1943 Ontario general election

The 1943 Ontario general election was held on August 4, 1943, to elect the 90 Members of the 21st Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Members of Provincial Parliament, or "MPPs") of the province of Ontario.

Background Because of the outbreak of war, the Legislative Assembly had passed Acts in 1942 and 1943 to defer the calling of a general election. The latter extension had received royal assent in April 1943, but Premier Harry Nixon came into office the following month and opted to call an earlier election on June 30, 1943, for August 4, 1943. Noting that the last extension had been vigorously opposed by the Progressive Conservative opposition, he said, "We know of no precedent in the British Empire where a parliament extended its own life against an opposition vote."

Campaign

+ Riding contests, by number of candidates (1943) CandidatesPCCCFLibLabInd-LibOtherTotal23 3 6375 74 74 1 1 22549 9 9 2 1 6 3653 3 3 2 4 15Total90 86 89 2 4 11 282

Outcome The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, led by George Drew, defeated the Ontario Liberal Party government. The Liberal government had disintegrated over the previous two years because of a conflict between Mitchell Hepburn, the Ontario caucus and the federal Liberal Party of Canada.

Hepburn resigned and was eventually succeeded by Harry Nixon in early 1943. The change in leadership was not enough to save the government. The election held later that year resulted in the Conservative Party, recently renamed the "Progressive Conservative Party", winning a minority government. This began forty-two uninterrupted years of government by the Tories who combined moderate progressive policies with pragmatism and caution.

The Liberals fell to third place behind a new force, the socialist Ontario Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), led by Ted Jolliffe, went from obscurity to form the Official Opposition, winning 32% of the vote and 34 seats in the legislature, just four short of Drew's Tories. The Liberals and their Liberal-Progressive allies fell from 66 seats to a mere 15.

Two members of the banned Communist Party of Ontario running as "Labour" candidates won seats in the Legislature for the first time in this election: A.A. MacLeod in the Toronto riding of Bellwoods, and J.B. Salsberg in the Toronto riding of St. Andrews. Several days following the election the Labor-Progressive Party was officially formed and Salsberg and MacLeod agreed to sit in the legislature as the party's representatives.

The Legislature's first two female MPPs were elected in 1943:

+ First female MPPs (1943) Party MPP Riding CCFRae LuckockBracondale CCFAgnes MacphailYork East

Results

Vote and seat summaries

Synopsis of results

+ Results by riding - 1943 Ontario general electionParty affiliations verified with Turnouts verified with Riding Winning party Turnoutincluding spoilt ballots VotesNameorder is as given in EO reports 1937Party Votes Share Margin#Margin% PC CCF Lib Lab Total   Addington Con PC 5,628 51.36% 1,752 15.99% 73.55% 5,628 1,453 3,876 – – – – 10,957 Algoma—Manitoulin Lib Lib 3,755 39.03% 729 7.58% 63.52% 2,839 3,026 3,755 – – – – 9,620 Brant Lib Lib 5,745 56.79% 3,505 34.65% 52.48% 2,240 2,131 5,745 – – – – 10,116 Brantford Ind-Lib CCF 5,327 39.73% 1,045 7.79% 61.93% 3,800 5,327 4,282 – – – – 13,409 Bruce Lib Lib 5,066 38.51% 76 0.58% 64.34% 4,990 3,100 5,066 – – – – 13,156 Carleton Con PC 5,796 54.79% 2,522 23.84% 51.98% 5,796 1,508 3,274 – – – – 10,578 Cochrane North Lib CCF 3,709 46.18% 414 5.16% 74.91% 1,027 3,709 3,295 – – – – 8,031 Cochrane South* Lib CCF 12,995 57.01% 7,400 32.46% 67.37% 4,205 12,995 5,595 – – – – 22,795 Dufferin—Simcoe Con PC 5,134 49.79% 2,513 24.37% 48.90% 5,134 2,557 2,621 – – – – 10,312 Durham Lib PC 4,412 40.70% 286 2.64% 67.13% 4,412 2,303 4,126 – – – – 10,841 Elgin Lib Ind-Lib 6,879 50.66% 2,605 19.19% 57.30% 4,274 2,425 – – 6,879 – – 13,578 Essex North Lib CCF 7,999 53.59% 4,846 32.46% 58.65% 2,405 7,999 3,153 – 1,213 – 157 14,927 Essex South Lib PC 3,940 41.51% 132 1.39% 49.25% 3,940 1,743 3,808 – – – – 9,491 Fort William* Con CCF 8,701 60.36% 5,620 38.98% 66.56% 3,081 8,701 2,634 – – – – 14,416 Glengarry Lib Lib 4,495 59.60% 1,934 25.64% 54.15% 2,561 486 4,495 – – – – 7,542 Grenville—Dundas Con PC 6,829 64.92% 3,139 29.84% 48.65% 6,829 – 3,690 – – – – 10,519 Grey North L-P Lib 4,826 37.52% 385 2.99% 65.35% 4,441 3,596 4,826 – – – – 12,863 Grey South UFO Lib 5,617 50.46% 2,266 20.36% 63.96% 3,351 2,164 5,617 – – – – 11,132 Haldimand—Norfolk Lib PC 7,868 44.90% 791 4.51% 61.62% 7,868 2,577 7,077 – – – – 17,522 Halton L-P PC 4,474 38.51% 832 7.16% 58.89% 4,474 3,391 3,642 – – 111 – 11,618 Hamilton East Lib CCF 6,739 34.35% 1,079 5.50% 61.82% 5,660 6,739 4,821 – – – 2,397 19,617 Hamilton Centre Lib CCF 8,592 47.30% 3,578 19.70% 54.23% 5,014 8,592 4,560 – – – – 18,166 Hamilton—Wentworth Lib CCF 6,433 36.27% 583 3.29% 64.19% 5,850 6,433 5,453 – – – – 17,736 Hastings East* Con PC 4,715 51.55% 1,414 15.46% 65.53% 4,715 1,130 3,301 – – – – 9,146 Hastings West Con PC 6,530 47.91% 2,423 17.78% 60.85% 6,530 2,994 4,107 – – – – 13,631 Huron Lib PC 4,889 44.00% 470 4.23% 63.64% 4,889 1,803 4,419 – – – – 11,111 Huron—Bruce* Lib PC 4,588 38.00% 156 1.29% 66.98% 4,588 3,053 4,432 – – – – 12,073 Kenora Lib CCF 4,891 51.77% 1,861 19.70% 70.39% 1,527 4,891 3,030 – – – – 9,448 Kent East L-P PC 6,800 58.23% 1,923 16.47% 71.48% 6,800 – 4,877 – – – – 11,677 Kent West Lib Lib 7,969 52.00% 2,575 16.80% 56.19% 5,394 1,963 7,969 – – – – 15,326 Kingston* Con PC 6,555 46.49% 1,380 9.79% 60.82% 6,555 2,370 5,175 – – – – 14,100 Lambton East Lib Lib 4,520 47.34% 778 8.15% 55.41% 3,742 1,285 4,520 – – – – 9,547 Lambton West Lib CCF 4,967 35.14% 337 2.38% 68.34% 4,537 4,967 4,630 – – – – 14,134 Lanark Con PC 7,126 55.95% 3,242 25.46% 62.15% 7,126 1,726 3,884 – – – – 12,736 Leeds Con PC 7,666 51.52% 2,284 15.35% 67.00% 7,666 1,833 5,382 – – – – 14,881 Lincoln* Lib PC 10,139 41.46% 2,701 11.04% 62.59% 10,139 7,438 6,880 – – – – 24,457 London Lib PC 10,312 40.65% 2,360 9.30% 61.20% 10,312 7,952 7,103 – – – – 25,367 Middlesex North Lib PC 4,670 39.00% 780 6.51% 62.32% 4,670 3,414 3,890 – – – – 11,974 Middlesex South Lib PC 5,313 48.13% 1,044 9.46% 57.80% 5,313 1,458 4,269 – – – – 11,040 Muskoka—Ontario Lib Lib 4,219 34.84% 88 0.73% 56.59% 4,131 3,759 4,219 – – – – 12,109 Niagara Falls Lib CCF 7,519 45.76% 2,462 14.98% 61.66% 3,856 7,519 5,057 – – – – 16,432 Nipissing Lib CCF 5,642 40.75% 1,637 11.82% 60.90% 2,327 5,642 4,005 – 1,871 – – 13,845 Northumberland Lib PC 7,412 53.45% 2,136 15.40% 68.92% 7,412 1,178 5,276 – – – – 13,866 Ontario* Lib CCF 8,745 44.07% 3,170 15.97% 64.58% 5,525 8,745 5,575 – – – – 19,845 Ottawa East Lib Lib 11,004 74.70% 8,193 55.62% 43.03% 2,811 – 11,004 – – 916 – 14,731 Ottawa South Con PC 11,870 43.94% 2,559 9.47% 46.69% 11,870 5,579 9,311 – – – 252 27,012 Oxford Lib PC 7,207 41.73% 1,461 8.46% 58.22% 7,207 4,319 5,746 – – – – 17,272 Parry Sound Lib CCF 4,221 40.90% 889 8.61% 61.36% 2,768 4,221 3,332 – – – – 10,321 Peel Con PC 7,101 50.27% 3,331 23.58% 62.15% 7,101 3,254 3,770 – – – – 14,125 Perth Lib Lib 7,563 39.29% 18 0.09% 59.20% 7,545 4,143 7,563 – – – – 19,251 Peterborough Lib PC 6,884 38.82% 800 4.51% 61.99% 6,884 4,763 6,084 – – – – 17,731 Port Arthur Lib CCF 7,929 54.28% 3,919 26.83% 73.97% 2,668 7,929 4,010 – – – – 14,607 Prescott Lib Lib 5,291 55.72% 1,614 17.00% 61.42% 528 3,677 5,291 – – – – 9,496 Prince Edward—Lennox Con PC 5,863 52.64% 1,307 11.74% 60.40% 5,863 718 4,556 – – – – 11,137 Rainy River Lib CCF 2,600 39.37% 574 8.69% 69.59% 1,978 2,600 2,026 – – – – 6,604 Renfrew North Lib PC 4,185 40.82% 606 5.91% 69.61% 4,185 2,489 3,579 – – – – 10,253 Renfrew South Lib Lib 4,921 53.80% 695 7.60% 58.66% 4,226 – 4,921 – – – – 9,147 Russell Lib Lib 4,092 56.50% 1,996 27.56% 42.02% 2,096 1,054 4,092 – – – – 7,242 Sault Ste. Marie Lib CCF 7,173 55.70% 4,104 31.87% 65.09% 2,637 7,173 3,069 – – – – 12,879 Simcoe Centre Lib PC 4,176 41.99% 584 5.87% 55.51% 4,176 2,177 3,592 – – – – 9,945 Simcoe East Con PC 4,766 43.76% 1,622 14.89% 59.42% 4,766 2,980 3,144 – – – – 10,890 Stormont Lib PC 5,860 42.45% 686 4.97% 64.72% 5,860 2,772 5,174 – – – – 13,806 Sudbury Lib CCF 15,169 59.89% 7,587 29.96% 68.43% 1,062 15,169 7,582 – – 1,513 – 25,326 Temiskaming Lib CCF 5,219 54.18% 2,370 24.60% 71.97% 1,565 5,219 2,849 – – – – 9,633 Victoria Con PC 6,985 57.36% 2,943 24.17% 62.15% 6,985 1,150 4,042 – – – – 12,177 Waterloo North Lib CCF 7,570 41.10% 1,115 6.05% 49.76% 4,392 7,570 6,455 – – – – 18,417 Waterloo South Lib CCF 6,831 45.62% 1,958 13.08% 58.13% 3,269 6,831 4,873 – – – – 14,973 Welland Lib CCF 8,256 47.35% 3,239 18.58% 59.73% 4,163 8,256 5,017 – – – – 17,436 Wellington North Lib Lib 5,556 48.82% 1,358 11.93% 56.64% 4,198 1,626 5,556 – – – – 11,380 Wellington South Lib CCF 4,753 38.75% 848 6.91% 59.76% 3,905 4,753 3,607 – – – – 12,265 Wentworth Lib CCF 9,963 51.21% 4,680 24.05% 58.73% 5,283 9,963 4,210 – – – – 19,456 Windsor—Walkerville Lib CCF 6,711 44.24% 2,377 15.67% 58.41% 4,124 6,711 4,334 – – – – 15,169 Windsor—Sandwich Lib CCF 6,455 43.51% 1,332 8.98% 50.63% 5,123 6,455 3,256 – – – – 14,834 York East Con CCF 13,384 45.47% 1,740 5.91% 52.30% 11,644 13,384 4,410 – – – – 29,438 York North Lib CCF 6,266 36.25% 531 3.07% 56.94% 5,735 6,266 5,283 – – – – 17,284 York South Con CCF 11,024 49.32% 2,484 11.11% 48.09% 8,540 11,024 2,788 – – – – 22,352 York West Lib CCF 10,720 42.05% 1,308 5.13% 53.77% 9,412 10,720 5,364 – – – – 25,496 Beaches Con PC 6,926 43.75% 42 0.27% 59.02% 6,926 6,884 2,021 – – – – 15,831 Bellwoods* Lib Lab 4,312 30.37% 526 3.70% 53.58% 3,786 2,681 3,420 4,312 – – – 14,199 Bracondale Lib CCF 4,681 38.56% 286 2.36% 49.88% 4,395 4,681 2,765 – – – 298 12,139 Dovercourt Con PC 7,265 43.47% 2,002 11.98% 49.39% 7,265 5,263 2,618 – – – 1,566 16,712 Eglinton Lib PC 13,832 50.23% 6,887 25.01% 59.15% 13,832 6,759 6,945 – – – – 27,536 High Park* Con PC 7,953 41.83% 466 2.45% 59.33% 7,953 7,487 3,422 – – – 149 19,011 Parkdale Con PC 9,256 44.58% 2,086 10.05% 55.22% 9,256 7,170 4,339 – – – – 20,765 Riverdale Con CCF 7,640 44.15% 218 1.26% 49.15% 7,422 7,640 2,244 – – – – 17,306 St. Andrew Lib Lab 7,576 53.13% 5,071 35.56% 56.44% 2,505 1,811 2,368 7,576 – – – 14,260 St. David Lib CCF 5,678 41.11% 619 4.48% 55.13% 5,059 5,678 3,074 – – – – 13,811 St. George* Lib PC 7,205 46.81% 2,764 17.96% 49.46% 7,205 4,441 3,316 – 160 – 271 15,393 St. Patrick Lib PC 4,694 43.71% 1,616 15.05% 52.33% 4,694 3,078 2,967 – – – – 10,739 Woodbine Con CCF 8,848 47.92% 1,616 8.75% 54.10% 7,232 8,848 2,385 – – – – 18,465

* - seat was vacant when election called

= open seat = turnout is above provincial average = winning candidate was in previous Legislature = incumbent switched allegiance for the election = incumbency arose from byelection gain = previously incumbent in another riding = other incumbents renominated = previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada = multiple candidates

Analysis + Party candidates in 2nd place Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place TotalPC CCF Lib 8 30 3815 19 3413 2 152 21 1 Total31 10 49 90

+ Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total38 31 20 1 9034 10 40 2 8615 49 25 892 21 2 1 4 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 2 1 1 2 1 1

Seats that changed hands + Elections to the 21st Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1937–1943Party1937Gain from (loss to)1943PCCCFLibLbr-PI-LibL-ProUFO23 (5) 19 1 38– 5 28 1 3463 (19) (28) (2) (1) 1 1 15– 2 2Morrison Mann MacBride (Brantford) had died in office in 1938. Mitchell Hepburn (Elgin) was re-elected as an Independent-Liberal in 1943 1 (1) 1 1Roland Patterson (Grey North) was re-elected as a Liberal, while Douglas Campbell (Kent East) retired from the legislature. 2 (1) (1) –Farquhar Oliver (Grey South) was re-elected as a Liberal. 1 (1) –Total 90 5 (20) – (34) 50 (2) – (2) 1 (1) 1 – 1 – 90

There were 58 seats that changed allegiance in the election.

PC to CCF Fort William Riverdale Woodbine York East York South