Karl Kenneth Homuth
Encyclopedia
Karl Kenneth Homuth was an Ontario
manufacturer and political figure.
He was born in Preston, Ontario
, the son of Otto Homuth and Charlotte McDowell, and was educated there and in Galt. He joined George Pattinson
's textile manufacturing company in 1910. In 1917, he left that firm to work in his father's company, taking over its operation in 1928 after his father's death. In 1914, he married Minnie A. Rahn. Homuth served on the town council for Preston from 1917 to 1919. He died in office in Ottawa in 1951.
Homuth's father was a Liberal and Karl defied him by running as a Labour candidate
in the 1919 provincial election
, was elected as the Member for Waterloo South
and supported the United Farmers of Ontario
-Labour government of E.C. Drury. He was one of the few Labour MLAs who survived the 1923 provincial election
that routed Drury's government and was the only Labour MLA returned in the 1926 provincial election
in which he broke with his colleagues in what by then was known as the Progressive Party over the issue of temperance.
Homuth supported Conservative Premier George Howard Ferguson's proposal to liberalise Ontario's prohibition
laws during the 1926 election in which liquor policy was the principal issue (the Conservatives consequently did not run a candidate against him) and continued to support Ferguson's government after the election ultimately joining the Tories and successfully running for re-election as a Conservative in the 1929 provincial election
before resigning in 1930 to unsuccessfully seek the federal seat of Waterloo North
for the federal Conserviates. He went on to sit in Canadian House of Commons
from 1938 to 1951 representing Waterloo South for the Conservative Party of Canada
, then National Government and finally Progressive Conservative
member.
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....
manufacturer and political figure.
He was born in Preston, Ontario
Preston, Ontario
Preston is a community in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Prior to its amalgamation with the city of Galt, the town of Hespeler and the village of Blair to form the new city in 1973, it was an independent town. It is located near the confluence of the Grand River and Speed River...
, the son of Otto Homuth and Charlotte McDowell, and was educated there and in Galt. He joined George Pattinson
George Pattinson
George Pattinson was an Ontario industrialist and political figure. He represented Waterloo South in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Conservative member from 1905 to 1914....
's textile manufacturing company in 1910. In 1917, he left that firm to work in his father's company, taking over its operation in 1928 after his father's death. In 1914, he married Minnie A. Rahn. Homuth served on the town council for Preston from 1917 to 1919. He died in office in Ottawa in 1951.
Homuth's father was a Liberal and Karl defied him by running as a Labour candidate
Labour candidates and parties in Canada
There have been various groups in Canada that have nominated candidates under the label Labour Party or Independent Labour Party or other variations from the 1870s until the 1960s...
in the 1919 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1919
The Ontario general election, 1919 was the 15th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on October 20, 1919, to elect the 111 Members of the 15th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
, was elected as the Member for Waterloo South
Waterloo South
Waterloo South was a federal electoral district and a provincial electoral district.Federally, it was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1968. It was located in the province of Ontario...
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 :...
-Labour government of E.C. Drury. He was one of the few Labour MLAs who survived the 1923 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1923
The Ontario general election, 1923 was the 16th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on June 25, 1923, to elect the 111 Members of the 16th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
that routed Drury's government and was the only Labour MLA returned in the 1926 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1926
The Ontario general election, 1926 was the 17th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on December 1, 1926, to elect the 112 Members of the 17th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
in which he broke with his colleagues in what by then was known as the Progressive Party over the issue of temperance.
Homuth supported Conservative Premier George Howard Ferguson's proposal to liberalise Ontario's prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
laws during the 1926 election in which liquor policy was the principal issue (the Conservatives consequently did not run a candidate against him) and continued to support Ferguson's government after the election ultimately joining the Tories and successfully running for re-election as a Conservative in the 1929 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1929
The Ontario general election, 1929 was the 18th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on October 30, 1929, to elect the 112 Members of the 18th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
before resigning in 1930 to unsuccessfully seek the federal seat of Waterloo North
Waterloo North
Waterloo North was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1968. It was located in the province of Ontario...
for the federal Conserviates. He went on to sit in 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...
from 1938 to 1951 representing Waterloo South for the Conservative Party of Canada
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...
, then National Government and finally Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
member.