Mervyn Arthur Hardie
Encyclopedia
Mervyn Arthur Hardie was a politician, buisness man and bush pilot from Northwest Territories
, Canada
. He served as a Member of the Northwest Territories Council from 1951 to 1953 and as a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons
from 1953 until his death in 1961.
. He attended post secondary education at Notre Dame College. After finishing college he moved to the Northwest Territories
and established a charter flying service based in Yellowknife. Hardie got his start politics by serving on Yellowknife municipal council from 1948 to 1950.
as part of the first three elected members returned since 1905. He served the Mackenzie North constituency for three years until he vacated it to run for federal politics.
In the 1953 Canadian federal election
he ran in the new Mackenzie River
federal electoral district as the candidate of the Liberal Party of Canada
. Hardie won that election in a close three way race taking just over half the popular vote. His win made him the first Member of Parliament from the Northwest Territories since 1904. He served as a back bench member of the governing Liberal caucus.
Hardie ran for his second term in office in the 1957 Canadian federal election
. He rolled up a very large majority over his Progressive Conservative opponent Harold Parkes. The Progressive Conservatives formed a minority government and Hardie became a very strong member of the official opposition becoming a frequent thorn in the side of the Diefenbaker
government.
The minority government lasted less than a year forcing the 1958 Canadian federal election
. Despite a landslide win for the Progressive Conservatives, Hardie easily retained his seat in a two way race. The results of the Progressive Conservative landslide completely swept the Liberals with the exception of Hardie off the map west of Ontario
.
Hardie passed away on October 18, 1961, vacating his seat in the Commons and was survived by his Isabel Hardie
and four children. On the day of his death Diefenbaker paid tribute to Hardie calling him "a good man who will be remembered for his courage and abiding faith". His seat in the Commons was left vacant until the 1962 federal election
, the Liberals nominated his wife to replace him in the Canadian House of Commons
. She won the newly expanded Northwest Territories
electoral district serving as a Member of Parliament from 1962 until her defeat in 1963.
A Northwest Territories owned vehicle and passenger ferry was named in his honor, it is known as the M.V. Merv Hardie ferry and operates at the Fort Providence McKenzie River crossing.
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
, 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 as a Member of the Northwest Territories Council from 1951 to 1953 and as a Member of Parliament in 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...
from 1953 until his death in 1961.
Early life
Hardie was born in Regina, SaskatchewanRegina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
. He attended post secondary education at Notre Dame College. After finishing college he moved to the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
and established a charter flying service based in Yellowknife. Hardie got his start politics by serving on Yellowknife municipal council from 1948 to 1950.
Political career
Hardie was elected to the Council of the Northwest Territories in the 1951 Northwest Territories general electionNorthwest Territories general election, 1951
The Northwest Territories General election of 1951 held on September 17, 1951 was the sixth general election in the Northwest Territories, Canada, and the first since the 1902 election...
as part of the first three elected members returned since 1905. He served the Mackenzie North constituency for three years until he vacated it to run for federal politics.
In the 1953 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1953
The Canadian federal election of 1953 was held on August 10 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 22nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Louis St...
he ran in the new Mackenzie River
Mackenzie River (electoral district)
Mackenzie River was a federal electoral district in Northwest Territories, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1953 to 1963.This riding was created in 1952 when Yukon—Mackenzie River riding was split into two...
federal electoral district as the candidate of the Liberal Party of Canada
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...
. Hardie won that election in a close three way race taking just over half the popular vote. His win made him the first Member of Parliament from the Northwest Territories since 1904. He served as a back bench member of the governing Liberal caucus.
Hardie ran for his second term in office in the 1957 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1957
The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to select the 265 members of the House of Commons of Canada. In one of the great upsets in Canadian political history, the Progressive Conservative Party , led by John Diefenbaker, brought an end to 22 years of Liberal rule, as the...
. He rolled up a very large majority over his Progressive Conservative opponent Harold Parkes. The Progressive Conservatives formed a minority government and Hardie became a very strong member of the official opposition becoming a frequent thorn in the side of the Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
government.
The minority government lasted less than a year forcing the 1958 Canadian federal 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...
. Despite a landslide win for the Progressive Conservatives, Hardie easily retained his seat in a two way race. The results of the Progressive Conservative landslide completely swept the Liberals with the exception of Hardie off the map west of Ontario
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....
.
Death
In 1960 Hardie was diagnosed with cancer and took extended leave from the House of Commons. He returned to the Commons after going into remission and served for several months. Hardie soon became ill again and toured his constituency one last time. Upon his return he was admitted to Ottawa Civic Hospital where he was bed ridden for over a month as he underwent a series of chest operations which he did not survive.Hardie passed away on October 18, 1961, vacating his seat in the Commons and was survived by his Isabel Hardie
Isabel Hardie
Isabel J. Tibbie “Tibi” Hardie was an artist, politician and civil servant from Northwest Territories, Canada....
and four children. On the day of his death Diefenbaker paid tribute to Hardie calling him "a good man who will be remembered for his courage and abiding faith". His seat in the Commons was left vacant until the 1962 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1962
The Canadian federal election of 1962 was held on June 18, 1962 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 25th Parliament of Canada...
, the Liberals nominated his wife to replace him in 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...
. She won the newly expanded Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories (electoral district)
Northwest Territories was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1962 to 1979. It was composed of the territory of the Northwest Territories.This riding was created in 1962 from Mackenzie River riding...
electoral district serving as a Member of Parliament from 1962 until her defeat in 1963.
A Northwest Territories owned vehicle and passenger ferry was named in his honor, it is known as the M.V. Merv Hardie ferry and operates at the Fort Providence McKenzie River crossing.