Elmore Philpott
Encyclopedia
Elmore Philpott was a Canadian
politician and journalist. Philpott joined the Canadian military during World War I
and was badly wounded - he needed two canes to help him walk for the rest of his life.
He was working as an editorial writer for the Toronto Globe when he ran for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party
in its 1930 leadership convention
. He lost badly to Mitchell Hepburn
. The next year, he attempted to become a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
through a by-election
, but was defeated.
In 1933, Philpott resigned from the Globe to join the new Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
(CCF) and was asked to lead a campaign organizing Clubs for the Ontario CCF
. The CCF in Ontario was organized into three sections at the time: the United Farmers of Ontario
(UFO), the Labour Conference made up of socialist and labour groups, and the CCF Clubs. Philpott became the president of the Ontario Association of CCF Clubs, one of the key leaders of the party in the province, and a popular stump speaker for the socialist cause.
After twenty months of intense work in the party, including leading a purge of communists, Philpott suddenly resigned from the CCF in March 1935, ostensibly because he was a UFO candidate in the upcoming provincial election and the UFO had resigned from the Ontario CCF over the purported influence of Communists. A few months later, he announced he was rejoining the Liberal Party of Canada
and was the Liberal candidate in the riding
of York South
in the 1935 election
. He placed third behind the Conservative
and CCF candidates.
Philpott returned to journalism and moved to British Columbia
in the 1940s where he became a reporter and then a columnist for the Vancouver Sun. He ran as an Independent candidate in the federal by-election
held in the riding of New Westminster
in 1949, placing second behind the Liberal candidate.
He was finally elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1953 election
as the Liberal Member of Parliament
(MP) for Vancouver South. He was defeated in the 1957 election
. He attempted to return to the House of Commons as a Liberal candidate in the 1958
and 1962 general elections
, but was badly defeated both times.
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...
politician and journalist. Philpott joined the Canadian military during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and was badly wounded - he needed two canes to help him walk for the rest of his life.
He was working as an editorial writer for the Toronto Globe when he ran for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
in its 1930 leadership convention
Ontario Liberal leadership conventions
Ballot-by-ballot results of leadership elections in the Ontario Liberal Party, a political party in the Province of Ontario, Canada.Note: Before 1919, the leaders of the Ontario Liberal Party were chosen by the party's elected Members of the Legislative Assembly...
. He lost badly to Mitchell Hepburn
Mitchell Hepburn
Mitchell Frederick Hepburn was the 11th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1934 to 1942. He was the youngest Premier in Ontario history, appointed at age 37....
. The next year, he attempted to become a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
through 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....
, but was defeated.
In 1933, Philpott resigned from the Globe to join the new 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...
(CCF) and was asked to lead a campaign organizing Clubs for the Ontario CCF
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
. The CCF in Ontario was organized into three sections at the time: the United Farmers of Ontario
United Farmers of Ontario
The United Farmers of Ontario was a political party in Ontario, Canada. It was the Ontario provincial branch of the United Farmers movement of the early part of the 20th century.- Foundation and rise :...
(UFO), the Labour Conference made up of socialist and labour groups, and the CCF Clubs. Philpott became the president of the Ontario Association of CCF Clubs, one of the key leaders of the party in the province, and a popular stump speaker for the socialist cause.
After twenty months of intense work in the party, including leading a purge of communists, Philpott suddenly resigned from the CCF in March 1935, ostensibly because he was a UFO candidate in the upcoming provincial election and the UFO had resigned from the Ontario CCF over the purported influence of Communists. A few months later, he announced he was rejoining the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
and was the Liberal candidate in the riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of York South
York South
York South was an electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1979, and in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1926 to 1999....
in the 1935 election
Canadian federal election, 1935
The Canadian federal election of 1935 was held on October 14, 1935 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 18th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of William Lyon Mackenzie King won a majority government, defeating Prime Minister R.B. Bennett's Conservative Party.The central...
. He placed third behind the Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...
and CCF candidates.
Philpott returned to journalism and moved to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in the 1940s where he became a reporter and then a columnist for the Vancouver Sun. He ran as an Independent candidate in the federal by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held in the riding of New Westminster
New Westminster (electoral district)
New Westminster was a federal electoral district in the province of British Columbia, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1871 to 1979....
in 1949, placing second behind the Liberal candidate.
He was finally 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...
in the 1953 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...
as the Liberal 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,...
(MP) for Vancouver South. He was defeated in the 1957 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...
. He attempted to return to the House of Commons as a Liberal candidate in the 1958
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...
and 1962 general elections
Canadian federal election, 1962
The Canadian federal election of 1962 was held on June 18, 1962 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 25th Parliament of Canada...
, but was badly defeated both times.