# Winnipeg Centre (provincial electoral district)

Winnipeg Centre was a provincial electoral division in Manitoba, Canada. It existed in three separate periods, each time using different electoral systems: 1888-1920 single-member and two-member district using First Past The Post; 1949 to 1953 four-member district using STV; 1959 to 1981 single-member district using First Past The Post.
It was initially created for the 1888 provincial election, and was abolished before the 1920 election when Winnipeg was made into a single ten-member constituency. It was then re-established for the elections of 1949 and 1953, as a four-member constituency. This constituency was eliminated in 1958 and divided into several single-member constituencies, one of which was also called Winnipeg Centre. This single-member constituency lasted until 1981, when it too was eliminated through redistribution.

## Members of the Legislative Assembly
### Original constituency (1888–1920)

Winnipeg Centre was created for the 1888 election, when the city of Winnipeg was granted a third seat. It had previously been represented in the legislature by Winnipeg North and Winnipeg South.
Winnipeg Centre, a single-member constituency, was turned into a two-member dual-ballot district prior to the 1914 election. Electors were allowed to cast two ballots, one for each of the two separate seats, which were called "Winnipeg Centre A" and "Winnipeg Centre B".
The constituency only returned four representatives in its history, all of whom were prominent figures.
Daniel Hunter McMillan was a cabinet minister in Thomas Greenway's government, and later served as the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba from 1911 to 1916.
Thomas Taylor, his successor, had served as Mayor of Winnipeg in the 1890s.
Thomas Herman Johnson was a prominent minister under Tobias Norris.
Fred Dixon was also elected in Winnipeg Centre in 1914. He was notable as the first Labour representative in the legislature. In the elections of 1914 and 1915, he was co-endorsed by the Liberal Party and the Labour Representation Committee. In 1920, running in the new city-wide district he won as a DLP candidate.

#### Winnipeg Centre

| Name | Party | Took office | Left office |
| Daniel Hunter McMillan | Liberal | 1888 | 1900 |
| Thomas Taylor | Conservative | 1900 | 1914 |

#### Winnipeg Centre A

| Name | Party | Took office | Left office |
| Thomas Herman Johnson | Liberal | 1914 | 1922 (1920 district abolished) |

#### Winnipeg Centre B

| Name | Party | Took office | Left office |
| Fred Dixon | Independent | 1914 | 1928 (1920 district abolished) |

### Four-member constituency

The single Winnipeg constituency into three multiple-member districts for the 1949 election: Winnipeg North, Winnipeg Centre and Winnipeg South. All three constituencies elected four members to the legislature, with electors choosing representatives by a single transferable ballot.
The electorate of Winnipeg Centre included supporters of the socialist Cooperative Commonwealth Federation, the Liberal-Progressive and the Progressive Conservative Party. Independent candidate Stephen Juba also won election to the legislature in 1953.

#### Winnipeg Centre (1949–1958)

| Name | Party | Took office | Left office |
| Charles Rhodes Smith | Liberal–Progressive | 1949 | 1952 |
| Paul Bardal | Liberal–Progressive | 1949 | 1953 |
| Jack St. John | Liberal–Progressive | 1953 | 1958 |
| Donovan Swailes | CCF | 1949 | 1958 |
| Gordon Fines | CCF | 1949 | 1953 |
| Hank Scott | PC | 1953 | 1958 |
| Stephen Juba | Independent | 1953 | 1958 |

### Single-member constituency

The single-member electoral division of Winnipeg Centre was created with the 1958 election, after the four-member division of the same name was eliminated.
The constituency was represented by Progressive Conservative James Cowan from 1958 to 1969, and was considered safe for the PC Party. Joseph "Bud" Boyce of the New Democratic Party won it in 1969, and held it until its abolition in 1981. Boyce left the NDP to join the newly formed Progressive Party prior to the 1981 election.

#### Winnipeg Centre (1958–1981)

| Name | Party | Took office | Left office |
| James Cowan | PC | 1958 | 1969 |
| Bud Boyce | NDP | 1969 | 1981 |
| Progressive | Bud Boyce | 1981 | 1981 |

## Election results
### 1888

1888 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Daniel Hunter McMillan | 972 | 67.41 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Gilroy | 470 | 32.59 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 1,442 | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | N/A | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | N/A | – |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1889 by-election

Manitoba provincial by-election, 1889 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Daniel Hunter McMillan | Acclaimed | – | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | N/A | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | N/A | – | – |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1892

1892 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Daniel Hunter McMillan | 1,177 | 68.83 | – |
| | Conservative | John Julius Winram | 533 | 31.17 | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 1,710 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | N/A | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 2,627 | 65.09 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1896

1896 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Daniel Hunter McMillan | Acclaimed | – | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | N/A | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 2,848 | – | – |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1899

1899 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Daniel Hunter McMillan | 1,364 | 52.20 | – |
| | Conservative | A.J. Andrews | 1,249 | 47.80 | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2,613 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | N/A | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 3,923 | 66.61 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1900 by-election

Manitoba provincial by-election, 1900 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Government | Thomas William Taylor | 1,117 | 53.75 | – |
| | Opposition | Robert Muir | 961 | 46.25 | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2,078 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | N/A | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | N/A | – | – |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1903

1903 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas William Taylor | 1,276 | 45.23 | – |
| | Liberal | Dr. John A. McArthur | 1,123 | 39.81 | – |
| | Labour | William Scott | 422 | 14.96 | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2,821 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | N/A | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 3,692 | 76.41 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1907

1907 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas William Taylor | 2,314 | 53.06 | 7.83 |
| | Liberal | John Adolphus MacArthur | 2,047 | 46.94 | 7.13 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,361 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | N/A | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 5,247 | 83.11 | 6.71 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1910

1910 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas William Taylor | 2,017 | 49.80 | -3.26 |
| | Labour | Fred Dixon | 1,934 | 47.75 | – |
| | Socialist | William S. Cummings | 99 | 2.44 | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,050 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | N/A | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 5,302 | 76.39 | -6.73 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1914
#### Winnipeg Centre A

1914 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Thomas Herman Johnson | 7,998 | 50.31 |
| | Conservative | A.J. Andrews | 6,948 | 43.70 |
| | Labour | William H. "Bill" Hoop | 953 | 5.99 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 15,899 | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | N/A | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 18,501 | 85.94 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

#### Winnipeg Centre B

1914 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Fred Dixon | 8,205 | 51.85 |
| | Conservative | Frederick Joseph Gustin McArthur | 6,692 | 42.29 |
| | Labour | George Armstrong | 928 | 5.86 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 15,825 | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | N/A | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 18,501 | 85.54 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1915
#### Winnipeg Centre A

1915 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Herman Johnson | 6,623 | 74.20 | 23.89 |
| | Conservative | Andrew James Norquay | 2,303 | 25.80 | -17.90 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 8,926 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | N/A | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 13,373 | 66.75 | -19.19 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

#### Winnipeg Centre B

1915 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Fred Dixon | 6,443 | 69.32 | 17.47 |
| | Conservative | Hannes Marino Hannesson | 2,048 | 22.03 | -20.25 |
| | Labour | George Armstrong | 804 | 8.65 | 2.79 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 9,295 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | N/A | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 13,373 | 69.51 | -16.03 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1949

1949 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal–Progressive | Charles Rhodes Smith | 5,140 | 19.37 | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Donovan Swailes | 5,025 | 18.94 | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Gordon Fines | 4,321 | 16.29 | – |
| | Liberal–Progressive | Paul Bardal | 3,538 | 13.34 | – |
| | Progressive Conservative | Hank Scott | 3,373 | 12.71 | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Mrs. Ina Thompson | 1,741 | 6.56 | – |
| | Labor–Progressive | John McNeil | 1,392 | 5.25 | – |
| | Independent Liberal | Stephen Juba | 1,155 | 4.35 | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 25,685 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | 220 | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 50,339 | 51.46 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1953

1953 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal–Progressive | Jack St. John | 5,119 | 19.43 | -13.28 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Donovan Swailes | 4,204 | 15.96 | -25.83 |
| | Independent | Stephen Juba | 4,172 | 15.84 | 11.49 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Hank Scott | 3,108 | 11.80 | -0.91 |
| | Independent | Lewis Stubbs | 2,556 | 9.70 | – |
| | Liberal–Progressive | Anne Ethel "Nan" Murphy | 1,991 | 7.56 | -25.15 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Gordon Fines | 1,339 | 5.08 | -36.71 |
| | Social Credit | Percival W. Brown | 1,132 | 4.30 | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 23,621 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | 406 | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 47,122 | 50.99 | -0.47 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1958

1958 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | James Cowan | 3,462 | 55.61 | 43.81 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | Paul W. Goodman | 1,623 | 26.07 | -0.92 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | David Adrian Mulligan | 1,141 | 18.33 | -2.72 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 6,226 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | 58 | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 13,730 | 45.77 | -5.22 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1959

1959 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | James Cowan | 3,712 | 55.84 | 0.23 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Fred Paulley | 1,474 | 22.17 | 3.85 |
| | Liberal–Progressive | John Gurzon Harvey | 1,462 | 21.99 | -4.08 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 6,648 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | 63 | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 13,424 | 49.99 | 4.22 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1962

1962 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | James Cowan | 2,779 | 50.72 | -5.12 |
| | Liberal | Francis Bastin "Frank" Lamont | 1,684 | 30.74 | – |
| | New Democratic | Donovan Swailes | 1,016 | 18.54 | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 5,479 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | 110 | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 11,282 | 49.54 | -0.45 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1966

1966 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | James Cowan | 2,982 | 47.09 | -3.63 |
| | Liberal | Ross White | 1,917 | 30.27 | -0.47 |
| | New Democratic | Donald Malinowski | 1,434 | 22.64 | 4.10 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 6,333 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | 28 | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 12,366 | 51.44 | 1.90 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1969

1969 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Bud Boyce | 2,398 | 51.34 | 28.69 |
| | Progressive Conservative | James Cowan | 1,451 | 31.06 | -16.02 |
| | Liberal | Joseph Wapemoose | 822 | 17.60 | -12.67 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,671 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | 66 | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 9,418 | 50.30 | -1.14 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1973

1973 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Bud Boyce | 3,010 | 53.12 | 1.79 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Robert Wilson | 1,520 | 26.83 | -4.24 |
| | Liberal | Ken Arenson | 1,092 | 19.27 | 1.67 |
| | Social Credit | Ed Storozuk | 44 | 0.78 | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 5,666 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | 55 | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 8,343 | 68.57 | 18.28 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||

### 1977

1977 Manitoba general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Bud Boyce | 2,217 | 48.93 | -4.19 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Philip S. Lee | 1,587 | 35.03 | 8.20 |
| | Liberal | Ken Wong | 727 | 16.05 | -3.23 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,531 | – | – |
| Rejected | Rejected | Rejected | 6 | – |
| Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | Eligible voters / Turnout | 7,843 | 57.85 | -10.72 |
| Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. |||||||