Claude Ellis
Encyclopedia
Alfred Claude Ellis (November 2, 1919 – October 1, 1997) was a schoolteacher and politician.
Ellis was born in Weyburn, Saskatchewan
but moved with his family to Regina
where he attended high school. He was one of the early members of the Saskatchewan CCF serving on the party's provincial council
as a teenager while he was president of the Saskatchewan CCF's youth wing, the Co-operative Commonwealth Youth Movement, in the 1930s and appeared at rallies on the same stage as J.S. Woodsworth and M.J. Coldwell. He also an active trade union
ist in Saskatchewan.
As a student, he won several oratory and debating prizes including the Bryant Public Speaking Contest for Saskatchewan in 1937 and the national Dominion Debating Championship at Guelph, Ontario
in 1948.
He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
as the Member of Parliament
for Regina City
in the 1953 federal election
representing the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
. He was re-elected in 1957 federal election
but lost his seat in the 1958 election
that saw John George Diefenbaker's Tories sweep the country, in particular Diefenbaker's home province of Saskatchewan
. Ellis attempted to regain his seat as a New Democratic Party
candidate but was unsuccessful. As a parliamentarian he was an advocate for housing and health care among other issues.
After his defeat, Ellis returned to teaching, this time as a professor at the University of Saskatchewan
.
Ellis was eulogised in the House of Commons following his death on October 1, 1997.
Ellis was born in Weyburn, Saskatchewan
Weyburn, Saskatchewan
Weyburn is a city in southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located on the Souris River southeast of the provincial capital of Regina and is north of the border with the United States. The name is reputedly a corruption of the Scottish "wee burn," referring to a small creek. The city is...
but moved with his family to Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
where he attended high school. He was one of the early members of the Saskatchewan CCF serving on the party's provincial council
Provincial council
Provincial councils are organisational bodies within the Gaelic Athletic Association, each made up of several GAA counties. The provincial council is responsible for the organisation of club and inter-county competitions such as the provincial championships, and the promotion of Gaelic games within...
as a teenager while he was president of the Saskatchewan CCF's youth wing, the Co-operative Commonwealth Youth Movement, in the 1930s and appeared at rallies on the same stage as J.S. Woodsworth and M.J. Coldwell. He also an active trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
ist in Saskatchewan.
As a student, he won several oratory and debating prizes including the Bryant Public Speaking Contest for Saskatchewan in 1937 and the national Dominion Debating Championship at Guelph, Ontario
Guelph, Ontario
Guelph is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Waterloo and west of downtown Toronto at the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 7. It is the seat of Wellington County, but is politically independent of it...
in 1948.
He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
as the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Regina City
Regina City
Regina City was a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1968.This riding was created in 1933 from parts of Regina riding.It consisted initially of the city of Regina....
in the 1953 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1953
The Canadian federal election of 1953 was held on August 10 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 22nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Louis St...
representing the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
. He was re-elected in 1957 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1957
The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to select the 265 members of the House of Commons of Canada. In one of the great upsets in Canadian political history, the Progressive Conservative Party , led by John Diefenbaker, brought an end to 22 years of Liberal rule, as the...
but lost his seat in the 1958 election
Canadian federal election, 1958
The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the 23rd election...
that saw John George Diefenbaker's Tories sweep the country, in particular Diefenbaker's home province of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. Ellis attempted to regain his seat as a New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
candidate but was unsuccessful. As a parliamentarian he was an advocate for housing and health care among other issues.
After his defeat, Ellis returned to teaching, this time as a professor at the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
.
Ellis was eulogised in the House of Commons following his death on October 1, 1997.