John Williams (Manitoba politician)
Encyclopedia
John Williams was a politician in Manitoba
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1907 to 1910, and again from 1914 to 1922. Williams was a member of the Manitoba Liberal Party
, and briefly served as a cabinet minister in the government of Tobias C. Norris.
Born at Yscefiog in Flintshire
, Wales
, Williams was educated at common schools and came to Canada in 1881 with "absolutely no capital". After living in Hamilton
, Ontario
for a year and a half, he moved to Manitoba in 1882 to become a farmer. He remained in this vocation for several decades, and served for a time as director of the Melita
Farmers' Elevator Company.
Williams first sought election to the Manitoba legislature in the 1903 provincial election
, running in the southwestern constituency of Arthur. He lost to Conservative
incumbent Allan Thompson by forty-eight votes. Thompson retired at the 1907 election
, and Williams defeated new Conservative candidate Amos Lyle
by a margin of three votes (536 to 533). Williams served as an opposition member for the next three years.
In the provincial election of 1910
, Lyle defeated Williams by 175 votes to regain Arthur for the Conservatives. Control of the riding shifted again in the 1914 campaign
, when Williams defeated Lyle by sixty-six votes. He again served as an opposition member.
Early in 1915, the governing Conservative Party of Rodmond P. Roblin was forced from office amid scandal. The Liberals won a landslide victory in the 1915 provincial election
, and Williams was elected by an increased margin in Arthur. After this election, he served as a backbench supporter of Norris's ministry. In the 1920 election
, Williams defeated Farmer candidate Duncan Lloyd McLeod
by only ten votes.
Norris's Liberals were reduced to a minority government
in the 1920 election, and had difficulty passing legislative initiatives in the next two years. The government was defeated in the legislature in early 1922, and elections were called for later in the year. Williams was called on to play a prominent role in the campaign, and was promoted to cabinet on June 6, 1922 as Minister of Agriculture.
The Liberals were defeated by the United Farmers of Manitoba in the 1922 provincial election
, and Williams lost his seat to McLeod by 353 votes. He resigned from cabinet with the rest of the Norris ministry on August 8, 1922.
In the 1925 federal election
, Williams run for the Canadian House of Commons
as the candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada
in Souris
. He finished third against Progressive
candidate James Steedsman
.
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...
, 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 served in 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 1907 to 1910, and again from 1914 to 1922. Williams was a member of the Manitoba Liberal Party
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 :...
, and briefly served as a cabinet minister in the government of Tobias C. Norris.
Born at Yscefiog in Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Williams was educated at common schools and came to Canada in 1881 with "absolutely no capital". After living in Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
for a year and a half, he moved to Manitoba in 1882 to become a farmer. He remained in this vocation for several decades, and served for a time as director of the Melita
Melita, Manitoba
Melita is a town located in the southwestern corner of the Canadian province of Manitoba. It is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Arthur and occupies a bend of the Souris River. The population, as of the 2006 census, is 1,051. It sits at the junction of Highways 3 and 83, approx....
Farmers' Elevator Company.
Williams first sought election to the Manitoba legislature in the 1903 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1903
Manitoba's general election of July 20, 1903 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a second consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, now led by Premier Rodmond Palen Roblin...
, running in the southwestern constituency of Arthur. He lost to 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:...
incumbent Allan Thompson by forty-eight votes. Thompson retired at the 1907 election
Manitoba general election, 1907
Manitoba's general election of March 7, 1907 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a third consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, led by premier Rodmond Palen Roblin...
, and Williams defeated new Conservative candidate Amos Lyle
Amos Lyle
Amos Moore Lyle was a politician in the Canadian province of Manitoba. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1910 to 1914, as a member of the Conservative Party....
by a margin of three votes (536 to 533). Williams served as an opposition member for the next three years.
In the provincial election of 1910
Manitoba general election, 1910
Manitoba's general election of July 11, 1910 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fourth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, led by premier Rodmond Palen Roblin. Roblin's electoral machine won...
, Lyle defeated Williams by 175 votes to regain Arthur for the Conservatives. Control of the riding shifted again in the 1914 campaign
Manitoba general election, 1914
Manitoba's general election of July 10, 1914 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fifth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party, led by premier Rodmond P. Roblin...
, when Williams defeated Lyle by sixty-six votes. He again served as an opposition member.
Early in 1915, the governing Conservative Party of Rodmond P. Roblin was forced from office amid scandal. The Liberals won a landslide victory in the 1915 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1915
Manitoba's general election of August 6, 1915 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was held only one year after the previous general election of 1914. In that election, the governing Conservatives of premier Rodmond P. Roblin were...
, and Williams was elected by an increased margin in Arthur. After this election, he served as a backbench supporter of Norris's ministry. In the 1920 election
Manitoba general election, 1920
Manitoba's general election of 29 June 1920 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.-Background:...
, Williams defeated Farmer candidate Duncan Lloyd McLeod
Duncan Lloyd McLeod
Duncan Lloyd McLeod was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1922 to 1935 as a member of the Progressive Party, and was a cabinet minister in the government of John Bracken....
by only ten votes.
Norris's Liberals were reduced to a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
in the 1920 election, and had difficulty passing legislative initiatives in the next two years. The government was defeated in the legislature in early 1922, and elections were called for later in the year. Williams was called on to play a prominent role in the campaign, and was promoted to cabinet on June 6, 1922 as Minister of Agriculture.
The Liberals were defeated by the United Farmers of Manitoba in the 1922 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1922
Manitoba's general election of July 18, 1922 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.As in the previous election of 1920, the city of Winnipeg elected ten members by the single transferable ballot...
, and Williams lost his seat to McLeod by 353 votes. He resigned from cabinet with the rest of the Norris ministry on August 8, 1922.
In the 1925 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1925
The Canadian federal election of 1925 was held on October 29 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 15th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's Liberal Party formed a minority government. This precipitated the "King-Byng Affair".The Liberals under...
, Williams run for 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 candidate for 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...
in Souris
Souris (electoral district)
Souris was a federal electoral district in the province of Manitoba, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1953.This riding was created in 1903 from parts of Brandon and Lisgar ridings....
. He finished third against Progressive
Progressive Party of Canada
The Progressive Party of Canada was a political party in Canada in the 1920s and 1930s. It was linked with the provincial United Farmers parties in several provinces and, in Manitoba, ran candidates and formed governments as the Progressive Party of Manitoba...
candidate James Steedsman
James Steedsman
James Steedsman was a Manitoba farmer who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a member of the agrarian Progressive Party of Canada.He was born in Molesworth, Ontario and schooled in Oxford County, Ontario...
.