William Clubb
Encyclopedia
William Reid Clubb (October 7, 1884—August 11, 1962) was a politician in Manitoba
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1922 to 1941, and was a prominent cabinet minister in the government of John Bracken
.
Clubb was born in Morris
, Manitoba, and educated at Manitoba public schools, the Winnipeg Business College and Manitoba Agricultural College. He worked as a farmer, and served on the Morris municipal council from 1916 to 1920.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1920
. Clubb ran as an independent farmer candidate in the constituency of Morris, and defeated rival candidate Alex Ayotte by 165 votes. For the next two years, he sat with a small farmer's caucus led by William Robson.
In 1921, Clubb served with John Bracken on a special committee to review the prices of oil and gas for Manitoba's agricultural community. He was impressed with Backen's knowledge of the province, and with his presence of mind in the discussions.
He later joined the United Farmers of Manitoba, and defeated Ayotte by a greater margin in the 1922 election
.
The United Farmers and their allies won an unexpected majority government in the 1922 election, and took office as the Progressive Party of Manitoba
. As the UFM did not have a leader, the party caucus met on July 20, 1922 to choose a premier. Clubb recommended Bracken for the position, and his name was allowed to stand. At the end of the meeting, the only others candidates still under consideration were federal Members of Parliament
Thomas Crerar
and Bob Hoey.
On July 21, 1922, Clubb telephoned Bracken to inform him that he was one of three candidates under consideration for the job. Bracken, who had not previously considered a career in politics, allowed his name to stand after a brief discussion.
The next day, Crerar and Hoey both rejected the UFM offer. Bracken was non-committal, and but made a strong impression on the party caucus. He was persuaded to accept the position, and appointed Clubb as his Minister of Public Works. He was formally sworn in to cabinet on August 8, 1922. The custom of the age required him to resign and contest a by-election; he was returned without opposition. Clubb was the only member of Bracken's cabinet with prior legislative experience, and was one of Bracken's most trusted confidantes in the government's early years.
Re-elected by a landslide in the 1927 election
, Clubb helped oversee a controversial leasing arrangement with the Winnipeg Electric Company (WEC) in the late 1920s. This arrangement provoked a scandal in 1929, when Clubb acknowledged before a royal commission that he had purchased WEC shares the previous year, when negotiations were still in progress. Bracken initially defended Clubb, but was pressured into accepting his resignation from cabinet on February 22, 1929.
In Clubb's defence, it may be noted that other legislators from various parties had also purchased shares while the negotiations were in progress. In fact, his share purchase was arranged by John Thomas Haig
, a prominent Conservative legislator and personal friend. Clubb maintained that he did nothing improper in the transaction. Bracken never regarded Clubb's suspension from cabinet as permanent, and on May 18, 1929, he was returned to cabinet in his previous portfolio.
In late 1929, Clubb and other prominent ministers supported a policy of cooperation with the provincial Liberal Party
. This policy of cooperation led to a formal alliance in 1932, and Clubb was re-elected in that year's provincial election
as a supporter of the "Liberal-Progressive" government. The parties were effectively merged after the election, and government members became known as Liberal-Progressives.
Just before the election, Clubb had been given additional cabinet responsibility as Manitoba's first Minister of Labour. He continued to hold both the Public Works and Labour portfolios throughout the 1930s.
Clubb faced a difficult re-election in the 1936 campaign
, and resigned from cabinet in 1940 with the creation of an all-party coalition government
. He did not seek re-election in 1941.
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 1922 to 1941, and was a prominent cabinet minister in the government of John Bracken
John Bracken
John Bracken, PC was an agronomist, the 11th Premier of Manitoba and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ....
.
Clubb was born in Morris
Morris, Manitoba
Morris is a small town of about 1700 people in the Pembina Valley region of Manitoba, Canada, located about 50 km south of Winnipeg and 50 km north of Emerson. Morris is host to the annual Manitoba Stampede & Exhibition. Highway 75 which turns in to Interstate 29 is the major highway...
, Manitoba, and educated at Manitoba public schools, the Winnipeg Business College and Manitoba Agricultural College. He worked as a farmer, and served on the Morris municipal council from 1916 to 1920.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1920
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:...
. Clubb ran as an independent farmer candidate in the constituency of Morris, and defeated rival candidate Alex Ayotte by 165 votes. For the next two years, he sat with a small farmer's caucus led by William Robson.
In 1921, Clubb served with John Bracken on a special committee to review the prices of oil and gas for Manitoba's agricultural community. He was impressed with Backen's knowledge of the province, and with his presence of mind in the discussions.
He later joined the United Farmers of Manitoba, and defeated Ayotte by a greater margin in the 1922 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...
.
The United Farmers and their allies won an unexpected majority government in the 1922 election, and took office as the Progressive Party of Manitoba
Progressive Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Party of Manitoba, Canada, was a political party that developed from the United Farmers of Manitoba, an agrarian movement that became politically active following World War I...
. As the UFM did not have a leader, the party caucus met on July 20, 1922 to choose a premier. Clubb recommended Bracken for the position, and his name was allowed to stand. At the end of the meeting, the only others candidates still under consideration were federal Members 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,...
Thomas Crerar
Thomas Crerar
Thomas Alexander Crerar, was a western Canadian politician and a leader of the short-lived Progressive Party of Canada. He was born in Molesworth, Ontario, and moved to Manitoba at a young age....
and Bob Hoey.
On July 21, 1922, Clubb telephoned Bracken to inform him that he was one of three candidates under consideration for the job. Bracken, who had not previously considered a career in politics, allowed his name to stand after a brief discussion.
The next day, Crerar and Hoey both rejected the UFM offer. Bracken was non-committal, and but made a strong impression on the party caucus. He was persuaded to accept the position, and appointed Clubb as his Minister of Public Works. He was formally sworn in to cabinet on August 8, 1922. The custom of the age required him to resign and contest a by-election; he was returned without opposition. Clubb was the only member of Bracken's cabinet with prior legislative experience, and was one of Bracken's most trusted confidantes in the government's early years.
Re-elected by a landslide in the 1927 election
Manitoba general election, 1927
Manitoba's general election of 28 June 1927 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This was the first election in Manitoba history to elect members through a single transferable ballot in all constituencies...
, Clubb helped oversee a controversial leasing arrangement with the Winnipeg Electric Company (WEC) in the late 1920s. This arrangement provoked a scandal in 1929, when Clubb acknowledged before a royal commission that he had purchased WEC shares the previous year, when negotiations were still in progress. Bracken initially defended Clubb, but was pressured into accepting his resignation from cabinet on February 22, 1929.
In Clubb's defence, it may be noted that other legislators from various parties had also purchased shares while the negotiations were in progress. In fact, his share purchase was arranged by John Thomas Haig
John Thomas Haig
John Thomas Haig, PC was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as parliamentary leader of the Manitoba Conservative Party in 1921-22....
, a prominent Conservative legislator and personal friend. Clubb maintained that he did nothing improper in the transaction. Bracken never regarded Clubb's suspension from cabinet as permanent, and on May 18, 1929, he was returned to cabinet in his previous portfolio.
In late 1929, Clubb and other prominent ministers supported a policy of cooperation with the provincial 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 :...
. This policy of cooperation led to a formal alliance in 1932, and Clubb was re-elected in that year's provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1932
Manitoba's general election of June 16, 1932 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This was the second election in Manitoba where the single transferable ballot was used in all electoral divisions...
as a supporter of the "Liberal-Progressive" government. The parties were effectively merged after the election, and government members became known as Liberal-Progressives.
Just before the election, Clubb had been given additional cabinet responsibility as Manitoba's first Minister of Labour. He continued to hold both the Public Works and Labour portfolios throughout the 1930s.
Clubb faced a difficult re-election in the 1936 campaign
Manitoba general election, 1936
Manitoba's general election of July 27, 1936 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The was the second election in Manitoba after the formation of a Liberal-Progressive alliance in 1932...
, and resigned from cabinet in 1940 with the creation of an all-party 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...
. He did not seek re-election in 1941.