CCF 1,171 0.6 1.4  1 1 1 
 Independent Liberal-Progressive 860 0.4 0.4  1 1 1 
 Independent Labour 99 1
 Social Credit 0.7 
 Socialist 0.1 
Valid 197,136 100.0 111 55 57 2 
Rejected 2,540
Total votes cast 199,676
Registered voters/Turnout[a 1] 369,644 54.0
  1. ^ Excludes constituencies where candidates returned by acclamation

Results by riding

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

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

Multi-member constituencies

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MLAs returned by party (multi-member constituencies)
Party St. Boniface Winnipeg Centre Winnipeg North Winnipeg South
Liberal–Progressive 1 2 1 2
Co-operative Commonwealth 1 2 2 1
Labor–Progressive 1
Independent-PC 1
Total 2 4 4 4

St. Boniface

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St. Boniface
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3
Liberal–Progressive Joseph Van Belleghem (Coalition) 26.77 3,936 4,055 5,906
Co-operative Commonwealth (incumbent)Edwin Hansford 26.56 3,905 4,897 5,206
Progressive Conservative Paul Marion (Anti-Coalition) 18.57 2,730 2,836 3,105
Liberal–Progressive G.P. Shearer (Coalition) 18.01 2,647 2,681  
Co-operative Commonwealth E.R. Gagnon 10.09 1,483    
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)
Party Candidate Maximum
round
Maximum
votes
Share in
maximum
round
Maximum votes
First round votesTransfer votes


Liberal-Progressive Joseph Van Belleghem 3 5,906 41.54%
Co-operative Commonwealth Edwin Hansford 3 5,206 36.62%
Progressive Conservative Paul Marion 3 3,105 21.84%
Liberal-Progressive G.P. Shearer 2 2,681 18.53%
Co-operative Commonwealth E.R. Gagnon 1 1,483 10.09%
Exhausted votes 484 3.29%

Winnipeg Centre

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Four to be elected.

Winnipeg Centre
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Charles Rhodes Smith (Coalition) 25.01 5,140
Co-operative Commonwealth (incumbent)Donovan Swailes 24.45 5,025 5,025
Progressive Conservative Hank Scott (Coalition) 11.40 2,338 2,529 2,559 2,681 2,965 3,122 3,258 3,378
Co-operative Commonwealth Gordon Fines 10.48 2,149 2,170 2,749 2,784 2,871 3,225 4,321
Liberal–Progressive Paul Bardal (Coalition) 8.97 1,839 2,448 2,478 2,903 3,193 3,279 3,444 3,578
Labor–Progressive John McNeil 5.91 1,211 1,230 1,256 1,286 1,392
Co-operative Commonwealth Ina Thompson 5.45 1,117 1,146 1,366 1,396 1,491 1,741
Independent Liberal Stephen Juba (Coalition) 4.95 1,015 1,065 1,078 1,155
Liberal–Progressive J.H. Walker (Coalition) 3.27 621 830 845
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)
Party Candidate Maximum
round
Maximum
votes
Share in
maximum
round
Maximum votes
First round votesTransfer votes


Liberal-Progressive Charles Rhodes Smith 1 5,140 25.01%
Co-operative Commonwealth Donovan Swailes 1 5,025 24.45%
Progressive Conservative Hank Scott 8 3,378 17.51%
Co-operative Commonwealth Gordon Fines 7 4,321 22.45%
Liberal-Progressive Paul Bardal 8 3,578 18.55%
Labor-Progressive John McNeil 5 1,392 6.91%
Co-operative Commonwealth Ina Thompson 6 1,741 8.89%
Independent Liberal Stephen Juba 4 1,155 5.65%
Liberal-Progressive J.H. Walker 3 845 4.11%
Exhausted votes 1,263 6.14%

Winnipeg North

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Winnipeg North
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Co-operative Commonwealth (incumbent)Morris Gray 27.33 6,718
Labor–Progressive (incumbent)Bill Kardash 16.40 4,032 4,199 4,219 4,240 4,772 4,804 4,862 5,204
Liberal–Progressive Frank Chester (Coalition) 14.85 3,649 3,714 3,923 4,035 4,107 4,501 4,824 5,660
Co-operative Commonwealth John Hawryluk 7.88 1,938 2,569 2,616 2,678 3,497 3,700 4,316 4,485
Liberal–Progressive John M. Kozoriz (Coalition) 7.33 1,804 1,818 1,868 1,914 1,935 2,110 2,681 2,809
Independent Liberal-Progressive (incumbent)William Scraba (Coalition) 6.81 1,673 1,697 1,718 1,810 1,827 2,046
Liberal–Progressive Abe Simkin (Coalition) 6.54 1,607 2,139 2,227 2,243 2,270 2,351 2,411
Progressive Conservative Stan Carrick (Coalition) 4.58 1,126 1,149 1,211 1,369 1,384
Co-operative Commonwealth Herman Shaak 3.12 767 1,100 1,116 1,131
Independent Jerdry Wach (Coalition) 2.63 646 651 671
Liberal–Progressive Donald Callis 2.12 521 533
Independent Labour A.J. Yallits 0.40 99 104
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)
Party Candidate Maximum
round
Maximum
votes
Share in
maximum
round
Maximum votes
First round votesTransfer votes


Co-operative Commonwealth Morris Gray 1 6,718 27.33%
Labor-Progressive Bill Kardash 8 5,204 22.55%
Liberal-Progressive Frank Chester 8 5,660 24.53%
Co-operative Commonwealth John Hawryluk 8 4,485 19.44%
Liberal-Progressive John M. Kozoriz 8 2,809 12.17%
Independent Liberal-Progressive William Scraba 4 2,046 8.38%
Liberal-Progressive Abe Simkin 7 2,411 10.04%
Progressive Conservative Stan Carrick 5 1,384 5.61%
Co-operative Commonwealth Herman Shaak 4 1,131 4.65%
Independent Jerdry Wach 3 671 2.74%
Liberal-Progressive Donald Callis 2 533 2.17%
Independent Labour A.J. Yallits 2 104 0.42%
Exhausted votes 1,505 6.12%

Winnipeg South

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4 to be elected. Quota was 5522.

Winnipeg South
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)John McDiarmid (Coalition) 23.42 6,466 5522
Co-operative Commonwealth (incumbent)Lloyd Stinson 22.99 6,346 6,346 5522
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Ronald Turner (Coalition) 20.02 5,526 5,526 5,526 5,526 5,526
Independent Progressive Conservative Dufferin Roblin (Anti-Coalition) 12.47 3,443 3,572 3,767 4,601 5,557
Independent C.F. Green (Anti-Coalition) 8.51 2,349 2,444 2,833 3,151 3,959
Liberal–Progressive J. Gurzon Harvey (Coalition) 6.30 1,739 2,320 2,447 3,003
Progressive Conservative (incumbent)Alex Stringer (Coalition) 6.30 1,738 1,877 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)
Party Candidate Maximum
round
Maximum
votes
Share in
maximum
round
Maximum votes
First round votesTransfer votes


Liberal-Progressive John McDiarmid 1 6,466 23.42%
Co-operative Commonwealth Lloyd Stinson 1 6,346 22.99%
Liberal-Progressive Ronald Turner 1 5,526 20.02%
Independent Progressive Conservative Dufferin Roblin 5 5,557 21.30%
Independent C.F. Green 5 3,959 15.18%
Liberal-Progressive J. Gurzon Harvey 4 3,003 10.99%
Progressive Conservative Alex Stringer 3 1,990 7.21%
Exhausted votes 1,521 5.51%

Post-election changes

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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)

Further reading

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  • "Historical Summaries" (PDF). Elections Manitoba. 2007.