1936 Manitoba general election

The 1936 Manitoba general election was held July 27, 1936 to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. The Liberal-Progressives won minority government in this election, taking 23 seats out of 53 and 35 percent of the vote.

This was the second election in Manitoba after the formation of a Liberal-Progressive alliance in 1932. The Progressive Party, which had governed the province since 1922, forged an alliance with the Liberal Party just prior to the 1932 provincial election to prevent the Conservative Party from winning. This alliance won the 1932 election under Premier John Bracken's leadership, and the two parties had effectively become united by 1936.

The Liberal-Progressives faced opposition from a variety of parties in the 1936 election. The Conservative Party remained the dominant opposition group, and the most serious challenge to the government. On the left, the Independent Labour Party (ILP) formed an alliance with the national Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), and contested the election as the ILP-CCF. The Communist Party also fielded a strong candidate in Winnipeg, while the upstart Social Credit League also ran candidates, hoping to repeat William Aberhart's surprising victory in Alberta the previous year.

Despite economic hardships in the province, Bracken expected that his government would be returned with another majority. He was mistaken. Although the Liberal-Progressives won the election, they could claim only twenty-two seats out of 53 after the initial results were declared. The Conservative party, under its new leader, former federal Member of Parliament (MP) Errick Willis, finished a close second with sixteen. The ILP-CCF won seven seats, while the Social Credit League unexpectedly won five. One independent Liberal was also elected. A number of rural ridings, which had previously supported Liberal-Progressive candidates, shifted to the Conservatives or to Social Credit in this poll.

The greatest surprise of the election occurred in the Winnipeg constituency, which elected ten members via a single transferable ballot. Former judge Lewis Stubbs, an independent leftist, received an astounding 24,805 votes on the first ballot, almost 20,000 more than his nearest competitor. The second-place candidate, moreover, was James Litterick, the first openly declared communist to win election at the state or federal level in North America.

After the election, Bracken attempted to persuade Errick Willis to form a four-year alliance of the Liberal-Progressive and Conservative parties, so as to provide a stable government for the province. Willis rejected the offer the same day, claiming his caucus was unwilling to accept it.

The provincial impasse continued until August 13, when the Social Credit League unexpectedly announced that it would provide support to Bracken's government in the legislature. Social Credit did not formally join with the Liberal-Progressives in a coalition government, but provided critical support to Bracken's minority government for the next four years.

Ironically, Bracken's own constituency of The Pas was the site of one of the two deferred elections. He was re-elected, while a second Independent Liberal was returned in Rupertsland.

Including the Social Credit MLAs, Bracken's government could count on the support of only 28 members out of 55. He was nonetheless able to keep his government intact for four years, and in late 1940 formed a new wartime coalition government with the Conservatives, CCF and Social Credit. This coalition contested the 1941 election, and won a landslide majority.

The Communist Party was not included in this coalition, as it had been declared illegal after the start of World War II. James Litterick was expelled from the legislature in 1940 and went into hiding. He and CPC leader Tim Buck surrendered themselves to police in 1942 and spent time in Don Jail, being released 1942/43. Litterick's whereabouts after the war are unknown. His disappearance has been the cause of speculation in the Canadian left. Some say that he was a spy for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and that he was killed as a traitor during the war by other members of the Communist Party. This has never been verified, however.

Results
Party Party leader # of
candidates		 Seats Popular vote
1932 Elected % Change # % % Change
  Liberal-Progressive John Bracken 55 38 23     35.3%  
     Conservative Errick Willis 55 10 16     27.8%  
  ILP-CCF Seymour Farmer 37 5 7     12.0%  
Social Credit none 19   5     9.0%  
Communist James Litterick 26   1     2.3%  
  Independent 15 2 3        
Total   55 55     100%  
Popular vote
Liberal-Progressive
 
 35.30%
Conservative
 
 27.80%
ILP–CCF
 
 12.00%
Social Credit
 
 9.00%
Communist
 
 2.30%
Others
 
 13.60%
Seats summary
Liberal-Progressive
 
 41.82%
Conservative
 
 29.09%
ILP–CCF
 
 12.73%
Social Credit
 
 9.09%
Communist
 
 1.82%
Others
 
 5.45%
Preceded by
1932 Manitoba election		 List of Manitoba elections Succeeded by
1941 Manitoba election

See also

Results by electoral division

Arthur:

Assiniboia:

First Count

  • James Aiken (ILP-CCF) 2411
  • H.P. McPhail (C) 1998
  • J.L. Morton (LP) 946
  • William Sanders (SC) 560

Sanders was eliminated. Morton was eliminated after the second count with 981 votes.

Third Count

  • James Aiken (ILP-CCF) 2897
  • H.P. McPhail (C) 2327

Beautiful Plains:

First Count

Duffy was eliminated.

Second Count

  • John Poole (C) 1784
  • (x)Adalbert J.M. Poole (LP) 1601

Birtle:

First Count

Cameron was eliminated.

Second Count

  • Francis Campbell Bell (LP) 1477
  • William C. Wroth (C) 1450

Brandon City:

First Count

  • (x)George Dinsdale (C) 2647
  • H.O. McDiarmid (LP) 2042
  • Harry Spafford (ILP-CCF) 1300

Spafford was eliminated.

Second Count

  • (x)George Dinsdale (C) 2974
  • H.O. McDiarmid (LP) 2204

Carillon:

Cypress:

Dauphin:

First Count

Moore was eliminated.

Second Count

  • (x)Robert Hawkins (LP) 1836
  • Ernest N. McGirr (C) 1312

Deloraine:

Dufferin:

Emerson:

First Count

Wachna was eliminated. Podolsky was eliminated after the second count with 1144 votes.

Third Count

  • Herbert Wright (Ind/Liberal) 1654
  • (x)Robert F. Curran (LP) 1634

Ethelbert:

Fairford:

Fisher:

Gilbert Plains:

  • Stanley Fox (SC) 1488
  • Dr. G.D. Shortreed (LP) 752
  • R.J. Dalgleish (C) 700

Gimli:

First Count

  • Joseph Wawrykow (ILP-CCF) 1577
  • B.J. Lifman (LP) 1285
  • Asta Oddson (SC) 1033
  • S.A. Magnacca (C) 129

Magnacca was eliminated. Oddson was eliminated after the second count with 1066 votes.

Third Count

  • Joseph Wawrykow (ILP-CCF) 1800
  • B.J. Lifman (LP) 1539

Gladstone:

Glenwood:

  • (x)James Breakey (LP) 1497
  • E. Guy Hetherington (C) 755
  • J.H. Woods (ILP-CCF) 732

Hamiota:

Iberville:

Kildonan & St. Andrews:

First Count

Wise was eliminated.

Second Count

  • (x)James McLenaghen (C) 2870
  • C.E. Filmore (LP) 2271

Killarney:

Lakeside:

Lansdowne:

First Count

De Gagne was eliminated.

  • Matthew Sutherland (LP) 1573
  • E.D. Alder (C) 1382

Second Count

La Verendrye:

Manitou:

Minnedosa:

First Count

Morton was eliminated.

Second Count

  • (x)Earl J. Rutledge (C) 2734
  • Henry S. Rungay (LP) 2461

Morden and Rhineland:

Morris:

Mountain:

Norfolk:

First Count

Burrows was eliminated.

Second Count

  • John Lawrie (C) 1288
  • (x)John Muirhead (LP) 1206

Portage la Prairie:

Roblin:

First Count

Barber was eliminated.

Second Count

Rockwood:

Rupertsland (deferred to 22 August 1936):

Russell:

St. Boniface:

First Count

  • L.P. Gagnon (LP) 3630
  • (x)Harold Lawrence (ILP-CCF) 3157
  • G.C. McLean (C) 2747
  • J.F. Jodoin (SC) 1730

Jodoin was eliminated. McLean was eliminated after the second count with 2890 votes.

Third Count

St. Clements:

First Count

Bates was eliminated.

Second Count

  • Herbert Sulkers (ILP-CCF) 3819
  • (x)Robert A. Hoey (LP) 3154

St. George:

Ste. Rose:

First Count

Zaplitny was eliminated.

Second Count

  • (x)Maurice Dane MacCarthy (LP) 1592
  • E.S. Everall (C) 1097

Springfield:

First Count

  • Evelyn Shannon (LP) 2442
  • L.J. Pulfer (SC) 1856
  • G.H. Barefoot (ILP-CCF) 1376

Barefoot was eliminated.

Second Count

  • Evelyn Shannon (LP) 2637
  • L.J. Pulfer (SC) 2261

Swan River:

First Count

  • (x)George Renouf (C) 1803
  • D. Baldwin (LP) 1748
  • Fred Holmes (ILP-CCF) 853

Holmes was eliminated.

Second Count

  • (x)George Renouf (C) 1986
  • D. Baldwin (LP) 1974

The Pas (deferred to 26 August 1936):

Turtle Mountain:

Virden:

Winnipeg:

Final seat count: 1 Ind., 1 Comm., 2 Liberals, 3 Cons., 3 ILP.

Names of elected candidates are italicized. (Elected candidates are italicized) Total votes cast: about 79,000 votes Quota: 7214 votes

First Count (Stubbs declared elected)

Second Count (transfer of Stubbs surplus; Litterick and Webb declared elected)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214 (his 17000 surplus votes transferrred away, every other candidate receiving some of his votes)
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7971
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7250
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 5754
  • (x)William Major (LP) 5558
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 5235
  • James Barry (C) 4702
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 4533
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 4471
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 4357
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4313
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 3106
  • Gunnar Thorvaldson (C) 2783
  • Smith (SC) 2502
  • Rice-Jones (LP) 2124
  • (x)William Ivens (ILP-CCF) 2080
  • Paul Bardal (LP) 1489
  • Streuber (SC) 1273
  • Benjamin (SC) 1147
  • B.A. Brigden (ILP-CCF) 978
  • Stewart (ILP-CCF) 504

Third Count (transfer of Litterick's surplus)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7250 (did not receive any of Litterick's surplus as Webb was already elected)
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 5949
  • (x)William Major (LP) 5564
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 5252
  • James Barry (C) 4713
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 4704
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 4485
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 4408
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4338
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 3110
  • Gunnar Thorvaldson (C) 2791
  • Smith (SC) 2536
  • (x)William Ivens (ILP-CCF) 2199
  • Rice-Jones (LP) 2133
  • Paul Bardal (LP) 1498
  • Streuber (SC) 1289
  • Benjamin (SC) 1167
  • B.A. Brigden (ILP-CCF) 1010
  • Stewart (ILP-CCF) 520

Webb's surplus should be transferred next but not done until 13th Count.

Fourth Count (Stewart eliminated, transfer of his votes)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7250
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 6027
  • (x)William Major (LP) 5568
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 5267
  • James Barry (C) 4724
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 4812
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 4490
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 4430
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4346
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 3117
  • Gunnar Thorvaldson (C) 2802
  • Smith (SC) 2564
  • (x)William Ivens (ILP-CCF) 2245
  • Rice-Jones (LP) 2142
  • Paul Bardal (LP) 1503
  • Streuber (SC) 1320
  • Benjamin (SC) 1182
  • B.A. Brigden (ILP-CCF) 1093

Fifth Count (Brigden eliminated, transfer of her votes)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7250
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 6216
  • (x)William Major (LP) 5574
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 5278
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 5250
  • James Barry (C) 4735
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 4562
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 4505
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4385
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 3123
  • Gunnar Thorvaldson (C) 2808
  • Smith (SC) 2576
  • (x)William Ivens (ILP-CCF) 2412
  • Rice-Jones (LP) 2147
  • Paul Bardal (LP) 1513
  • Streuber (SC) 1329
  • Benjamin (SC) 1188

Sixth Count (Benjamin eliminated, transfer of his votes)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7250
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 6264
  • (x)William Major (LP) 5589
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 5338
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 5298
  • James Barry (C) 4747
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 4586
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 4546
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4403
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 3141
  • Smith (SC) 3025
  • Gunnar Thorvaldson (C) 2821
  • (x)William Ivens (ILP-CCF) 2435
  • Rice-Jones (LP) 2157
  • Streuber (SC) 1648
  • Paul Bardal (LP) 1527

Seventh Count (Bardal eliminated, transfer of his votes)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7250
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 6381
  • (x)William Major (LP) 5863
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 5618
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 5408
  • James Barry (C) 4817
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 4607
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 4598
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4511
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 3169
  • Smith (SC) 3045
  • Gunnar Thorvaldson (C) 2925
  • (x)William Ivens (ILP-CCF) 2464
  • Rice-Jones (LP) 2349
  • Streuber (SC) 1673

Eighth Count (Streuber eliminated, transfer of his votes)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7250
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 6476
  • (x)William Major (LP) 5907
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 5642
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 5493
  • James Barry (C) 4867
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 4626
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 4623
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4543
  • Smith (SC) 4024
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 3197
  • Gunnar Thorvaldson (C) 2960
  • (x)William Ivens (ILP-CCF) 2506
  • Rice-Jones (LP) 2375

Ninth Count (Rice-Jones eliminated, transfer of his votes)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214 elected
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214 elected
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7250 elected
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 6596
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 6462
  • (x)William Major (LP) 6457
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 5555
  • James Barry (C) 4964
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 4760
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4696
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 4649
  • Smith (SC) 4063
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 3275
  • Gunnar Thorvaldson (C) 3041
  • (x)William Ivens (ILP-CCF) 2542

Tenth Count (Ivens eliminated, transfer of his votes. Queen declared elected)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214 elected
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214 elected
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7250 elected
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 7386 declared elected
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 6596
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 6519
  • (x)William Major (LP) 6482
  • James Barry (C) 4999
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 4905
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 4803
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4721
  • Smith (SC) 4149
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 3300
  • Gunnar Thorvaldson (C) 3063

Queen's surplus should be transferred next but not done until 14th Count.

Eleventh Count (Thorvaldson eliminated, transfer of his votes)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214 elected
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214 elected
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7250 elected
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 7386 elected
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 6692
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 6650
  • (x)William Major (LP) 6576
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 5507
  • James Barry (C) 5411
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 4947
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4769
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 4577
  • Smith (SC) 4200

Twelfth Count (Smith eliminated, transfer of his votes. Farmer declared elected)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214 elected
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214 elected
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7250 elected
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 7386 elected
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 7647 declared elected
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 6800
  • (x)William Major (LP) 6691
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 5713
  • James Barry (C) 5551
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 5280
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4869
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 4739

Farmer's surplus should be transferred next but not done until 15th Count.

Thirteenth Count (transfer of Webb's surplus)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214 elected
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214 elected
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7214 elected
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 7386 elected
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 7647 elected
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 6802
  • (x)William Major (LP) 6692
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 5727
  • James Barry (C) 5559
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 5283
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4870
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 4746

Fourteenth Count (Queen's surplus transferred)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214 elected
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214 elected
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7214 elected
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 7214 elected
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 7647 elected
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 6806
  • (x)William Major (LP) 6694
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 5730
  • James Barry (C) 5566
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 5429
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4877
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 4749

Fifteenth Count (Farmer's surplus transferred)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214 elected
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214 elected
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7214 elected
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 7214 elected
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 7214 elected
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 6817
  • (x)William Major (LP) 6704
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 5775
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 5750
  • James Barry (C) 5587
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4891
  • R.W.B. Swail (C) 4760

Sixteenth Count (Swail eliminated, transfer of his votes.)

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214 elected
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214 elected
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7214 elected
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 7214 elected
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 7214 elected
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 7771
  • James Barry (C) 7251
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 7039
  • (x)William Major (LP) 6848
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 5871
  • Mary Dyma (LP) 4944


It is now clear who will be elected to the last remaining open seats. There are only six candidates left and five remaining open seats. The least popular candidate will be eliminated as a matter of course, leaving just enough candidates for the number of seats so all the other candidates are declared elected, even if not have quota.

Seventeenth Count Dyma was eliminated. Ketchen, Barry, McDiarmid, Major and Hyman declared elected. Dyma's votes transferred although they did not make any difference to the election. Final numbers determined although not important.

  • Lewis Stubbs (Ind) 7214
  • James Litterick (Comm) 7214
  • (x)Ralph Webb (C) 7214
  • (x)John Queen (ILP-CCF) 7214
  • (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP-CCF) 7214
  • (x)Huntly Ketchen (C) 7771
  • James Barry (C) 7251
  • (x)John McDiarmid (LP) 8289
  • (x)William Major (LP) 7920
  • (x)Marcus Hyman (ILP-CCF) 6127

Sources

The first ballot results for Winnipeg and results for all other constituencies are taken from an official Manitoba government publication entitled "Manitoba elections, 1920-1941", cross-referenced with an appendix to the government's report of the 2003 provincial election. The Canadian parliamentary guide lists slightly different results for Glenwood, but the other two sources are more comprehensive and may be taken as more reliable.

All ballot results for Winnipeg after the first count are taken from reports in the Winnipeg Free Press newspaper. It is possible that some errors appeared in the original publication.

Post-election changes

The ILP-CCF parliamentary group became known as CCF after the election.

Winnipeg (dec. Marcus Hyman, 1938).

Winnipeg (James Litterick disqualified from the legislature, 1940).

Lewis Stubbs was initially the only member of the legislature to remain in opposition when a four-party coalition was formed in 1940. He was later joined by Salome Halldorson of Social Credit, as well as John Poole and Huntly Ketchen of the Conservatives.

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