October 2, 1948 1956 → 311 104 25.0% 8.4% Won by George A. Drew Resigning leader John Bracken | 827 311 66.7% 25.0% Date 2 October 1948 Candidates 3 | |
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Winner George A Drew | ||
The 1948 Progressive Conservative leadership election was held to choose a leader for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. The convention was held at the Ottawa Coliseum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Voting occurred on October 2, 1948. Premier of Ontario George A. Drew was elected as the party's new leader.
Contents
Background
John Bracken had been leader of the party since 1942 but did not enter parliament until the 1945 federal election in which the Liberal government was re-elected despite an increase in seats for the Progressive Conservatives. Unable to impress his leadership on the parliamentary party, which viewed him as an outsider, he was persuaded to step down as leader in 1948.
Candidates
Grey North (Ontario) MP W. Garfield Case ended his candidacy before the convention to support Drew.
Convention
Policies considered by delegates including tax relief, a ban on communist activities, abolishing an annual $2.50 radio licence fee, reducing the cost of government, strengthened defence, a long-term immigration policy, a national flag, and a national library.
Drew's speech to delegates received more applause than Diefenbaker's. The Ontario premier called for stronger ties between Quebec and English Canada, warned against centralization of power in Ottawa and faoured personal initiative, saving, and security.
Fleming warned of the “cancer of Communism in our midst (that) must be fought without quarter by every democratic weapon open to a free people” and accused the Liberals of surrendering to socialist economics. He aruged that Quebec was essential for the party's success.
Diefenbaker said the party needed more support from what he called the “forgotten man" arguing that “They want leadership that will assert that decent living cannot come from government handouts; they know that government cannot take the place of fundamental virtues of honest, thrift, hard work, tolerance and sympathy… I believe that progress can be achieved by free enterprise rather than through the muddling interference of bureaucrats.”
Results
Wilfrid Garfield Case announced his candidacy but withdrew before the convention to support Drew.