1945 Ontario general election

June 4, 1945

90 seats in the 22nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario
46 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader George Drew Mitchell Hepburn
Party Progressive Conservative Liberal
Leader since December 9, 1938 April 2, 1945
Leader's seat High Park Elgin (lost re-election)
Last election 38 15
Seats won 66 14
Seat change Increase28 Decrease1
Percentage 44.3% 29.8%
Swing Increase8.6pp Decrease1.4pp

  Third party Fourth party
  LP
Leader Ted Jolliffe Leslie Morris
Party Co-operative Commonwealth Labor-Progressive
Leader since April 3, 1942 1945
Leader's seat York South (lost re-election) Ran in Bracondale (Lost)
Last election 34 2
Seats won 8 2
Seat change Decrease26 ±0
Percentage 22.4% 2.4%
Swing Decrease9.3pp Increase1.5pp

Premier before election

George Drew
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

George Drew
Progressive Conservative

The 1945 Ontario general election was held on June 4, 1945, to elect the 90 members of the 22nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Members of Provincial Parliament, or "MPPs") of the Province of Ontario.[1]

Background

The Legislature was dissolved on March 24, 1945, upon the government's failure to defeat a non-confidence motion. The election call was delayed in order to implement new legislation relating to the collection of votes from servicemen and women overseas,[2] but the date was later fixed for June 11. When the 1945 Canadian federal election was set for the same date, the Ontario date was accelerated by one week to June 4,[3] in order to separate the two campaigns.

The Drew government called the election in an attempt to get a majority government. By exploiting increasing Cold War tensions, the PC Party was able to defeat Jolliffe's CCF by stoking fears about communism. Jolliffe replied by giving a radio speech (written by Lister Sinclair) that accused Drew of running a political gestapo in Ontario, alleging that a secret department of the Ontario Provincial Police was acting as a political police spying on the opposition and the media. This accusation led to a backlash, and loss of support for the CCF, including the loss of Jolliffe's own seat of York South. This probably helped Drew win his majority, although in the 1970s, archival evidence was discovered proving the charge.[4]

Campaign

Of the 90 ridings, only 8 had two-way races; 47 were three-way contests, and the Labor-Progressives forced 30 four way races:

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1945)
Candidates PC CCF Lib LL Lab Lab-Pr Soc-Lab I-Lib I-PC Ind SC Soldier Total
2 4318
3 47474331141
4 303027332313120
5 77772112135
6 1111116
7 1112117
Total 9089806431421532317

Outcome

The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, led by George Drew, won a second consecutive term in office, winning a solid majority of seats in the legislature—66, up from 38 in the previous election.

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by former premier Mitchell Hepburn, was returned to the role of official opposition with 11 seats, plus 3 Liberal-Labour seats that it won, out of 6 contested, in coalition with the Labor-Progressive Party (which was, in fact, the Communist Party), in an effort to marginalize the CCF. The three new Liberal-Labour MPPs were James Newman of Rainy River, Joseph Meinzinger of Waterloo North and Alexander Parent of Essex North.

The social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), led by Ted Jolliffe, was reduced from 34 seats to 8.

Two seats were won by the Labor-Progressive Party on its own with the re-election of A.A. MacLeod and J.B. Salsberg. The LPP contested a total of 31 ridings under the leadership of Leslie Morris who was defeated in the Toronto riding of Bracondale.

Results

[1][5][6]

Elections to the 22nd Parliament of Ontario (1945)
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1943 Dissol. 1945 ± # % ± (pp)
Progressive Conservative George Drew 9038386628Increase781,34544.258.50Increase
Liberal Mitchell Hepburn 801515111Decrease479,25327.142.50Decrease
Liberal–Labour 6334,8791.98
Co-operative Commonwealth Ted Jolliffe 893434826Decrease395,70822.419.21Decrease
Labor–Progressive[a 1] Leslie Morris 31222Steady46,4182.631.73Increase
Independent Liberal[a 2] 2111Decrease6,3590.360.41Decrease
Labour[a 3] 410,8050.610.44Increase
Independent 56,9950.400.21Increase
Soldier[a 4] 21,8750.110.07Increase
Socialist Labour 49760.06
Social Credit 38520.05Returned
Independent PC 13280.020.02Increase
Total3179090901,765,793100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots 17,597
Registered voters / turnout 2,469,960 72.20% 13.84Increase
  1. A. A. MacLeod (Bellwoods) and J. B. Salsberg (St. Andrew) were the only candidates nominated and elected under the Labour ticket in 1943, but switched to the new Labor-Progressive Party on its formation shortly after the election.
  2. Mitchell Hepburn (Elgin) opted not to run as a Liberal candidate in 1943, and returned to the Liberals to once again become their leader.
  3. compared with Independent Labour 1943 results
  4. George Barker (York East) was an Independent-Soldier candidate, and John Beauchamp (Ottawa East) ran under the Veterans' Reform ticket.
Seats and popular vote by party
PartySeatsVotesChange (pp)
 Progressive Conservative
66 / 90
44.25%
8.50 8.5
 
 Liberal/Liberal-Labour
14 / 90
29.12%
-2.50
 
 Co-operative Commonwealth
8 / 90
22.41%
-9.21
 
 Labor–Progressive
2 / 90
2.63%
1.73 1.73
 
 Other
0 / 90
1.59%
1.48 1.48
 

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1945 Ontario general election[1][5][6]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1]
Votes
Name[a 2] 1943 Party Votes Share Margin
#
Margin
%
PC Lib LL CCF Lab-Pr Lab I-Lib I-Oth Other Total
 
Addington PC PC 6,99254.15%2,11316.36%80.65%6,9924,8791,04212,913
Algoma—Manitoulin Lib PC 4,33637.42%1681.45%77.98%4,3364,1683,08311,587
Brant Lib Lib 7,15147.68%1,1917.94%70.12%5,9607,1511,88614,997
Brantford CCF PC 6,58136.91%260.15%74.69%6,5816,5554,26642617,828
Bruce Lib PC 7,22946.16%4492.87%76.77%7,2296,7801,65115,660
Carleton PC PC 9,49559.80%5,25333.08%72.09%9,4954,2422,14115,878
Cochrane North CCF Lib 3,57339.07%3133.42%80.91%1,9183,5733,2603959,146
Cochrane South CCF CCF 10,52140.29%2,82210.81%79.48%6,1267,69910,5211,76426,110
Dufferin—Simcoe PC PC 9,21674.30%6,02848.60%62.38%9,2163,18812,404
Durham PC PC 7,02753.36%2,58519.63%77.00%7,0274,4421,70013,169
Elgin Ind-Lib PC 10,27852.29%2,40212.22%76.50%10,2787,8761,50019,654
Essex North CCF LL 6,80136.41%6853.67%69.28%6,1166,8015,76218,679
Essex South PC PC 7,68851.99%1,82512.34%74.42%7,6885,8631,23714,788
Fort William CCF CCF 8,19741.88%2,59013.23%74.29%5,6074,5988,1971,17119,573
Glengarry Lib Lib 5,59454.90%1,61315.83%74.30%3,9815,59461510,190
Grenville—Dundas PC PC 8,84362.17%4,59332.29%65.50%8,8434,2501,13014,223
Grey North Lib PC 7,27545.63%5923.71%74.17%7,2756,6831,98715,945
Grey South Lib Lib 6,58452.66%1,54112.33%72.17%5,0436,58487612,503
Haldimand—Norfolk PC PC 11,94353.64%4,62220.76%71.55%11,9437,3213,00322,267
Halton PC PC 6,91444.77%1,1897.70%74.31%6,9145,7252,80615,445
Hamilton East CCF PC 10,56141.70%2,73910.81%73.12%10,5614,4457,8222,29120725,326
Hamilton Centre CCF PC 9,09136.23%6402.55%74.18%9,0915,6338,4511,91925,094
Hamilton—Wentworth CCF PC 10,10244.00%3,85016.77%78.49%10,1026,2526,04755622,957
Hastings East* PC PC 5,92856.90%2,48923.89%72.02%5,9283,4391,05210,419
Hastings West PC PC 9,35150.83%2,91015.82%69.35%9,3516,4412,60418,396
Huron PC PC 7,08152.67%1,92914.35%74.90%7,0815,1521,21113,444
Huron—Bruce PC PC 7,18852.57%2,16915.86%76.53%7,1885,0191,46513,672
Kenora CCF CCF 3,46133.92%1901.86%73.80%3,2712,9983,46147410,204
Kent East PC PC 7,00053.20%8416.39%78.53%7,0006,15913,159
Kent West Lib PC 10,69151.68%2,55512.35%71.20%10,6918,1361,86120,688
Kingston* PC PC 9,27552.71%2,90716.52%73.63%9,2756,3681,63132217,596
Lambton East Lib PC 5,69345.96%860.69%71.90%5,6935,6071,08712,387
Lambton West CCF PC 7,25542.61%9755.73%77.16%7,2556,2803,49017,025
Lanark PC PC 12,48387.26%10,66074.51%63.59%12,4831,82314,306
Leeds PC PC 10,19258.05%4,22924.09%75.89%10,1925,9631,40317,558
Lincoln PC PC 16,34449.91%8,29325.32%76.03%16,3448,0516,7911,56332,749
London PC PC 16,64946.03%5,39014.90%77.55%16,64911,2597,86340236,173
Middlesex North PC PC 7,12345.85%1,76411.35%71.76%7,1235,3593,05515,537
Middlesex South PC PC 6,25144.57%1350.96%71.08%6,2516,1161,65914,026
Muskoka—Ontario Lib PC 8,07347.71%1,90211.24%73.95%8,0736,1712,67616,920
Niagara Falls CCF PC 7,01433.39%1920.91%70.22%7,0146,8226,56061121,007
Nipissing CCF Lib 5,98835.45%1,1236.65%74.59%4,5125,9884,8651,52516,890
Northumberland PC PC 8,67455.70%2,91118.69%76.85%8,6745,7631,13515,572
Ontario CCF PC 9,13035.49%1,0794.19%74.38%9,1308,0517,69385225,726
Ottawa East Lib Lib 10,72542.36%4,70818.60%66.34%5,28710,7252,2346,35971125,316
Ottawa South PC PC 23,61653.50%9,16720.77%69.93%23,61614,4495,57150344,139
Oxford PC PC 11,40250.05%3,40814.96%72.53%11,4027,9943,38622,782
Parry Sound CCF Lib 4,28936.81%1241.06%73.35%4,1654,2893,19911,653
Peel PC PC 9,92356.19%5,51131.21%69.10%9,9234,4123,32517,660
Perth Lib PC 12,30248.24%1,9357.59%72.34%12,30210,3672,83525,504
Peterborough PC PC 12,39850.94%4,68419.25%81.29%12,3987,7144,22524,337
Port Arthur CCF CCF 6,40334.90%2,02811.05%73.01%3,2544,3756,4031,4862,82818,346
Prescott Lib Lib 6,03751.31%2,25519.17%75.06%1,9466,0373,78211,765
Prince Edward—Lennox PC PC 7,58357.46%2,87821.81%71.84%7,5834,70590913,197
Rainy River CCF LL 2,58334.59%2513.36%78.63%2,3322,5832,1863667,467
Renfrew North PC PC 6,11845.97%1,57011.80%80.89%6,1184,5482,64313,309
Renfrew South Lib PC 5,86448.39%7746.39%75.09%5,8645,0901,16412,118
Russell Lib Lib 5,92549.94%1,51112.74%65.82%4,4145,92599752811,864
Sault Ste. Marie CCF CCF 5,62334.69%1761.09%81.51%5,4475,1385,62316,208
Simcoe Centre PC PC 6,22945.22%1,61311.71%77.39%6,2294,6161,7541,17613,775
Simcoe East PC PC 7,43350.05%3,26521.99%60.10%7,4334,1683,24914,850
Stormont PC Lib 8,70149.43%2,05711.69%59.26%6,6448,7011,66459417,603
Sudbury CCF CCF 13,62747.33%6,07521.10%74.80%5,9207,55213,6271,69228,791
Temiskaming CCF CCF 4,32739.66%1,17610.78%78.17%3,1513,1504,32728210,910
Victoria PC PC 9,73261.39%5,09832.16%75.66%9,7324,6341,48715,853
Waterloo North CCF LL 11,10441.24%1,1654.33%69.96%9,93911,1045,13574526,923
Waterloo South CCF PC 8,28942.32%2,03510.39%72.64%8,2895,0436,25419,586
Welland CCF PC 8,16134.55%2441.03%78.35%8,1617,9175,4402,10623,624
Wellington North Lib Lib 6,82146.89%240.16%72.58%6,7976,82192814,546
Wellington South CCF PC 7,60843.40%1,5989.12%74.29%7,6086,0103,91017,528
Wentworth CCF CCF 9,61239.08%5912.40%70.03%9,0214,2549,6121,32538524,597
Windsor—Walkerville CCF PC 7,88040.27%1,5968.16%69.21%7,8805,4026,28419,566
Windsor—Sandwich CCF PC 8,48740.59%1,5067.20%67.54%8,4876,9815,43920,907
York East CCF PC 20,74146.95%5,62812.74%68.66%20,7416,16315,1137531,41144,181
York North CCF PC 10,34842.16%3,04212.39%72.23%10,3487,3066,88924,543
York South CCF PC 14,89340.53%7682.09%68.39%14,8936,48614,1251,02422036,748
York West CCF PC 16,40843.95%4,42211.85%68.84%16,4088,01611,98692237,332
Beaches PC PC 11,67652.38%4,85421.77%70.60%11,6763,7946,82222,292
Bellwoods Lab Lab-Pr 6,79933.62%8164.03%70.28%5,9833,3014,1426,79920,225
Bracondale CCF PC 6,60035.61%1,6228.75%70.77%6,6004,0194,9782,60732818,532
Dovercourt PC PC 12,23645.67%4,70417.56%68.84%12,2365,7887,5321,23726,793
Eglinton PC PC 26,11563.72%18,83045.95%78.93%26,1156,4507,2851,13240,982
High Park PC PC 15,23857.19%3,83014.37%72.87%15,23811,40826,646
Parkdale PC PC 13,87546.71%6,15920.73%71.44%13,8757,7166,8121,30429,707
Riverdale CCF PC 12,62047.53%3,87114.58%67.06%12,6204,3028,74968319726,551
St. Andrew Lab Lab-Pr 10,01051.80%5,98530.97%68.22%4,0252,5052,78610,01019,326
St. David CCF PC 8,53542.24%2,97314.71%66.38%8,5354,9245,5621,18320,204
St. George PC PC 13,15355.34%6,98229.38%65.87%13,1534,4426,17123,766
St. Patrick PC PC 7,97450.21%4,71329.68%68.02%7,9743,1633,2611,48415,882
Woodbine CCF PC 12,08343.83%2,2628.20%67.78%12,0834,1999,8214599386927,569
  1. including spoilt ballots
  2. order is as given in EO reports
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = previously incumbent in another riding
  = other incumbents renominated
  = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
  = 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
PCLibLLCCFLabI-Lib
Progressive Conservative 45218166
Liberal 73111
Liberal–Labour 33
Co-operative Commonwealth 538
Labor–Progressive 22
Total 17482211190
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party
Parties1st2nd3rd4th5thTotal
 Progressive Conservative 6617790
 Liberal 114819280
 Co-operative Commonwealth 82159189
 Liberal–Labour 3216
 Labor–Progressive 226331
 Labour 134
 Independent Liberal 11
 Independent 55
 Socialist Labour 123
 Soldier 112
 Social Credit 22
 Independent PC 11
Resulting composition of the 22nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario
SourceParty
PC Lib L-L CCF Lab-Pr Total
Seats retainedIncumbents returned 3568251
Open seats held 213
Seats changing handsIncumbents defeated 252229
Open seats gained 314
Return of members previously elected 123
Total 661138290

Seats that changed hands

Elections to the 22nd Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1943–1945
Party 1943 Gain from (loss to) 1945
PC Lib CCF L-L Lbr-P I-Lib
Progressive Conservative 388(1)20166
Liberal 151(8)311
Co-operative Commonwealth 34(20)(3)(3)8
Liberal–Labour 33
Labor–Progressive 22
Independent-Liberal[a 1] 1(1)
Total901(29)8(4)26(3)190
  1. Mitchell Hepburn (Elgin) campaigned as a Liberal and lost.

There were 36 seats that changed allegiance in the election.

Notable group of candidates

Ten candidates who were not incumbents had served as MPPs prior to 1943:

RidingCandidateVotesPlaced
Cochrane North LiberalJoseph-Anaclet Habel3,5731st
Hamilton Centre LiberalJohn Newlands5,6333rd
Hamilton—Wentworth LiberalThomas Baker McQuesten6,2522nd
Lambton West LiberalWilliam Guthrie6,2802nd
Niagara Falls LiberalWilliam Houck6,8222nd
Parry Sound LiberalMilton Taylor Armstrong4,2891st
Temiskaming LiberalWilliam Glennie Nixon3,1503rd
Welland LiberalEdward James Anderson7,9172nd
Bracondale LiberalLionel Pretoria Conacher4,0193rd
Woodbine Progressive ConservativeGoldwin Corlett Elgie12,0831st

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "1945 General Election". Elections Ontario. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  2. The Active Service Election Act, 1945, S.O. 1945 (1st sess.), c. 1
  3. "Advance Ontario Election To June 4". Ottawa Citizen. April 16, 1945. p. 1.
  4. MacDonald, Donald C. (1998). The Happy Warrior: Political Memoirs, 2nd Ed. Toronto: Dundurn Press. pp. 292–296. ISBN 1-55002-307-1.
  5. 1 2 "Returns by Ridings". Ottawa Journal. June 5, 1945. p. 11. Party affiliation for Robert Shantz (Waterloo South) corrected - he was a Liberal candidate: "South Waterloo Liberals Name Candidate For Federal Election". Waterloo Chronicle. p. 1.
  6. 1 2 "Sessional Paper No. 40 - Return from the records of the General Election to the Legislative Assembly in 1945". Sessional Papers: Vol. LXXVIII - Part IV. Toronto: King's Printer. 1946.
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