1943 Ontario general election

August 4, 1943

90 seats in the 21st Legislative Assembly of Ontario
46 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader George Drew Ted Jolliffe Harry Nixon
Party Progressive Conservative Co-operative Commonwealth Liberal
Leader since December 9, 1938 April 3, 1942 April 30, 1943
Leader's seat High Park York South Brant
Last election 23 0 63
Seats won 38 34 15
Seat change Increase15 Increase34 Decrease48
Percentage 35.7% 31.7% 31.2%
Swing Decrease4.3pp Increase26.1pp Decrease20.4pp

Premier before election

Harry Nixon
Liberal

Premier after election

George Drew
Progressive Conservative

The 1943 Ontario general election was held on August 4, 1943, to elect the 90 Members of the 21st Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Members of Provincial Parliament, or "MPPs") of the Province of Ontario.[1]

Background

Because of the outbreak of war, the Legislative Assembly had passed Acts in 1942[2] and 1943[3] to defer the calling of a general election. The latter extension had received royal assent in April 1943, but Premier Harry Nixon came into office the following month and opted to call an earlier election on June 30, 1943 for August 4, 1943. Noting that the last extension had been vigorously opposed by the Progressive Conservative opposition, he said, "We know of no precedent in the British Empire where a parliament extended its own life against an opposition vote."[4]

Campaign

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1943)
Candidates PC CCF Lib Lab Ind-Lib Other Total
2 336
3 75747411225
4 99921636
5 3332415
Total 9086892411282

Outcome

The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, led by George Drew, defeated the Ontario Liberal Party government. The Liberal government had disintegrated over the previous two years because of a conflict between Mitchell Hepburn, the Ontario caucus and the federal Liberal Party of Canada.

Hepburn resigned and was eventually succeeded by Harry Nixon in early 1943. The change in leadership was not enough to save the government. The election held later that year resulted in the Conservative Party, recently renamed the "Progressive Conservative Party", winning a minority government. This began forty-two uninterrupted years of government by the Tories who combined moderate progressive policies with pragmatism and caution.

The Liberals fell to third place behind a new force, the socialist Ontario Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), led by Ted Jolliffe, went from obscurity to form the Official Opposition, winning 32% of the vote and 34 seats in the legislature, just four short of Drew's Tories. The Liberals and their Liberal-Progressive allies fell from 66 seats to a mere 15.

Two members of the banned Communist Party of Ontario running as "Labour" candidates won seats in the Legislature for the first time in this election: A.A. MacLeod in the Toronto riding of Bellwoods, and J.B. Salsberg in the Toronto riding of St. Andrews. Several days following the election the Labor-Progressive Party was officially formed and Salsberg and MacLeod agreed to sit in the legislature as the party's representatives.

The Legislature's first two female MPPs were elected in 1943:

First female MPPs (1943)
PartyMPPRiding
CCF Rae Luckock Bracondale
CCF Agnes Macphail York East

Results

Elections to the 21st Parliament of Ontario (1943)[a 1]
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1937 Dissol. 1943 ± # % ± (pp)
Progressive Conservative George Drew 90 23 19 38 15Increase 469,672 35.75% 3.69Decrease
Co-operative Commonwealth Ted Jolliffe 86 34 34Increase 415,441 31.62% 26.30Increase
Liberal Harry Nixon 89 62 59 15 51Decrease 399,185 30.38% 20.65Decrease
Liberal–Progressive[a 2] 3 2
United Farmers[a 3] 1
Labour[a 4] 2 2 2Increase 11,888 0.90% 0.15Increase
Independent Liberal[a 5] 4 1 1 Steady 10,123 0.77% 0.55Decrease
Independent Labour 2 2,215 0.17% 0.16Increase
Independent 3 2,540 0.19% 0.06Decrease
Independent-CCF 1 1,566 0.12% New
Socialist Labour 3 740 0.06% 0.08Decrease
Soldier 2 569 0.04% New
Vacant 10
Total 282 90 90 90 1,313,939 100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots 10,746
Registered voters / turnout 2,269,895 58.36% 12.93Decrease
  1. "1943 General Election (Summary)". elections.on.ca. Elections Ontario. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  2. Roland Patterson (Grey North), Thomas Aston Blakelock (Halton) and Douglas Munro Campbell (Kent East) ran as Liberal candidates in 1943.
  3. Farquhar Oliver (Grey South) became a Liberal on February 24, 1941, upon joining the Cabinet.
  4. A. A. MacLeod (Bellwoods) and J. B. Salsberg (St. Andrew) were elected under the Labour ticket, but switched to the new Labor-Progressive Party on its formation shortly after the election.
  5. Morrison Mann MacBride (Brantford) died in June 1938. Mitchell Hepburn (Elgin) opted not to run as a Liberal candidate in 1943.
Seats and popular vote by party
PartySeatsVotesChange (pp)
 Progressive Conservative
38 / 90
35.75%
-3.69
 
 Co-operative Commonwealth
34 / 90
31.62%
26.30 26.3
 
 Liberal/Lib-Prog/UFO
15 / 90
30.38%
-20.65
 
 Other
3 / 90
2.41%
-1.96
 

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1943 Ontario general election[a 1][a 2][a 3]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 4]
Votes
Name[a 5] 1937 Party Votes Share Margin
#
Margin
%
PC CCF Lib Lab Ind-Lib Ind Other Total
 
Addington Con PC 5,62851.36%1,75215.99%73.55%5,6281,4533,87610,957
Algoma—Manitoulin Lib Lib 3,75539.03%7297.58%63.52%2,8393,0263,7559,620
Brant Lib Lib 5,74556.79%3,50534.65%52.48%2,2402,1315,74510,116
Brantford Ind-Lib CCF 5,32739.73%1,0457.79%61.93%3,8005,3274,28213,409
Bruce Lib Lib 5,06638.51%760.58%64.34%4,9903,1005,06613,156
Carleton Con PC 5,79654.79%2,52223.84%51.98%5,7961,5083,27410,578
Cochrane North Lib CCF 3,70946.18%4145.16%74.91%1,0273,7093,2958,031
Cochrane South* Lib CCF 12,99557.01%7,40032.46%67.37%4,20512,9955,59522,795
Dufferin—Simcoe Con PC 5,13449.79%2,51324.37%48.90%5,1342,5572,62110,312
Durham Lib PC 4,41240.70%2862.64%67.13%4,4122,3034,12610,841
Elgin Lib Ind-Lib 6,87950.66%2,60519.19%57.30%4,2742,4256,87913,578
Essex North Lib CCF 7,99953.59%4,84632.46%58.65%2,4057,9993,1531,21315714,927
Essex South Lib PC 3,94041.51%1321.39%49.25%3,9401,7433,8089,491
Fort William* Con CCF 8,70160.36%5,62038.98%66.56%3,0818,7012,63414,416
Glengarry Lib Lib 4,49559.60%1,93425.64%54.15%2,5614864,4957,542
Grenville—Dundas Con PC 6,82964.92%3,13929.84%48.65%6,8293,69010,519
Grey North L-P Lib 4,82637.52%3852.99%65.35%4,4413,5964,82612,863
Grey South UFO Lib 5,61750.46%2,26620.36%63.96%3,3512,1645,61711,132
Haldimand—Norfolk Lib PC 7,86844.90%7914.51%61.62%7,8682,5777,07717,522
Halton L-P PC 4,47438.51%8327.16%58.89%4,4743,3913,64211111,618
Hamilton East Lib CCF 6,73934.35%1,0795.50%61.82%5,6606,7394,8212,39719,617
Hamilton Centre Lib CCF 8,59247.30%3,57819.70%54.23%5,0148,5924,56018,166
Hamilton—Wentworth Lib CCF 6,43336.27%5833.29%64.19%5,8506,4335,45317,736
Hastings East* Con PC 4,71551.55%1,41415.46%65.53%4,7151,1303,3019,146
Hastings West Con PC 6,53047.91%2,42317.78%60.85%6,5302,9944,10713,631
Huron Lib PC 4,88944.00%4704.23%63.64%4,8891,8034,41911,111
Huron—Bruce* Lib PC 4,58838.00%1561.29%66.98%4,5883,0534,43212,073
Kenora Lib CCF 4,89151.77%1,86119.70%70.39%1,5274,8913,0309,448
Kent East L-P PC 6,80058.23%1,92316.47%71.48%6,8004,87711,677
Kent West Lib Lib 7,96952.00%2,57516.80%56.19%5,3941,9637,96915,326
Kingston* Con PC 6,55546.49%1,3809.79%60.82%6,5552,3705,17514,100
Lambton East Lib Lib 4,52047.34%7788.15%55.41%3,7421,2854,5209,547
Lambton West Lib CCF 4,96735.14%3372.38%68.34%4,5374,9674,63014,134
Lanark Con PC 7,12655.95%3,24225.46%62.15%7,1261,7263,88412,736
Leeds Con PC 7,66651.52%2,28415.35%67.00%7,6661,8335,38214,881
Lincoln* Lib PC 10,13941.46%2,70111.04%62.59%10,1397,4386,88024,457
London Lib PC 10,31240.65%2,3609.30%61.20%10,3127,9527,10325,367
Middlesex North Lib PC 4,67039.00%7806.51%62.32%4,6703,4143,89011,974
Middlesex South Lib PC 5,31348.13%1,0449.46%57.80%5,3131,4584,26911,040
Muskoka—Ontario Lib Lib 4,21934.84%880.73%56.59%4,1313,7594,21912,109
Niagara Falls Lib CCF 7,51945.76%2,46214.98%61.66%3,8567,5195,05716,432
Nipissing Lib CCF 5,64240.75%1,63711.82%60.90%2,3275,6424,0051,87113,845
Northumberland Lib PC 7,41253.45%2,13615.40%68.92%7,4121,1785,27613,866
Ontario* Lib CCF 8,74544.07%3,17015.97%64.58%5,5258,7455,57519,845
Ottawa East Lib Lib 11,00474.70%8,19355.62%43.03%2,81111,00491614,731
Ottawa South Con PC 11,87043.94%2,5599.47%46.69%11,8705,5799,31125227,012
Oxford Lib PC 7,20741.73%1,4618.46%58.22%7,2074,3195,74617,272
Parry Sound Lib CCF 4,22140.90%8898.61%61.36%2,7684,2213,33210,321
Peel Con PC 7,10150.27%3,33123.58%62.15%7,1013,2543,77014,125
Perth Lib Lib 7,56339.29%180.09%59.20%7,5454,1437,56319,251
Peterborough Lib PC 6,88438.82%8004.51%61.99%6,8844,7636,08417,731
Port Arthur Lib CCF 7,92954.28%3,91926.83%73.97%2,6687,9294,01014,607
Prescott Lib Lib 5,29155.72%1,61417.00%61.42%5283,6775,2919,496
Prince Edward—Lennox Con PC 5,86352.64%1,30711.74%60.40%5,8637184,55611,137
Rainy River Lib CCF 2,60039.37%5748.69%69.59%1,9782,6002,0266,604
Renfrew North Lib PC 4,18540.82%6065.91%69.61%4,1852,4893,57910,253
Renfrew South Lib Lib 4,92153.80%6957.60%58.66%4,2264,9219,147
Russell Lib Lib 4,09256.50%1,99627.56%42.02%2,0961,0544,0927,242
Sault Ste. Marie Lib CCF 7,17355.70%4,10431.87%65.09%2,6377,1733,06912,879
Simcoe Centre Lib PC 4,17641.99%5845.87%55.51%4,1762,1773,5929,945
Simcoe East Con PC 4,76643.76%1,62214.89%59.42%4,7662,9803,14410,890
Stormont Lib PC 5,86042.45%6864.97%64.72%5,8602,7725,17413,806
Sudbury Lib CCF 15,16959.89%7,58729.96%68.43%1,06215,1697,5821,51325,326
Temiskaming Lib CCF 5,21954.18%2,37024.60%71.97%1,5655,2192,8499,633
Victoria Con PC 6,98557.36%2,94324.17%62.15%6,9851,1504,04212,177
Waterloo North Lib CCF 7,57041.10%1,1156.05%49.76%4,3927,5706,45518,417
Waterloo South Lib CCF 6,83145.62%1,95813.08%58.13%3,2696,8314,87314,973
Welland Lib CCF 8,25647.35%3,23918.58%59.73%4,1638,2565,01717,436
Wellington North Lib Lib 5,55648.82%1,35811.93%56.64%4,1981,6265,55611,380
Wellington South Lib CCF 4,75338.75%8486.91%59.76%3,9054,7533,60712,265
Wentworth Lib CCF 9,96351.21%4,68024.05%58.73%5,2839,9634,21019,456
Windsor—Walkerville Lib CCF 6,71144.24%2,37715.67%58.41%4,1246,7114,33415,169
Windsor—Sandwich Lib CCF 6,45543.51%1,3328.98%50.63%5,1236,4553,25614,834
York East Con CCF 13,38445.47%1,7405.91%52.30%11,64413,3844,41029,438
York North Lib CCF 6,26636.25%5313.07%56.94%5,7356,2665,28317,284
York South Con CCF 11,02449.32%2,48411.11%48.09%8,54011,0242,78822,352
York West Lib CCF 10,72042.05%1,3085.13%53.77%9,41210,7205,36425,496
Beaches Con PC 6,92643.75%420.27%59.02%6,9266,8842,02115,831
Bellwoods* Lib Lab 4,31230.37%5263.70%53.58%3,7862,6813,4204,31214,199
Bracondale Lib CCF 4,68138.56%2862.36%49.88%4,3954,6812,76529812,139
Dovercourt Con PC 7,26543.47%2,00211.98%49.39%7,2655,2632,6181,56616,712
Eglinton Lib PC 13,83250.23%6,88725.01%59.15%13,8326,7596,94527,536
High Park* Con PC 7,95341.83%4662.45%59.33%7,9537,4873,42214919,011
Parkdale Con PC 9,25644.58%2,08610.05%55.22%9,2567,1704,33920,765
Riverdale Con CCF 7,64044.15%2181.26%49.15%7,4227,6402,24417,306
St. Andrew Lib Lab 7,57653.13%5,07135.56%56.44%2,5051,8112,3687,57614,260
St. David Lib CCF 5,67841.11%6194.48%55.13%5,0595,6783,07413,811
St. George* Lib PC 7,20546.81%2,76417.96%49.46%7,2054,4413,31616027115,393
St. Patrick Lib PC 4,69443.71%1,61615.05%52.33%4,6943,0782,96710,739
Woodbine Con CCF 8,84847.92%1,6168.75%54.10%7,2328,8482,38518,465
  1. "1943 General Election (Summary)". elections.on.ca. Elections Ontario. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  2. Party affiliations verified with "Tabulation Of Vote For Constituencies; Other Election Gleanings". Ottawa Citizen. August 5, 1943. p. 15.
  3. Turnouts verified with "Sessional Paper No. 40: Return from the records of the General Election to the Legislative Assembly in 1943". Sessional Papers, No. LXXVI - Part IV. Toronto: King's Printer. 1944. pp. 6–7.
  4. including spoilt ballots
  5. order is as given in EO reports

* - seat was vacant when election called

  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent switched allegiance for the election
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = previously incumbent in another riding
  = other incumbents renominated
  = 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
PCCCFLib
Progressive Conservative 83038
Co-operative Commonwealth 151934
Liberal 13215
Labour 22
Independent Liberal 11
Total 31104990
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party
Parties1st2nd3rd4th5thTotal
 Progressive Conservative 383120190
 Co-operative Commonwealth 341040286
 Liberal 15492589
 Labour 22
 Independent Liberal 1214
 Independent 213
 Socialist Labour 213
 Soldier 22
 Independent Labour 112
 Independent-CCF 11

Seats that changed hands

Elections to the 21st Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1937–1943
Party 1937 Gain from (loss to) 1943
PC CCF Lib Lbr-P I-Lib L-Pro UFO
Progressive Conservative 23(5)19138
Co-operative Commonwealth 528134
Liberal 63(19)(28)(2)(1)1115
Labor–Progressive 22
Independent-Liberal[a 1] 1(1)11
Liberal–Progressive[a 2] 2(1)(1)
United Farmers[a 3] 1(1)
Total905(20)(34)50(2)(2)1(1)1190
  1. Morrison Mann MacBride (Brantford) had died in office in 1938. Mitchell Hepburn (Elgin) was re-elected as an Independent-Liberal in 1943
  2. Roland Patterson (Grey North) was re-elected as a Liberal, while Douglas Campbell (Kent East) retired from the legislature.
  3. Farquhar Oliver (Grey South) was re-elected as a Liberal.

There were 58 seats that changed allegiance in the election.

Resulting composition of the 21st Legislative Assembly of Ontario
SourceParty
PC CCF Lib Lab I-Lib Total
Seats retainedIncumbents returned 131528
Open seats held (vacant) 33
Open seats held (other) 22
Incumbent changed allegiance 11
Seats changing handsIncumbents defeated 1323137
Open seats gained (vacant) 3317
Open seats gained (other) 4711
Ouster of byelection gain by third party 11
Total 3834152190

References

See also

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