Manitoba's general election of October 15, 1945 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.
The 1945 provincial election was extremely different from the previous election, which was held in 1941. In the 1941 election, the province's four legal political parties were united in a coalition government—and while coalition partners ran against one another in some constituencies, the final outcome was never in doubt.
By 1945, the coalition had been reduced to three parties. The dominant party was the Liberal-Progressive Party, whose leader was Premier Stuart Garson. The Progressive Conservative Party of Errick Willis (formerly called the Conservative Party) was the junior partner in government, while the small Social Credit League and some independents also supported the coalition.
The social-democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) left the coalition in 1943, and experienced a surge in popularity over the next two years. This party was the primary opposition to the coalition government in 1945. When Tommy Douglas's CCF won a landslide election victory in 1944 in neighbouring Saskatchewan, many believed that the Manitoba party had a chance of forming government.
The communist Labour Progressive Party, which had been banned in 1941, also contested the election against the coalition. A revived Socialist Party of Canada also fielded one candidate in Winnipeg.
The CCF experienced numerous difficulties during the campaign. Two of its incumbent members, Dwight Johnson and Beresford Richards, were accused of holding communist sympathies, and broke from the party to seek re-election as "Independent CCF" candidates. Party members were divided on the positions held by Johnson and Richards, and the CCF entered the campaign in a divided state. The party also suffered a series of unexpected technical problems: some candidates were unable to campaign because of late nomination filing, insufficient signatures on their nomination forms, and related reasons.
The result of the election was a landslide majority government for the coalition. Twenty-five Liberal-Progressives and thirteen Progressive Conservatives were elected, along with two Social Crediters and three independent coalitionists. This gave the coalition forty-three of fifty-seven seats. Most of the coalition's members were from rural constituencies.
The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation won four of ten seats in Winnipeg, but could not duplicate this success in the rest of the province. The party won only nine seats in total, up from three in the previous election. Richards, who was re-elected as an Independent CCF candidate, later rejoined the caucus as a tenth member. The CCF actually received more votes than any other party, but this meant little in practical terms: the combined coalition vote was well above the CCF total, and some coalition seats were won by acclamation.
Labour Progressive Party leader Bill Kardash also won a Winnipeg seat, as did independent leftist Lewis Stubbs.
Note: The 1945 election was determined by preferential balloting in all constituencies. The constituency of Winnipeg elected ten members; all other constituencies elected one member. The results listed below are taken from reports in the Winnipeg Free Press newspaper and the Canadian Parliamentary Guide, and may differ from the final official results in some minor particulars. (In some instances, the Winnipeg Free Press results were not listed in full.)
Arthur:
(x)John R. Pitt (LP) 1158
Guy Craven (CCF) 448
Assiniboia:
First Count:
Ernest Draffin (CCF) 2948
(x)David Best (PC) 2778
William Cecil Ross (LPP) 388
Second Count:
Ernest Draffin (CCF) 3082
David Best (PC) 2902
Beautiful Plains:
(x)John Poole (PC) 1775
A.J.M. Poole (CCF) 902
Birtle:
(x)Francis Campbell Bell (LP) 1887
G.B. Reed (CCF) 792
Brandon:
First Count :
Leslie McDorman (LP) 3088
Peter McDuffe (CCF) 1650
(x)Dwight Johnson (Ind CCF) 1554
Second Count:
Leslie McDorman (LP) 3288
Peter McDuffe (Ind CCF) 2046
Carillon:
(x)Edmond Prefontaine (LP) accl.
Cypress:
(x)James Christie (LP) 1434
Robin Parsons (Ind/Coalition) 870
[Note: Parsons had previously defeated Christie for the coalition nomination, by one vote.]
Dauphin:
(x)Robert Hawkins (LP) 2312
M.W. Cryderman (CCF) 1277
Deloraine:
James O. Argue (PC) accl.
B.P. Hathaway (CCF) withdrew
Dufferin:
(x)Earl Collins (Ind/Coalition) accl.
Emerson:
(x)John Solomon (LP) 2039
N.C. McLean (CCF) 1097
P.J. Olchowecki (Ind/Coalition[?]) 753
Ethelbert:
Michael Sawchuk (CCF) 2081
(x)Nicholas A. Hryhorczuk (LP) 1743
John Dubno (LPP) 163
Fairford:
(x)Stuart Garson (LP) 1254
G.W. Leanord (CCF) 295
Fisher:
(x)Nicholas Bachynsky (LP) 879
L.W. Michalchuk (CCF) 758
John Kapusta (LPP) 166
Gilbert Plains:
(x)Stanley Fox (SC) 1375
W.G. Doak (CCF) 1179
Gimli:
Steinn Thompson (LP) 2133
S.S. Johnson (CCF) 1437
M.J. Sago (LPP) 246
Gladstone:
(x)William Morton (LP) accl.
Glenwood:
Gilbert Grant (LP) 1741
Leslie Robinson (CCF) 698
James Breakey (LP) withdrew
Hamiota:
(x)Norman Turnbull (SC) 1578
Stanley Dawley (CCF) 380
Iberville:
First Count:
John McDowell (IPC/Coalition) 1390
W.D. Lawrence (LP) 842
H.P. Kendall (CCF) 683
Second Count:
John McDowell (IPC/Coalition) 1452
W.D. Lawrence (LP) 1016
Kildonan and St. Andrews:
(x)James McLenaghen (PC) 3518
William Grundy (CCF) 2313
William Gilbey (LPP) 426
[Note: Frank Simmonds appears to have lost the coalition nomination by one vote.]
Killarney:
First Count:
(x)Abram Harrison (PC) 1045
G.M. Anderson (LP) 939
G.W. McMillan (CCF) 560
Second Count:
(x)Abram Harrison (PC) 1165
G.M. Anderson (LP) 1015
Lakeside:
(x)Douglas Campbell (LP) accl.
Lansdowne:
(x)Matthew Sutherland (LP) 1759
W. Hargreaves (CCF) 720
La Verendrye:
(x)Sauveur Marcoux (LP) 1506
Paul Prince (SC/Opposition) 913
A. Lagimodiere (IL/Coalition) 824
Manitou:
(x)Hugh Morrison (PC) accl.
W.R. Wallcraft (CCF) missed deadline
Minnedosa:
(x)Earl Rutledge (PC) 2639
R.G. Frith (CCF) 1430
Morden-Rhineland:
(x)Wallace Miller (PC) 2093
J.R. Walkof (LP) 1860
Edward Freison (CCF) 326
Morris:
(x)John Dryden (LP) 1676
Ivan Langtry (CCF) 714
Mountain:
(x)Ivan Schultz (LP) 2300
David McBrien (CCF) 723
Norfolk:
(x)John Lawrie (PC) 1710
James Wood (CCF) 870
Portage la Prairie:
(x)Charles Greenlay (PC) 1878
Margaret Mann (CCF) 746
Earl Moffat (LPP) 105
Roblin:
Ronald Robertson (Independent/Coalition) 1247
Leslie Thompson (CCF) 1092
Rockwood:
W.J. Campbell (PC) 1879
(x)Mungo Lewis (LP) 1582
Rupertsland:
(x)Daniel Hamilton (LP) 438
W. Olafson (Ind/Coalition) 230
W.H.G. Gibbs (Independent LP/Coalition) 175
M.R. Burritt (LPP) 55
Rev. J. Jones (CCF) not enough signatures
Russell:
(x)William Wilson (LP) 2250
M.J. Tokar (CCF) 1768
St. Boniface:
First Count:
Edwin Hansford (CCF) 6350
Walter Tod (LP) 3939
Laurier Regnier (Independent LP/Coalition) 1710
Angus McDonald (Independent/Opposition) 876
Jules Pinoo (LPP) 467
Second Count (Pinoo eliminated):
Edwin Hansford (CCF) 6451
Walter Tod (LP) 3967
Laurier Regnier (Independent LP/Coalition) 1726
Angus McDonald (Independent/Opposition) 900
Third Count (McDonald eliminated, Hansford declared elected):
Edwin Hansford (CCF) 6606
Walter Tod (LP) 4351
Laurier Regnier (Independent LP/Coalition) 1812
St. Clements:
Wilbert Doneleyko (CCF) 3615
(x)Nicholas J. Stryk (LP) 3395
Andrew Bileski (LPP) 1041
[Note: Donelyko & Stryk’s numbers are from the second count.]
St. George:
Christian Halldorson (LP) 1150
Eric Stefanson Sr. (Opposition) 892
John Howardson (Ind/Opposition) 237
Olfe Johnson (LPP) 56
Ste. Rose:
(x)Dane MacCarthy (LP) 1907
J. Heesaker (CCF) 823
Springfield:
George Olive (CCF) 3106
Murdoch Mackay (LP) 1992
M.J. Hoban (Independent LP/Coalition) 1392
Joseph Ilohena (LPP) 480
[Note: Olive and Mackay’s numbers appear to be from the third count.]
Swan River:
(x)George Renouf (PC) 2519
Robert Niven (CCF) 1448
The Pas:
(x)Beresford Richards (Ind CCF) 2840
Robert Milton (PC) 2759
Turtle Mountain:
(x)Errick Willis (PC) accl.
Alex Cochrane (CCF) not enough signatures
Virden:
(x)Robert Mooney (LP) 2030
Cecil Nichol (CCF) 856
Winnipeg (ten members):
First Count (quota: 7222; Farmer, McDiarmid, Stubbs and Stinson declared elected):
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 11237
(x)J.S. McDiarmid (LP) 10771
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 8309
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7773
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 4909
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 4075
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 4014
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 3941
William Scraba (LP) 3616
Mark Long (PC) 3012
Joseph Zuken (LPP) 2939
Morley Lougheed (PC) 2681
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 2663
George Stapleton (CCF) 2329
(x)Paul Bardal (LP) 2053
M. Walsh (LP) 1867
A.N. Robertson (CCF) 1796
T.H. Taylor (SC) 635
Roy Sully (PC) 592
James Milne (SPC) 222
Second Count (Farmer surplus) :
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 10771
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 8309
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7773
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 5743
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 4946
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 4067
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 3966
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 3682
William Scraba (LP) 3656
Mark Long (PC) 3035
Joseph Zuken (LPP) 2963
Morley Lougheed (PC) 2715
George Stapleton (CCF) 2687
A.N. Robertson (CCF) 2391
(x)Paul Bardal (LP) 2094
M. Walsh (LP) 1898
T.H. Taylor (SC) 656
Roy Sully (PC) 623
James Milne (SPC) 236
Third Count (McDiarmid surplus) :
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7222
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 8309
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7773
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 6059
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 5787
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 4592
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 4076
William Scraba (LP) 3790
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 3709
Mark Long (PC) 3227
Morley Lougheed (PC) 3200
Joseph Zuken (LPP) 2974
George Stapleton (CCF) 2698
(x)Paul Bardal (LP) 2677
A.N. Robertson (CCF) 2419
M. Walsh (LP) 2127
Roy Sully (PC) 665
T.H. Taylor (SC) 663
James Milne (SPC) 254
Fourth Count (Stubbs surplus) :
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7222
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 7222
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7773
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 6174
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 5915
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 4671
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 4133
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 3876
William Scraba (LP) 3828
Morley Lougheed (PC) 3285
Mark Long (PC) 3272
Joseph Zuken (LPP) 3010
(x)Paul Bardal (LP) 2766
George Stapleton (CCF) 2757
A.N. Robertson (CCF) 2483
M. Walsh (LP) 2166
Roy Sully (PC) 706
T.H. Taylor (SC) 689
James Milne (SPC) 263
Fifth Count (Stinson surplus):
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7222
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 7222
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7222
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 6181
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 6026
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 4677
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 4138
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 4087
William Scraba (LP) 3833
Morley Lougheed (PC) 3291
Mark Long (PC) 3276
Joseph Zuken (LPP) 3014
George Stapleton (CCF) 2838
(x)Paul Bardal (LP) 2773
A.N. Robertson (CCF) 2568
M. Walsh (LP) 2171
Roy Sully (PC) 716
T.H. Taylor (SC) 692
James Milne (SPC) 264
Sixth Count (Sully, Taylor and Milne eliminated) :
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7222
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 7222
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7222
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 6313
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 6111
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 4830
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 4210
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 4183
William Scraba (LP) 3900
Mark Long (PC) 3425
Morley Lougheed (PC) 3407
Joseph Zuken (LPP) 3049
George Stapleton (CCF) 2928
(x)Paul Bardal (LP) 2882
A.N. Robertson (CCF) 2659
M. Walsh (LP) 2253
Seventh Count (Walsh eliminated) :
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7222
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 7222
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7222
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 6889
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 6165
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 5099
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 4243
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 4212
William Scraba (LP) 4032
Mark Long (PC) 3776
Morley Lougheed (PC) 3637
(x)Paul Bardal (LP) 3213
Joseph Zuken (LPP) 3092
George Stapleton (CCF) 2942
A.N. Robertson (CCF) 2694
Eighth Count (Robertson eliminated) :
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7222
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 7222
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7222
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 6973
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 6664
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 5128
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 4902
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 4237
William Scraba (LP) 4085
George Stapleton (CCF) 3942
Mark Long (PC) 3806
Morley Lougheed (PC) 3664
(x)Paul Bardal (LP) 3237
Joseph Zuken (LPP) 3103
Ninth Count (Zuken eliminated, Gray declared elected) :
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7222
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 7222
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7222
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 7462
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 6995
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 6141
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 5145
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 4924
William Scraba (LP) 4135
George Stapleton (CCF) 3960
Mark Long (PC) 3819
Morley Lougheed (PC) 3679
(x)Paul Bardal (LP) 3290
Tenth Count (Gray surplus) :
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7222
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 7222
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7222
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 7222
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 7010
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 6319
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 5148
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 4941
William Scraba (LP) 4143
George Stapleton (CCF) 3971
Mark Long (PC) 3822
Morley Lougheed (PC) 3683
(x)Paul Bardal (LP) 3291
Eleventh Count (Bardal eliminated, Smith declared elected) :
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7222
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 7222
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7222
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 7222
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 7957
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 6388
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 5818
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 5065
William Scraba (LP) 4479
Mark Long (PC) 4121
George Stapleton (CCF) 4047
Morley Lougheed (PC) 3993
Twelfth Count (Smith surplus) :
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7222
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 7222
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7222
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 7222
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 7222
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 6394
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 6013
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 5089
William Scraba (LP) 4712
Morley Lougheed (PC) 4192
Mark Long (PC) 4191
George Stapleton (CCF) 4055
Thirteenth Count (Stapleton eliminated, Swailes declared elected) :
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7222
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 7222
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7222
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 7222
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 7222
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 7863
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 6512
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 6067
William Scraba (LP) 4847
Morley Lougheed (PC) 4242
Mark Long (PC) 4232
Fourteenth Count (Swailes surplus):
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7222
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 7222
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7222
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 7222
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 7222
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 7222
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 6832
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 6162
William Scraba (LP) 4931
Morley Lougheed (PC) 4315
Mark Long (PC) 4273
Fifteenth Count (Long eliminated; Thorvaldson, Kardash and Scraba declared elected) :
(x)Seymour Farmer (CCF) 7222
(x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7222
(x)Lewis Stubbs (Ind/Opposition) 7222
Lloyd Stinson (CCF) 7222
(x)Morris Gray (CCF) 7222
(x)Charles Rhodes Smith (LP) 7222
Donovan Swailes (CCF) 7222
(x)Gunnar Thorvaldson (PC) 7256
(x)Bill Kardash (LPP) 6892
William Scraba (LP) 5774
Morley Lougheed (PC) 5621
Beresford Richards (Ind CCF) was re-admitted to the CCF caucus in December 1945.
Special elections for members of the armed forces were held in January 1946, in light of the fact that many Manitoba citizens had served overseas in World War II and were unable to vote in the general election. Gordon Churchill was elected to represent the Canadian Army, Alex J. Stringer was elected for the Royal Canadian Navy and Ronald Turner was elected for the Royal Canadian Air Force. Stringer later became a Progressive Conservative, while Turner became a Liberal-Progressive. Churchill sat as an Independent.
Minnedosa (res. Earl Rutledge, July 13, 1948), November 2, 1948:
Henry Rungay (LP) 3470
Frith (CCF) 1362
Fairford (res. Stuart Garson, November 13, 1948), December 23, 1948:
James Anderson (LP) elected
Michael Taczynski (CCF)
Beresford Richards and Wilbert Doneleyko were expelled from the CCF in July 1949, and sat as independent members.
Iberville (res. John McDowell, 1949)
Winnipeg (res. Gunnar Thorvaldson, 1949)
Gordon Churchill, Army Representative, resigns in 1949.
