Joseph W. Noseworthy
Encyclopedia
Joseph William Noseworthy (November 25, 1888 - March 30, 1956) was a Canadian
politician.
Noseworthy was born in Lewisporte
, Newfoundland and grew up working on fishing boats and getting his education when he could. As a teenager he worked as a lumberman before obtaining his teaching certificate at the age of 18. In 1910, he entered Albert College in Belleville, Ontario and paid his tuition by working with Frontier College
going into the bush and teaching lumberjacks how to read and continued working for Frontier College when he attended Victoria College in Toronto.
Finishing his education at the age of 30, he sold insurance for a year before joining North Toronto Collegiate Institute as a history teacher. After seven years, he moved to Vaughan Road Collegiate Institute in the suburb of York becoming head of the English department.
He joined the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
(CCF), and was its candidate in the riding
of York South
in the 1940 federal election
where he was defeated.
He stood again for the CCF when a by-election
was called after the sitting Conservative Member of Parliament
(MP) resigned in order to allow the new Conservative leader, former Prime Minister
Arthur Meighen
, to win a seat in the Canadian House of Commons
. It was tradition for the Liberals
and Conservatives not to run against the other party's leader in by-elections, but the CCF did not accept this convention. William Lyon Mackenzie King
and the Liberals were determined to block Meighen's return to politics: King didn't want the vocally pro-Conscription Meighen back in Parliament (see Conscription Crisis of 1944
). The two men also had an intense rivalry dating from the 1920s when Meighen had previously been Tory leader. The Liberals donated money to Noseworthy's campaign, and encouraged their members to support his candidacy. Conversely, the Ontario Liberal Party
and Premier of Ontario
, Mitchell Hepburn
, was opposed to King's conscription stance, and decided to put their support behind Meighen in the by-election.
The result on February 9, 1942, was a major upset and breakthrough for the CCF, with Noseworthy being elected by a margin of 5,000 votes. The defeat forced Meighen out of public life. Noseworthy was defeated in the subsequent 1945 general election
by Alan Cockeram
who had held the riding prior to the 1942 by-election, but returned as York South's MP in the 1949 election
and remained in Parliament until his death.
Noseworthy was an active parliamentarian and defended the rights of immigrants and minorities. At one point, he embarrassed the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Walter Harris
, by tabling a letter Harris had written that made it clear that the government intended to use provisions of the new 1952 Immigration Act to exclude non-whites.
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.
Noseworthy was born in Lewisporte
Lewisporte, Newfoundland and Labrador
Lewisporte is a town in central Newfoundland Island, Canada, with a population of 3,312. It is situated in a bay close to the mouth of the Exploits River. Lewisporte has an excellent port and related facilities that serve the many communities along Notre Dame Bay. Gander and its international...
, Newfoundland and grew up working on fishing boats and getting his education when he could. As a teenager he worked as a lumberman before obtaining his teaching certificate at the age of 18. In 1910, he entered Albert College in Belleville, Ontario and paid his tuition by working with Frontier College
Frontier College
Frontier College is a Canadian literacy organization established in 1899 by Alfred Fitzpatrick. Founded as the Reading Camp Association, Frontier College aims to combat illiteracy in Canada by providing non-formal education to those that seek assistance with their learning and have been overlooked...
going into the bush and teaching lumberjacks how to read and continued working for Frontier College when he attended Victoria College in Toronto.
Finishing his education at the age of 30, he sold insurance for a year before joining North Toronto Collegiate Institute as a history teacher. After seven years, he moved to Vaughan Road Collegiate Institute in the suburb of York becoming head of the English department.
He joined 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...
(CCF), and was its 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 1940 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1940
The Canadian federal election of 1940 was the 19th general election in Canadian history. It was held March 26, 1940 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 19th Parliament of Canada...
where he was defeated.
He stood again for the CCF when 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....
was called after the sitting Conservative 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) resigned in order to allow the new Conservative leader, former Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Arthur Meighen
Arthur Meighen
Arthur Meighen, PC, QC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served two terms as the ninth Prime Minister of Canada: from July 10, 1920 to December 29, 1921; and from June 29 to September 25, 1926. He was the first Prime Minister born after Confederation, and the only one to represent a riding...
, to win a seat in 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...
. It was tradition for the Liberals
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 Conservatives not to run against the other party's leader in by-elections, but the CCF did not accept this convention. William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
and the Liberals were determined to block Meighen's return to politics: King didn't want the vocally pro-Conscription Meighen back in Parliament (see Conscription Crisis of 1944
Conscription Crisis of 1944
The Conscription Crisis of 1944 was a political and military crisis following the introduction of forced military service in Canada during World War II. It was similar to the Conscription Crisis of 1917, but was not as politically damaging....
). The two men also had an intense rivalry dating from the 1920s when Meighen had previously been Tory leader. The Liberals donated money to Noseworthy's campaign, and encouraged their members to support his candidacy. Conversely, 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...
and Premier of Ontario
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
, 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....
, was opposed to King's conscription stance, and decided to put their support behind Meighen in the by-election.
The result on February 9, 1942, was a major upset and breakthrough for the CCF, with Noseworthy being elected by a margin of 5,000 votes. The defeat forced Meighen out of public life. Noseworthy was defeated in the subsequent 1945 general election
Canadian federal election, 1945
The Canadian federal election of 1945 was the 20th general election in Canadian history. It was held June 11, 1945 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 20th Parliament of Canada...
by Alan Cockeram
Alan Cockeram
Alan Cockeram was a mining executive, military officer and Canadian politician who sat in the Canadian House of Commons in the 1940s...
who had held the riding prior to the 1942 by-election, but returned as York South's MP in the 1949 election
Canadian federal election, 1949
The Canadian federal election of 1949 was held on June 27 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 21st Parliament of Canada. It was the first election in Canada in almost thirty years in which the Liberal Party of Canada was not led by William Lyon Mackenzie King. King had...
and remained in Parliament until his death.
Noseworthy was an active parliamentarian and defended the rights of immigrants and minorities. At one point, he embarrassed the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Walter Harris
Walter Harris
Walter Edward Harris, PC, QC was a Canadian politician and lawyer.Harris was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons as the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Ontario riding of Grey-Bruce in the 1940 election defeating Agnes MacPhail...
, by tabling a letter Harris had written that made it clear that the government intended to use provisions of the new 1952 Immigration Act to exclude non-whites.