A referendum was held in Ontario, Canada on October 20, 1919 (in conjunction with the 15th provincial election) on the legality of alcoholic beverages and the maintaining of prohibition. Prohibition had been passed by the provincial government in 1916 under the Ontario Temperance Act, though a clause required a referendum to be held in 1919 on whether the Act should be repealed and the previous licensing laws subsequently revived. A subsequent Act in 1919 provided three further questions for consideration, and subsequent implementation on approval. A majority voted against all four questions, and prohibition was maintained.
Referendum questions Are you in favour of the repeal of the Ontario Temperance Act? Are you in favour of the sale of light beer containing not more than two and fifty-one hundredths per cent alcohol weight measure through Government agencies and amendments to the Ontario Temperance Act to permit such sale? Are you in favour of the sale of light beer containing not more than two and fifty-one hundredths per cent alcohol weight measure in standard hotels in local municipalities that by a majority vote favour such sale and amendments to the Ontario Temperance Act to permit such sale? Are you in favour of the sale of spirituous and malt liquors through Government agencies and amendments to the Ontario Temperance Act to permit such sale?
Unlike past prohibition referendums, the four questions were binding upon receiving a majority vote.
Results + Referendum results Question Total votes Yes No Votes % Votes %1 1,141,595 369,434 32.4 772,161 2 1,142,900 401,893 35.2 741,007 3 1,142,613 386,680 33.8 755,933 4 1,142,894 449,370 39.3 693,524
As the majority voted no on all four questions, prohibition was not repealed.
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See also Prohibition in Canada Canada Temperance Act 1894 Ontario prohibition plebiscite 1902 Ontario prohibition referendum 1921 Ontario prohibition referendum 1924 Ontario prohibition referendum
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