Joseph McNamara
Encyclopedia
Joseph McNamara was an Ontario
political figure. He represented Riverdale in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1919 to 1923 as the only member of the Soldier Party
and supported the United Farmers of Ontario
-Independent Labour Party government of E.C. Drury that took office following the election. However, McNamara remained independent and, in 1921, made an alliance with M.M. MacBride
, a dissenting member of the Independent Labour Party who had left the governing caucus, to move a Bill
which would have introduced an eight-hour day
. This was seen as an attempt to embarrass the rest of the ILP who opposed the measure in deference to the farmer base of the United Farmers who saw it as a threat to their ability to afford farm workers. He attempted to return to politics by contesting Riverdale in the 1948 provincial election
as a Liberal
but placed third behind the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
and Progressive Conservative candidates.
McNamara was born in Preston, England
, the son of Thomas McNamara, and came to Canada in 1902. He served as a member of the Royal North West Mounted Police from 1914 to 1915, and prior to this had served four years in the United States Artillery in Wyoming. On September 24, 1915 McNamara enlisted with the 38th Battery, CFA in Regina, Saskatchewan
, serving as a sergeant-major. He lost his right arm at Vimy Ridge.
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....
political figure. He represented Riverdale in 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...
from 1919 to 1923 as the only member of the Soldier Party
Soldier (party)
During and following the First World War, several people ran in Canadian elections as soldiers. They had themselves listed on the ballot as Soldier Party, "Soldier-Farmer Party", "Soldier-Labour Party", or “Independent Soldier”....
and supported 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 :...
-Independent Labour Party government of E.C. Drury that took office following the election. However, McNamara remained independent and, in 1921, made an alliance with M.M. MacBride
Morrison Mann MacBride
Morrison Mann MacBride was an Ontario merchant and political figure. He represented Brant South in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1919 to 1926 as a Labour member and then Brantford from 1934 to 1938 as an Independent and then Independent Liberal member.MacBride broke with the United...
, a dissenting member of the Independent Labour Party who had left the governing caucus, to move a Bill
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
which would have introduced an eight-hour day
Eight-hour day
The eight-hour day movement or 40-hour week movement, also known as the short-time movement, had its origins in the Industrial Revolution in Britain, where industrial production in large factories transformed working life and imposed long hours and poor working conditions. With working conditions...
. This was seen as an attempt to embarrass the rest of the ILP who opposed the measure in deference to the farmer base of the United Farmers who saw it as a threat to their ability to afford farm workers. He attempted to return to politics by contesting Riverdale in the 1948 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1948
The Ontario general election of 1948 was held on June 7, 1948, to elect the 90 members of the 23rd Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
as a Liberal
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...
but placed third behind 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...
and Progressive Conservative candidates.
McNamara was born in Preston, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of Thomas McNamara, and came to Canada in 1902. He served as a member of the Royal North West Mounted Police from 1914 to 1915, and prior to this had served four years in the United States Artillery in Wyoming. On September 24, 1915 McNamara enlisted with the 38th Battery, CFA in Regina, Saskatchewan
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...
, serving as a sergeant-major. He lost his right arm at Vimy Ridge.