Elman Guttormson
Encyclopedia
Elman Kreisler Guttormson (March 24, 1929 in Winnipeg
, Manitoba
– 2001) was a politician
in Manitoba, Canada
. He was a Liberal
member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1956 to 1969.
Guttormson was educated at Lundar and United College. He worked for the Winnipeg Free Press
newspaper as a reporter, covering fields as diverse as crime and horse racing. He won a national newspaper award in 1962, while serving as a member of the legislature.
He was first elected to the legislature in a by-election
on December 30, 1956 in the mid-northern constituency of St. George, defeating his Progressive Conservative
and CCF opponents by a comfortable margin. He served as a backbench supporter of Douglas Campbell
's government for the next year and a half.
The Liberals were defeated provincially in the 1958 election
, although Guttormson won his own seat by a wider margin than before. He was also re-elected without difficulty in the elections of 1959
, 1962
and 1966
.
The Liberals lost much of their support base in the 1969 election
, and Guttormson lost his seat to Bill Uruski
of the New Democratic Party
by 398 votes. He sought a political comeback in the 1973 election
, but lost to Uruski by an increased margin.
Guttormson supported the federal and provincial Liberal parties for his entire adult life. One of his daughters married Bob Axworthy, a relative of Lloyd Axworthy
.
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
– 2001) was a politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Manitoba, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was a Liberal
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
from 1956 to 1969.
Guttormson was educated at Lundar and United College. He worked for the Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg Free Press
The Winnipeg Free Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Founded in 1872, as the Manitoba Free Press, it is the oldest newspaper in western Canada. It is the newspaper with the largest readership in the province....
newspaper as a reporter, covering fields as diverse as crime and horse racing. He won a national newspaper award in 1962, while serving as a member of the legislature.
He was first elected to the legislature in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
on December 30, 1956 in the mid-northern constituency of St. George, defeating his Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
and CCF opponents by a comfortable margin. He served as a backbench supporter of Douglas Campbell
Douglas Lloyd Campbell
Douglas Lloyd Campbell, OC was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as the 13th Premier of Manitoba from 1948 to 1958...
's government for the next year and a half.
The Liberals were defeated provincially in the 1958 election
Manitoba general election, 1958
Manitoba's general election of June 16, 1958 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was the first to be held in Manitoba after a comprehensive electoral redistribution in 1956...
, although Guttormson won his own seat by a wider margin than before. He was also re-elected without difficulty in the elections of 1959
Manitoba general election, 1959
Manitoba's general election of May 14, 1959 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a majority victory for the Progressive Conservative Party under the leadership of Dufferin Roblin...
, 1962
Manitoba general election, 1962
Manitoba's general election of December 16, 1962 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a second majority victory for the Progressive Conservative Party under the leadership of Dufferin Roblin...
and 1966
Manitoba general election, 1966
The Manitoba general election held on June 23, 1966, was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a third consecutive majority win for the Progressive Conservative Party led by Dufferin Roblin...
.
The Liberals lost much of their support base in the 1969 election
Manitoba general election, 1969
The Manitoba General Election of June 25, 1969 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was a watershed moment in the province's political history. The social-democratic New Democratic Party emerged for the first time as the largest party in...
, and Guttormson lost his seat to Bill Uruski
Bill Uruski
Bill Uruski is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1969 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the New Democratic Party governments of Edward Schreyer and Howard Pawley.Uruski did not attend a university; however, he was a Royal Canadian...
of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party of Manitoba
The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
by 398 votes. He sought a political comeback in the 1973 election
Manitoba general election, 1973
The Manitoba General Election of June 28, 1973 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the social-democratic New Democratic Party, which took 31 of 57 seats...
, but lost to Uruski by an increased margin.
Guttormson supported the federal and provincial Liberal parties for his entire adult life. One of his daughters married Bob Axworthy, a relative of Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Norman Axworthy, PC, OC, OM is a prominent Canadian politician, statesman and University President from Manitoba. He is best known for having served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien...
.