John Horne Blackmore
Encyclopedia
John Horne Blackmore a school teacher and principal by training, was the first leader of what became the Social Credit Party of Canada
, a political party in Canada
that promoted the social credit
theories of monetary reform.
Blackmore was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1935 election
as Member of Parliament
representing Lethbridge
, Alberta
for the fledgling Social Credit movement which had swept to power in Alberta in the 1935 Alberta provincial election
weeks earlier. He was chosen the party's parliamentary leader. In 1939 Social Credit merged into William Herridge's New Democracy
movement with Herridge acknowledged as the new party's leader. However, Herridge failed to win a seat in the 1940 federal election
and in the subsequent parliament Blackmore led the New Democracy MPs, all former Social Crediters, who had been elected.
Blackmore remained party leader until 1944 when Social Credit held its first national convention and acclaimed Solon Earl Low
as leader. He remained an MP until he was defeated in the 1958 election
in which Social Credit lost all of its MPs.
Blackmore was the first Mormon
to be elected to the Canadian House of Commons and was excommunicated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1947 for "teaching and advocating the doctrine of plural marriage" at secret meetings in southern Alberta. At such meetings, men debated whether Mormon leaders were wrong to have renounced Joseph Smith
's revelation regarding polygamy
. Though not a polygamist himself, Blackmore urged Parliament to repeal the anti-polygamy law and succeeded in removing specific references to Mormons in the law. His nephew, Winston Blackmore
, is the leader of Canada's largest polygamist group and was charged by the RCMP with polygamy in 2009. He is currently challenging the law's constitutionality.
John Horne Blackmore was criticized for his views on Jews and it was said he "frequently gave public aid and comfort to anti-Semitism" along with his successor as national Social Credit leader, Solon Low. In 1953, it was reported that Blackmore was distributing the anti-Semitic Protocols of the Elders of Zion from his parliamentary office.
Social Credit Party of Canada
The Social Credit Party of Canada was a conservative-populist political party in Canada that promoted social credit theories of monetary reform...
, a political party in 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...
that promoted the social credit
Social Credit
Social Credit is an economic philosophy developed by C. H. Douglas , a British engineer, who wrote a book by that name in 1924. Social Credit is described by Douglas as "the policy of a philosophy"; he called his philosophy "practical Christianity"...
theories of monetary reform.
Blackmore was first elected to 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 1935 election
Canadian federal election, 1935
The Canadian federal election of 1935 was held on October 14, 1935 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 18th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of William Lyon Mackenzie King won a majority government, defeating Prime Minister R.B. Bennett's Conservative Party.The central...
as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
representing Lethbridge
Lethbridge
Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
for the fledgling Social Credit movement which had swept to power in Alberta in the 1935 Alberta provincial election
Alberta general election, 1935
The Alberta general election of 1935 was the eighth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 22, 1935 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
weeks earlier. He was chosen the party's parliamentary leader. In 1939 Social Credit merged into William Herridge's New Democracy
New Democracy (Canada)
New Democracy was a political party in Canada founded by William Duncan Herridge in 1939. Herridge, a former Conservative party adviser who was Canada's Envoy to the United States from 1931-35 during the government of R. B. Bennett....
movement with Herridge acknowledged as the new party's leader. However, Herridge failed to win a seat in the 1940 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1940
The Canadian federal election of 1940 was the 19th general election in Canadian history. It was held March 26, 1940 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 19th Parliament of Canada...
and in the subsequent parliament Blackmore led the New Democracy MPs, all former Social Crediters, who had been elected.
Blackmore remained party leader until 1944 when Social Credit held its first national convention and acclaimed Solon Earl Low
Solon Earl Low
Solon Earl Low was a Canadian politician in the 20th century.Low was born in Cardston, Alberta, and was a farmer, school teacher and school principal. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1935 provincial that swept the Social Credit Party of Alberta to power...
as leader. He remained an MP until he was defeated in the 1958 election
Canadian federal election, 1958
The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the 23rd election...
in which Social Credit lost all of its MPs.
Blackmore was the first Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
to be elected to the Canadian House of Commons and was excommunicated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1947 for "teaching and advocating the doctrine of plural marriage" at secret meetings in southern Alberta. At such meetings, men debated whether Mormon leaders were wrong to have renounced Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith was founder of what later became known as the Latter Day Saint movement or Mormons.Joseph Smith may also refer to:-Latter Day Saints:* Joseph Smith, Sr. , father of Joseph Smith...
's revelation regarding polygamy
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
. Though not a polygamist himself, Blackmore urged Parliament to repeal the anti-polygamy law and succeeded in removing specific references to Mormons in the law. His nephew, Winston Blackmore
Winston Blackmore
Winston Blackmore is the leader of Canada’s largest polygamist group. For two decades, Blackmore was the bishop of the Bountiful, British Columbia group of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , a polygamist community in the Creston Valley. In September 2002, FLDS Church...
, is the leader of Canada's largest polygamist group and was charged by the RCMP with polygamy in 2009. He is currently challenging the law's constitutionality.
John Horne Blackmore was criticized for his views on Jews and it was said he "frequently gave public aid and comfort to anti-Semitism" along with his successor as national Social Credit leader, Solon Low. In 1953, it was reported that Blackmore was distributing the anti-Semitic Protocols of the Elders of Zion from his parliamentary office.