Royal Maitland
Encyclopedia
Royal Lethington Maitland (January 9, 1898 – March 28, 1946) was a British Columbia
politician. He was first elected to the British Columbia legislature as the Conservative
MLA for Vancouver City
in the 1928 general election
. The government of Simon Fraser Tolmie
had collapsed into rival factions by the 1933 provincial election
and Maitland did not stand for re-election.
He returned to office in the 1937 general election
and became Leader of the Opposition
following the death of Frank Porter Patterson
in 1938. He was charged with rebuilding the moribund British Columbia Conservative Party
which had split into two and collapsed in 1933 under the leadership of Premier Simon Fraser Tolmie
. A prominent criminal lawyer and law professor, Maitland was elected in 1937 from the riding of Vancouver-Point Grey
and became . In the 1941 provincial election
he led the Tories to a strong finish with 30.91% of the vote and 12 seats, though with the CCF doubling its seats the party was consigned to third place. The Liberal government of Thomas Dufferin Pattullo
was reduced to a minority government
and though it won the greatest number of seats actually received fewer votes than the CCF. The Liberal Party pressured Pattullo to form a coalition government
with the Tories in order to forestall the government's collapse and a possible CCF victory. Pattullo refused and was replaced as Liberal leader by John Hart
who was willing to form a coalition. Maitland's Tories joined the government obtaining three seats in Cabinet to the Liberals' five with Maitland becoming Deputy Premier and Attorney General of British Columbia
. Maitland's Tories contested the 1945 provincial election
jointly with the Liberals and were re-elected. Maitland died suddenly the next year.
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...
politician. He was first elected to the British Columbia legislature as the Conservative
British Columbia Conservative Party
The British Columbia Conservative Party is a political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected as the government in 1903, the party went into decline after 1933...
MLA for Vancouver City
Vancouver City (electoral district)
Vancouver City was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was a multiple member riding based in the newly-created city of Vancouver....
in the 1928 general election
British Columbia general election, 1928
The British Columbia general election of 1928 was the seventeenth general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on June 7, 1928, and held on July 18, 1928...
. The government of Simon Fraser Tolmie
Simon Fraser Tolmie
Simon Fraser Tolmie, PC was a veterinarian, farmer, politician, and the 21st Premier of the Province of British Columbia, Canada....
had collapsed into rival factions by the 1933 provincial election
British Columbia general election, 1933
The British Columbia general election of 1933 was the eighteenth general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on September 13, 1933, and held on November 2, 1933...
and Maitland did not stand for re-election.
He returned to office in the 1937 general election
British Columbia general election, 1937
The British Columbia general election of 1937 was the nineteenth general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 14, 1937, and held on June 1, 1937...
and became Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (British Columbia)
The Leader of the Opposition in British Columbia is the MLA in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia who leads the political party recognized as the Official Opposition. This status generally goes to the leader of the second largest party in the Legislative Assembly....
following the death of Frank Porter Patterson
Frank Porter Patterson
Frank Porter Patterson was a physician and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Dewdney in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1937 to 1938 as a Conservative. Patterson served as leader of the Conservative Party from July 1936 until his death in 1938.He was born in St...
in 1938. He was charged with rebuilding the moribund British Columbia Conservative Party
British Columbia Conservative Party
The British Columbia Conservative Party is a political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected as the government in 1903, the party went into decline after 1933...
which had split into two and collapsed in 1933 under the leadership of Premier Simon Fraser Tolmie
Simon Fraser Tolmie
Simon Fraser Tolmie, PC was a veterinarian, farmer, politician, and the 21st Premier of the Province of British Columbia, Canada....
. A prominent criminal lawyer and law professor, Maitland was elected in 1937 from the riding of Vancouver-Point Grey
Vancouver-Point Grey
Vancouver-Point Grey is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It first appeared on the hustings in the general election of 1933. It and the other new Vancouver ridings in this year, Vancouver-Burrard, Vancouver Centre and Vancouver East, were...
and became . In the 1941 provincial election
British Columbia general election, 1941
The British Columbia general election, 1941 was the twentieth general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on September 9, 1941, and held on October 21, 1941.After the election, a...
he led the Tories to a strong finish with 30.91% of the vote and 12 seats, though with the CCF doubling its seats the party was consigned to third place. The Liberal government of Thomas Dufferin Pattullo
Thomas Dufferin Pattullo
Thomas Dufferin Pattullo was the 22nd Premier of British Columbia, Canada from 1933 to 1941. The Pattullo Bridge is named in his honour as well as Prince Rupert's Pattullo Park....
was 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...
and though it won the greatest number of seats actually received fewer votes than the CCF. The Liberal Party pressured Pattullo to form a coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
with the Tories in order to forestall the government's collapse and a possible CCF victory. Pattullo refused and was replaced as Liberal leader by John Hart
John Hart (Canadian politician)
John Hart was the 23rd Premier of British Columbia, Canada, from December 9, 1941 to December 29, 1947....
who was willing to form a coalition. Maitland's Tories joined the government obtaining three seats in Cabinet to the Liberals' five with Maitland becoming Deputy Premier and Attorney General of British Columbia
Attorney General of British Columbia
The Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia is a provincial government department responsible for the oversight of the justice system within the province of British Columbia, Canada...
. Maitland's Tories contested the 1945 provincial election
British Columbia general election, 1945
The British Columbia general election of 1945 was the twenty-first general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on August 31, 1945, and held on October 25, 1945...
jointly with the Liberals and were re-elected. Maitland died suddenly the next year.