J. Earl McEwen
Encyclopedia
Joseph Earl McEwen was a former politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1975 to 1985.
.
as well as president of the local Progressive Conservative association.
He ran for the Canadian House of Commons
in the federal elections of 1963
and 1965
, as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
in Kingston
. He lost on both occasions to Liberal
candidate Edgar John Benson.
McEwen first campaigned for the Ontario legislature in the 1971 provincial election
. After losing the Progressive Conservative
nomination in Frontenac—Addington
to W.J. Nuttall, he entered the contest as an independent candidate and finished a credible third. McEwen subsequently joined the Ontario Liberal Party
, and defeated Nuttall by 1,415 votes under his new party's banner in the 1975 election
.
He was re-elected by 940 votes in the 1977 election
, and by 340 votes in the 1977 election
. He crossed the floor to join the Progressive Conservative Party in 1984, complaining that the Liberal Party was going nowhere under David Peterson
's leadership. McEwen had been known in the Liberal caucus as a difficult figure, and rarely attended meetings. Some believe he wanted to ensure his own re-election by changing sides. The Progressive Conservatives had planned to nominate Sally Barnes, a prominent aide to Premier
William Davis
, to challenge him in the next election.
Despite languishing in the polls throughout 1984, the Liberals made significant gains in the 1985 provincial election
and formed a minority government
with outside support from the New Democratic Party. McEwen lost the Frontenac—Addington constituency to Liberal candidate Larry South
by 2,387 votes.
described him as a larger-than-life figure in the political culture of eastern Ontario. During his career as a politician, McEwen was known for touring his constituency in a two-door Lincoln, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and smoking a prominent cigar. He often complained that little real work was done in the assembly, and said that he preferred to spend time in his community.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, 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...
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
from 1975 to 1985.
Early life
McEwen was born at Sharbot Lake, and educated in TrentonTrenton, Ontario
Trenton is a community in Southern Ontario in the municipality of Quinte West, Ontario, Canada. Located on the Bay of Quinte, it is the main population centre in Quinte West....
.
Career
He was a veterinarian before entering political life, as well as an active freemason. He also owned a grocery store, and decided to enter politics after the municipal government of Kingston Township denied him permission to salt the street in front of his business. He served as reeve of the community for sixteen years, and was warden of Frontenac CountyFrontenac County, Ontario
Frontenac County, as defined by Statistics Canada, is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario. The City of Kingston is included in the census division, but is politically separated from the County of Frontenac. It has a land...
as well as president of the local Progressive Conservative association.
He ran for the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the federal elections of 1963
Canadian federal election, 1963
The Canadian federal election of 1963 was held on April 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 26th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of the minority Progressive Conservative government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.-Overview:During the Tories' last year in...
and 1965
Canadian federal election, 1965
The Canadian federal election of 1965 was held on November 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 27th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson was re-elected with a larger number of seats in the House...
, as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
in Kingston
Kingston (electoral district)
Kingston was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1925 and from 1953 to 1968. It was located in the province of Ontario. It was created by the British North America Act of 1867, and initially consisted of the city of Kingston, Ontario...
. He lost on both occasions to Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
candidate Edgar John Benson.
McEwen first campaigned for the Ontario legislature in the 1971 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1971
The Ontario general election of 1971 was held on October 21, 1971, to elect the 117 members of the 29th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
. After losing the Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
nomination in Frontenac—Addington
Frontenac—Addington
Frontenac—Addington was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1953. It was located in the province of Ontario...
to W.J. Nuttall, he entered the contest as an independent candidate and finished a credible third. McEwen subsequently joined the Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
, and defeated Nuttall by 1,415 votes under his new party's banner in the 1975 election
Ontario general election, 1975
The Ontario general election of 1975 was held on September 18, 1975, to elect the 125 members of the 30th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
.
He was re-elected by 940 votes in the 1977 election
Ontario general election, 1977
The Ontario general election of 1977 was held on June 9, 1977, to elect the 125 members of the 31st Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, and by 340 votes in the 1977 election
Ontario general election, 1977
The Ontario general election of 1977 was held on June 9, 1977, to elect the 125 members of the 31st Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
. He crossed the floor to join the Progressive Conservative Party in 1984, complaining that the Liberal Party was going nowhere under David Peterson
David Peterson
David Robert Peterson, PC, O.Ont was the 20th Premier of the Province of Ontario, Canada, from June 26, 1985 to October 1, 1990. He was the first Liberal premier of Ontario in 42 years....
's leadership. McEwen had been known in the Liberal caucus as a difficult figure, and rarely attended meetings. Some believe he wanted to ensure his own re-election by changing sides. The Progressive Conservatives had planned to nominate Sally Barnes, a prominent aide to Premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
William Davis
Bill Davis
William Grenville "Bill" Davis, was the 18th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1971 to 1985. Davis was first elected as the MPP for Peel in the 1959 provincial election where he was a backbencher in Leslie Frost's government. Under John Robarts, he was a cabinet minister overseeing the education...
, to challenge him in the next election.
Despite languishing in the polls throughout 1984, the Liberals made significant gains in the 1985 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1985
The Ontario general election of 1985 was held on May 2, 1985, to elect members of the 33rd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada...
and formed a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
with outside support from the New Democratic Party. McEwen lost the Frontenac—Addington constituency to Liberal candidate Larry South
Larry South
Laurence George South is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1985 to 1990....
by 2,387 votes.
Personal life
McEwen died in 2004 at age 94, and the legislature paid tribute to him on December 14 of that year. Bob RuncimanBob Runciman
Robert William "Bob" Runciman is a veteran Canadian politician and former provincial Leader of the Opposition in the Ontario Legislature. First elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1981, he held the seat continuously for Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario for the next 29 years...
described him as a larger-than-life figure in the political culture of eastern Ontario. During his career as a politician, McEwen was known for touring his constituency in a two-door Lincoln, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and smoking a prominent cigar. He often complained that little real work was done in the assembly, and said that he preferred to spend time in his community.