# 1949 Manitoba general election

The 1949 Manitoba general election was held on November 10, 1949, to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.
This election pitted the province's coalition government, made up of the Liberal-Progressive Party and the Progressive Conservative Party, against a variety of opponents.
The social democratic Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) was the coalition's primary challenger, while the communist Labour Progressive Party and an assortment of independent candidates also challenged the coalition in some constituencies.
Liberal-Progressive and Progressive Conservative candidates ran against each other in some ridings, generally where no anti-coalition candidates had a serious chance of winning.
The result was a landslide victory for the coalition. Premier Douglas Campbell's Liberal-Progressives remained the dominant party in government, increasing their caucus to thirty-one seats out of fifty-seven—enough to form a majority government even without assistance from other parties. One of these candidates was elected simply as a "Liberal", but sat as a full member of the Liberal-Progressive caucus.
The Progressive Conservative Party, led by Errick Willis, remained the junior partner in government, falling to nine seats from thirteen in the previous election. Five independent "Conservative" or "Progressive Conservative" candidates were also elected, with all but one opposing the coalition government. These results provoked serious debate in the Progressive Conservative Party about the wisdom of staying with the coalition.
The CCF under Edwin Hansford fell to seven seats, down from nine in the previous election. Bill Kardash of the LPP retained his seat in north-end Winnipeg. Three pro-coalition independents were also elected, as was Edmond Prefontaine, an independent Liberal opposing the coalition.
The Social Credit League did not contest the election, having fallen into a state of internal disorganization.
Winnipeg had 12 seats filled through Single Transferable Voting, with four members elected in each of three Winnipeg districts. St. Boniface had two seats filled through STV.
The other districts elected one MLA each through Alternative Voting, where a candidate had to have majority of the votes to be elected. In Iberville, Morris and Rhineland, where no candidate had the majority in the First Count, only the First Count totals are shown - the final vote count and the intermediate counts are not. In all three cases, the leader in the first count was elected. Instant runoff voting thus made no change to who would have been elected versus who would have been elected under First past the post.

## Results

Manitoba general election (November 10, 1949) :
| Party | Party | Leader | First-preference votes | First-preference votes | First-preference votes | Seats | Seats | Seats | Seats |
| Party | Party | Leader | Votes | % FPv | ± (pp) | Cand. | 1941 | Elected | Change |
| | Coalition candidates | Coalition candidates | Coalition candidates | Coalition candidates | Coalition candidates | Coalition candidates | Coalition candidates | Coalition candidates | Coalition candidates |
| | █ Liberal–Progressive | Douglas Campbell | 75,291 | 38.2 | 6.0 | 44 | 25 | 30 | 5 |
| | █ Progressive Conservative | Errick Willis | 23,410 | 11.9 | 4.0 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 4 |
| | █ Independent | | 7,452 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| | █ Liberal | | 4,311 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 |
| | █ Independent Liberal-Progressive | | 2,625 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 1 | – | – | – |
| | █ Independent-Liberal | | 1,015 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1 | – | – | – |
| | █ Social Credit | | – | – | 1.3 | – | 2 | – | 2 |
| | Anti-Coalition candidates | Anti-Coalition candidates | Anti-Coalition candidates | Anti-Coalition candidates | Anti-Coalition candidates | Anti-Coalition candidates | Anti-Coalition candidates | Anti-Coalition candidates | Anti-Coalition candidates |
| | █ Co-operative Commonwealth | Seymour Farmer | 49,933 | 25.3 | 8.5 | 25 | 9 | 7 | 2 |
| | █ Progressive Conservative | | 9,696 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4 | – | 3 | 3 |
| | █ Independent | | 6,892 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 4 | 1 | – | 1 |
| | █ Labor–Progressive | | 5,243 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| | █ Independent-PC | | 5,044 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2 | – | 1 | 1 |
| | █ Independent-Liberal | | 4,094 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 3 | – | – | – |
| | █ Independent-CCF | | 1,171 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 1 | 1 | – | 1 |
| | █ Independent Liberal-Progressive | | 860 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 |
| | █ Independent Labour | | 99 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – |
| | █ Social Credit | | – | – | 0.7 | – | – | – | – |
| | █ Socialist | | – | – | 0.1 | – | – | – | – |
| Valid | Valid | Valid | 197,136 | 100.0 | – | 111 | 55 | 57 | 2 |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | 2,540 | | | | | | |
| Total votes cast | Total votes cast | Total votes cast | 199,676 | | | | | | |
| Registered voters/Turnout | Registered voters/Turnout | Registered voters/Turnout | 369,644 | 54.0 | | | | | |
* ↑ Excludes constituencies where candidates returned by acclamation

### Results by riding

Bold names indicate members returned by acclamation. Italicized names indicate Anti-Coalition candidates returned. Incumbents are marked with *.
* 1 2 3 4 Elected in 1945 as a Coalition candidate
* 1 2 3 4 5 New single-member ridings arising from redistribution
* ↑ Previously MLA for Deloraine
* ↑ Elected in 1945 under the CCF banner
* 1 2 Elected in byelection
* ↑ Previously MLA for Springfield
* ↑ Previously MLA for Manitou
* ↑ Previously MLA for Kildonan & St. Andrews

### Multi-member constituencies

MLAs returned by party (multi-member constituencies) :
| Party | Party | St. Boniface | Winnipeg Centre | Winnipeg North | Winnipeg South |
| | Liberal–Progressive | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| | Labor–Progressive | | | 1 | |
| | Independent-PC | | | | 1 |
| Total | Total | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 |

#### St. Boniface

St. Boniface :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | Joseph Van Belleghem (Coalition) | 26.77 | 3,936 | 4,055 | 5,906 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | (incumbent)Edwin Hansford | 26.56 | 3,905 | 4,897 | 5,206 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Paul Marion (Anti-Coalition) | 18.57 | 2,730 | 2,836 | 3,105 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | G.P. Shearer (Coalition) | 18.01 | 2,647 | 2,681 | |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | E.R. Gagnon | 10.09 | 1,483 | | |
| Electorate: 29,981 Valid: 14,701 Spoilt: 237 Quota: 4,901 Turnout: 14,938 (49.82%) |||||||
St. Boniface (analysis of transferred votes, ranked in order of 1st preference votes) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Maximum round | Maximum votes | Share in maximum round | Maximum votes First round votesTransfer votes |
| | Liberal-Progressive | Joseph Van Belleghem | 3 | 5,906 | 41.54% | ​​ |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Edwin Hansford | 3 | 5,206 | 36.62% | ​​ |
| | Progressive Conservative | Paul Marion | 3 | 3,105 | 21.84% | ​​ |
| | Liberal-Progressive | G.P. Shearer | 2 | 2,681 | 18.53% | ​​ |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | E.R. Gagnon | 1 | 1,483 | 10.09% | ​​ |
| Exhausted votes | Exhausted votes | Exhausted votes | Exhausted votes | 484 | 3.29% | ​​ |

#### Winnipeg Centre

Four to be elected.
Winnipeg Centre :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | (incumbent)Charles Rhodes Smith (Coalition) | 25.01 | 5,140 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | (incumbent)Donovan Swailes | 24.45 | 5,025 | 5,025 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Hank Scott (Coalition) | 11.40 | 2,338 | 2,529 | 2,559 | 2,681 | 2,965 | 3,122 | 3,258 | 3,378 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Gordon Fines | 10.48 | 2,149 | 2,170 | 2,749 | 2,784 | 2,871 | 3,225 | 4,321 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | Paul Bardal (Coalition) | 8.97 | 1,839 | 2,448 | 2,478 | 2,903 | 3,193 | 3,279 | 3,444 | 3,578 |
| | Labor–Progressive | John McNeil | 5.91 | 1,211 | 1,230 | 1,256 | 1,286 | 1,392 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Ina Thompson | 5.45 | 1,117 | 1,146 | 1,366 | 1,396 | 1,491 | 1,741 |
| | Independent Liberal | Stephen Juba (Coalition) | 4.95 | 1,015 | 1,065 | 1,078 | 1,155 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | J.H. Walker (Coalition) | 3.27 | 621 | 830 | 845 |
| Electorate: 50,339 Valid: 20,555 Spoilt: 220 Quota: 4,112 Turnout: 20,775 (41.27%) ||||||||||||
Winnipeg Centre (analysis of transferred votes, ranked in order of 1st preference votes) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Maximum round | Maximum votes | Share in maximum round | Maximum votes First round votesTransfer votes |
| | Liberal-Progressive | Charles Rhodes Smith | 1 | 5,140 | 25.01% | ​​ |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Donovan Swailes | 1 | 5,025 | 24.45% | ​​ |
| | Progressive Conservative | Hank Scott | 8 | 3,378 | 17.51% | ​​ |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Gordon Fines | 7 | 4,321 | 22.45% | ​​ |
| | Liberal-Progressive | Paul Bardal | 8 | 3,578 | 18.55% | ​​ |
| | Labor-Progressive | John McNeil | 5 | 1,392 | 6.91% | ​​ |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Ina Thompson | 6 | 1,741 | 8.89% | ​​ |
| | Independent Liberal | Stephen Juba | 4 | 1,155 | 5.65% | ​​ |
| | Liberal-Progressive | J.H. Walker | 3 | 845 | 4.11% | ​​ |
| Exhausted votes | Exhausted votes | Exhausted votes | Exhausted votes | 1,263 | 6.14% | ​​ |

#### Winnipeg North

Winnipeg North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | (incumbent)Morris Gray | 27.33 | 6,718 |
| | Labor–Progressive | (incumbent)Bill Kardash | 16.40 | 4,032 | 4,199 | 4,219 | 4,240 | 4,772 | 4,804 | 4,862 | 5,204 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | Frank Chester (Coalition) | 14.85 | 3,649 | 3,714 | 3,923 | 4,035 | 4,107 | 4,501 | 4,824 | 5,660 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | John Hawryluk | 7.88 | 1,938 | 2,569 | 2,616 | 2,678 | 3,497 | 3,700 | 4,316 | 4,485 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | John M. Kozoriz (Coalition) | 7.33 | 1,804 | 1,818 | 1,868 | 1,914 | 1,935 | 2,110 | 2,681 | 2,809 |
| | Independent Liberal-Progressive | (incumbent)William Scraba (Coalition) | 6.81 | 1,673 | 1,697 | 1,718 | 1,810 | 1,827 | 2,046 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | Abe Simkin (Coalition) | 6.54 | 1,607 | 2,139 | 2,227 | 2,243 | 2,270 | 2,351 | 2,411 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Stan Carrick (Coalition) | 4.58 | 1,126 | 1,149 | 1,211 | 1,369 | 1,384 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Herman Shaak | 3.12 | 767 | 1,100 | 1,116 | 1,131 |
| | Independent | Jerdry Wach (Coalition) | 2.63 | 646 | 651 | 671 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | Donald Callis | 2.12 | 521 | 533 |
| | Independent Labour | A.J. Yallits | 0.40 | 99 | 104 |
| Electorate: 46,649 Valid: 24,580 Spoilt: 329 Quota: 4,917 Turnout: 24,909 (53.39%) ||||||||||||
Winnipeg North (analysis of transferred votes, ranked in order of 1st preference votes) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Maximum round | Maximum votes | Share in maximum round | Maximum votes First round votesTransfer votes |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Morris Gray | 1 | 6,718 | 27.33% | ​​ |
| | Labor-Progressive | Bill Kardash | 8 | 5,204 | 22.55% | ​​ |
| | Liberal-Progressive | Frank Chester | 8 | 5,660 | 24.53% | ​​ |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | John Hawryluk | 8 | 4,485 | 19.44% | ​​ |
| | Liberal-Progressive | John M. Kozoriz | 8 | 2,809 | 12.17% | ​​ |
| | Independent Liberal-Progressive | William Scraba | 4 | 2,046 | 8.38% | ​​ |
| | Liberal-Progressive | Abe Simkin | 7 | 2,411 | 10.04% | ​​ |
| | Progressive Conservative | Stan Carrick | 5 | 1,384 | 5.61% | ​​ |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Herman Shaak | 4 | 1,131 | 4.65% | ​​ |
| | Independent | Jerdry Wach | 3 | 671 | 2.74% | ​​ |
| | Liberal-Progressive | Donald Callis | 2 | 533 | 2.17% | ​​ |
| | Independent Labour | A.J. Yallits | 2 | 104 | 0.42% | ​​ |
| Exhausted votes | Exhausted votes | Exhausted votes | Exhausted votes | 1,505 | 6.12% | ​​ |

#### Winnipeg South

4 to be elected. Quota was 5522.
Winnipeg South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | (incumbent)John McDiarmid (Coalition) | 23.42 | 6,466 | 5522 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | (incumbent)Lloyd Stinson | 22.99 | 6,346 | 6,346 | 5522 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | (incumbent)Ronald Turner (Coalition) | 20.02 | 5,526 | 5,526 | 5,526 | 5,526 | 5,526 |
| | Independent Progressive Conservative | Dufferin Roblin (Anti-Coalition) | 12.47 | 3,443 | 3,572 | 3,767 | 4,601 | 5,557 |
| | Independent | C.F. Green (Anti-Coalition) | 8.51 | 2,349 | 2,444 | 2,833 | 3,151 | 3,959 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | J. Gurzon Harvey (Coalition) | 6.30 | 1,739 | 2,320 | 2,447 | 3,003 |
| | Progressive Conservative | (incumbent)Alex Stringer (Coalition) | 6.30 | 1,738 | 1,877 | 1,990 |
| Electorate: 53,742 Valid: 27,607 Spoilt: 155 Quota: 5,522 Turnout: 27,762 (51.7%) |||||||||
Winnipeg South (analysis of transferred votes, ranked in order of 1st preference votes) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Maximum round | Maximum votes | Share in maximum round | Maximum votes First round votesTransfer votes |
| | Liberal-Progressive | John McDiarmid | 1 | 6,466 | 23.42% | ​​ |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Lloyd Stinson | 1 | 6,346 | 22.99% | ​​ |
| | Liberal-Progressive | Ronald Turner | 1 | 5,526 | 20.02% | ​​ |
| | Independent Progressive Conservative | Dufferin Roblin | 5 | 5,557 | 21.30% | ​​ |
| | Independent | C.F. Green | 5 | 3,959 | 15.18% | ​​ |
| | Liberal-Progressive | J. Gurzon Harvey | 4 | 3,003 | 10.99% | ​​ |
| | Progressive Conservative | Alex Stringer | 3 | 1,990 | 7.21% | ​​ |
| Exhausted votes | Exhausted votes | Exhausted votes | Exhausted votes | 1,521 | 5.51% | ​​ |

## Post-election changes

On August 15, 1950, Progressive Conservative leader Errick Willis resigned his seat in cabinet. The party formally left the coalition later in the summer, and John McDowell, Hugh Morrison and Dufferin Roblin joined the party caucus.
Some Progressive Conservative MLAs opposed their party's decision, and chose to remain with the coalition side. Charles Greenlay and Wallace C. Miller chose to remain in cabinet, while James Argue and Joseph Donaldson sat as pro-coalition independents. Argue rejoined the Progressive Conservatives in 1953, while Donaldson resigned his seat. Thomas Seens did not initially support the party's decision to leave the coalition, but sat with the Progressive Conservatives in the legislature.
Ronald Robertson and Edmond Prefontaine rejoined the Liberal-Progressives, while independents Rod Clement and Walter Weir also remained on the government side. Harry Shewman appears to have sided with the opposition.
St. Andrews (dec. James McLenaghen, June 23, 1950), October 24, 1950:
* Thomas P. Hillhouse (LP) 2366
* William Earl Gordon (CCF) 1513
* Veitch (PC) 1187
St. Clements (dec. Nicholas Stryk, 1950), October 24, 1950:
* Albert Trapp (LP) 2729
* Wasylyk (CCF) 560
* Andrew Bileski (LPP) 254
Brandon City (res. Joseph Donaldson, April 18, 1951), January 21, 1952:
* Reginald Lissaman (PC) 3223
* Alex McPhail (LP) 2233
* Spafford (CCF) 1305
La Verendrye (dec. Sauveur Marcoux, November 16, 1951), January 21, 1952:
* Edmond Brodeur (LP) 2334
* Arpin (PC) 1363
Winnipeg South (res. Charles Rhodes Smith, 1952)
St. Clements (dec. Albert Trapp, January 9, 1953)
Cypress (dec. James Christie, January 19, 1953)
Virden (dec. Robert Mooney, January 30, 1953)
Ste. Rose (dec. Maurice MacCarthy, June 8, 1953)