Edwin Hansford
Encyclopedia
Edwin A. Hansford was a politician in Manitoba
, Canada
, and served as leader of that province's Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
between 1948 and 1952.
Hansford was born in the Annapolis Valley
region of Nova Scotia
. He served overseas in World War I
for four-and-a-half years, and subsequently worked for Canadian National Railways.
Hansford ran as a candidate of the Independent Labour Party
in the federal riding of St. Boniface, Manitoba
in the 1930 federal election
, but was defeated. Five years later, he was again defeated as a candidate of the CCF
(successor party to the ILP in Manitoba). Hansford was more successful in municipal politics — he became a St. Boniface alderman in 1932, and served until 1945.
Hansford was also a member of the provincial CCF executive, although his first attempt to enter provincial politics was unsuccessful. The CCF had joined Premier John Bracken
's coalition ministry in 1940, but was subsequently marginalized by the Liberal
-Conservative
alliance that dominated the government. Demoralized, the party won only three seats members in the 1941 election
. Running in provincial St. Boniface riding, Hansford was defeated by almost 1000 votes.
In 1943, the CCF left the coalition and was enjoying a higher level of popular support. The party posed a credible threat to the Liberal-Conservative coalition in the election of 1945
, and while the overall results were disappointing (only ten Members of the Legislative Assembly
(MLAs) elected out of 57 seats), Hansford was able to carry St. Boniface by more than 2000 votes over his nearest opponent.
Seymour J. Farmer
resigned as party leader in 1947. The following year, Hansford was elected unopposed to replace him. He was the first leader of Manitoba's "parliamentary left" from outside of the City of Winnipeg proper.
The late 1940s were a period of decline for most left-wing groups within Canada, and the Manitoba CCF did not escape this pattern. The party was particularly plagued by divisions over cooperation with the province's Communists. The party leadership was universally against such cooperation, but many rank-and-file members (and some MLAs) supported it. The result was that the party was viewed with suspicion by both "centre-left" voters and more committed leftists. Hansford himself was not regarded as a strong leader, often being upstaged by MLAs Donovan Swailes
and Lloyd Stinson
.
Prior to the election of 1949
, Hansford publicly rebuked two members of his caucus (Wilbert Doneleyko
and Berry Richards) who had condemned international negotiations for what became the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. This resulted in a backlash from the left wing of the CCF, which generally opposed the foreign policies of American President Harry Truman.
The CCF ran only 26 candidates in the election of 1949, and won seven seats. Hansford was re-elected in St. Boniface, but finished a discouraging second in what was now a two-member riding
(members elected by preferential balloting). He resigned as party leader in 1952, and did not seek re-election in 1953. He subsequently returned to municipal politics.
Hansford died in 1959.
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...
, and served as leader of that province's Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation , known informally as the Manitoba CCF, was a provincial branch of the national Canadian party by the same name. The national CCF was the dominant social-democratic party in Canada from the 1930s to the early 1960s, when it merged with the labour movement...
between 1948 and 1952.
Hansford was born in the Annapolis Valley
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...
region of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. He served overseas in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
for four-and-a-half years, and subsequently worked for Canadian National Railways.
Hansford ran as a candidate of the Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party (in Manitoba) (II)
Prior to 1920, there were a number of groups in Winnipeg which called themselves the "Independent Labour Party". For information on these groups, see Independent Labour Party ....
in the federal riding of St. Boniface, Manitoba
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...
in the 1930 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1930
The Canadian federal election of 1930 was held on July 28, 1930 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 17th Parliament of Canada...
, but was defeated. Five years later, he was again defeated as a candidate of the CCF
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
(successor party to the ILP in Manitoba). Hansford was more successful in municipal politics — he became a St. Boniface alderman in 1932, and served until 1945.
Hansford was also a member of the provincial CCF executive, although his first attempt to enter provincial politics was unsuccessful. The CCF had joined Premier John Bracken
John Bracken
John Bracken, PC was an agronomist, the 11th Premier of Manitoba and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ....
's coalition ministry in 1940, but was subsequently marginalized by the Liberal
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 :...
-Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
alliance that dominated the government. Demoralized, the party won only three seats members in the 1941 election
Manitoba general election, 1941
Manitoba's general election of April 22, 1941 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was held shortly after the formation of a coalition government in December 1940...
. Running in provincial St. Boniface riding, Hansford was defeated by almost 1000 votes.
In 1943, the CCF left the coalition and was enjoying a higher level of popular support. The party posed a credible threat to the Liberal-Conservative coalition in the election of 1945
Manitoba general election, 1945
Manitoba's general election of October 15, 1945 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The 1945 provincial election was extremely different from the previous election, which was held in 1941...
, and while the overall results were disappointing (only ten Members of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
(MLAs) elected out of 57 seats), Hansford was able to carry St. Boniface by more than 2000 votes over his nearest opponent.
Seymour J. Farmer
Seymour J. Farmer
Seymour James Farmer was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as the 30th mayor of Winnipeg from 1923 to 1924, and was later the leader of the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from 1935 to 1947. In the latter capacity, he became the first socialist politician in Canada to...
resigned as party leader in 1947. The following year, Hansford was elected unopposed to replace him. He was the first leader of Manitoba's "parliamentary left" from outside of the City of Winnipeg proper.
The late 1940s were a period of decline for most left-wing groups within Canada, and the Manitoba CCF did not escape this pattern. The party was particularly plagued by divisions over cooperation with the province's Communists. The party leadership was universally against such cooperation, but many rank-and-file members (and some MLAs) supported it. The result was that the party was viewed with suspicion by both "centre-left" voters and more committed leftists. Hansford himself was not regarded as a strong leader, often being upstaged by MLAs Donovan Swailes
Donovan Swailes
Donovan Swailes was a politician and musician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as a member of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation from 1945 to 1959....
and Lloyd Stinson
Lloyd Stinson
Lloyd Stinson was a politician in Manitoba, Canada, and the leader of that province's Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from 1953 to 1959. Although widely regarded as a capable leader, he was unable to achieve a major electoral breakthrough for his party.Stinson was born in Treherne,...
.
Prior to the election of 1949
Manitoba general election, 1949
Manitoba's general election of November 10, 1949 was held 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...
, Hansford publicly rebuked two members of his caucus (Wilbert Doneleyko
Wilbert Doneleyko
Wilbert Doneleyko is a former politician in Manitoba, Canada. Born in Rossburn, Manitoba, he served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1945 to 1949.-References:...
and Berry Richards) who had condemned international negotiations for what became the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. This resulted in a backlash from the left wing of the CCF, which generally opposed the foreign policies of American President Harry Truman.
The CCF ran only 26 candidates in the election of 1949, and won seven seats. Hansford was re-elected in St. Boniface, but finished a discouraging second in what was now a two-member riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
(members elected by preferential balloting). He resigned as party leader in 1952, and did not seek re-election in 1953. He subsequently returned to municipal politics.
Hansford died in 1959.