1945 Ontario general election
← 1943 June 4, 1945 1948 →
90 seats in the 22nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario
46 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader George Drew Mitchell Hepburn
Party Progressive Conservative Liberal
Leader since December 9, 1938 April 2, 1945
Leader's seat High Park Elgin (lost re-election)
Last election 38 15
Seats won 66 14
Seat change Increase28 Decrease1
Percentage 44.3% 29.8%
Swing Increase8.6pp Decrease1.4pp
  Third party Fourth party
  LP
Leader Ted Jolliffe Leslie Morris
Party Co-operative Commonwealth Labor-Progressive
Leader since April 3, 1942 1945
Leader's seat York South (lost re-election) Ran in Bracondale (Lost)
Last election 34 2
Seats won 8 2
Seat change Decrease26 ±0
Percentage 22.4% 2.4%
Swing Decrease9.3pp Increase1.5pp
Premier before election

George Drew
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

George Drew
Progressive Conservative

The 1945 Ontario general election was held on June 4, 1945, to elect the 90 members of the 22nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Members of Provincial Parliament, or "MPPs") of the province of Ontario.[1]

Background

The Legislature was dissolved on March 24, 1945, upon the government's failure to defeat a non-confidence motion. The election call was delayed in order to implement new legislation relating to the collection of votes from servicemen and women overseas,[2] but the date was later fixed for June 11. When the 1945 Canadian federal election was set for the same date, the Ontario date was accelerated by one week to June 4,[3] in order to separate the two campaigns.

The Drew government called the election in an attempt to get a majority government. By exploiting increasing Cold War tensions, the PC Party was able to defeat Jolliffe's CCF by stoking fears about communism. Jolliffe replied by giving a radio speech (written by Lister Sinclair) that accused Drew of running a political gestapo in Ontario, alleging that a secret department of the Ontario Provincial Police was acting as a political police spying on the opposition and the media. This accusation led to a backlash, and loss of support for the CCF, including the loss of Jolliffe's own seat of York South. This probably helped Drew win his majority, although in the 1970s, archival evidence was discovered proving the charge.[4]

Campaign

Of the 90 ridings, only 8 had two-way races; 47 were three-way contests, and the Labor-Progressives forced 30 four way races:

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1945)
Candidates PC CCF Lib LL Lab Lab-Pr Soc-Lab I-Lib I-PC Ind SC Soldier Total
2 4 3 1 8
3 47 47 43 3 1 141
4 30 30 27 3 3 23 1 3 120
5 7 7 7 7 2 1 1 2 1 35
6 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
7 1 1 1 2 1 1 7
Total 90 89 80 6 4 31 4 2 1 5 3 2 317

Outcome

The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, led by George Drew, won a second consecutive term in office, winning a solid majority of seats in the legislature—66, up from 38 in the previous election.

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by former premier Mitchell Hepburn, was returned to the role of official opposition with 11 seats, plus 3 Liberal-Labour seats that it won, out of 6 contested, in coalition with the Labor-Progressive Party (which was, in fact, the Communist Party), in an effort to marginalize the CCF. The three new Liberal-Labour MPPs were James Newman of Rainy River, Joseph Meinzinger of Waterloo North and Alexander Parent of Essex North.

The social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), led by Ted Jolliffe, was reduced from 34 seats to 8.

Two seats were won by the Labor-Progressive Party on its own with the re-election of A.A. MacLeod and J.B. Salsberg. The LPP contested a total of 31 ridings under the leadership of Leslie Morris who was defeated in the Toronto riding of Bracondale.

Results

Elections to the 22nd Parliament of Ontario (1945)[1][5][6]
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1943 Dissol. 1945 ± # % ± (pp)
Progressive Conservative George Drew 90 38 38 66 28Increase 781,345 44.25 8.50Increase
Liberal Mitchell Hepburn 80 15 15 11 1Decrease 479,253 27.14 2.50Decrease
Liberal–Labour 6 – – 3 34,879 1.98
Co-operative Commonwealth Ted Jolliffe 89 34 34 8 26Decrease 395,708 22.41 9.21Decrease
Labor–Progressive[a 1] Leslie Morris 31 2 2 2 Steady 46,418 2.63 1.73Increase
Independent Liberal[a 2] 2 1 1 – 1Decrease 6,359 0.36 0.41Decrease
Labour[a 3] 4 – – – – 10,805 0.61 0.44Increase
Independent 5 – – – – 6,995 0.40 0.21Increase
Soldier[a 4] 2 – – – – 1,875 0.11 0.07Increase
Socialist Labour 4 – – – – 976 0.06 –
Social Credit 3 – – – – 852 0.05 Returned
Independent PC 1 – – – – 328 0.02 0.02Increase
Total 317 90 90 90 1,765,793 100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots 17,597
Registered voters / turnout 2,469,960 72.20% 13.84Increase
  1. ^ A. A. MacLeod (Bellwoods) and J. B. Salsberg (St. Andrew) were the only candidates nominated and elected under the Labour ticket in 1943, but switched to the new Labor-Progressive Party on its formation shortly after the election.
  2. ^ Mitchell Hepburn (Elgin) opted not to run as a Liberal candidate in 1943, and returned to the Liberals to once again become their leader.
  3. ^ compared with Independent Labour 1943 results
  4. ^ George Barker (York East) was an Independent-Soldier candidate, and John Beauchamp (Ottawa East) ran under the Veterans' Reform ticket.
Seats and popular vote by party
Party Seats Votes Change (pp)
█ Progressive Conservative
66 / 90
44.25%
 8.50 8.5
 
█ Liberal/Liberal-Labour
14 / 90
29.12%
 -2.50
 
█ Co-operative Commonwealth
8 / 90
22.41%
 -9.21
 
█ Labor–Progressive
2 / 90
2.63%
 1.73 1.73
 
█ Other
0 / 90
1.59%
 1.48 1.48
 

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1945 Ontario general election[1][5][6]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1] 		Votes
Name[a 2] 1943 Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		PC Lib LL CCF Lab-Pr Lab I-Lib I-Oth Other Total
 
Addington PC PC 6,992 54.15% 2,113 16.36% 80.65% 6,992 4,879 – 1,042 – – – – – 12,913
Algoma—Manitoulin Lib PC 4,336 37.42% 168 1.45% 77.98% 4,336 4,168 – 3,083 – – – – – 11,587
Brant Lib Lib 7,151 47.68% 1,191 7.94% 70.12% 5,960 7,151 – 1,886 – – – – – 14,997
Brantford CCF PC 6,581 36.91% 26 0.15% 74.69% 6,581 6,555 – 4,266 426 – – – – 17,828
Bruce Lib PC 7,229 46.16% 449 2.87% 76.77% 7,229 6,780 – 1,651 – – – – – 15,660
Carleton PC PC 9,495 59.80% 5,253 33.08% 72.09% 9,495 4,242 – 2,141 – – – – – 15,878
Cochrane North CCF Lib 3,573 39.07% 313 3.42% 80.91% 1,918 3,573 – 3,260 395 – – – – 9,146
Cochrane South CCF CCF 10,521 40.29% 2,822 10.81% 79.48% 6,126 7,699 – 10,521 1,764 – – – – 26,110
Dufferin—Simcoe PC PC 9,216 74.30% 6,028 48.60% 62.38% 9,216 – – 3,188 – – – – – 12,404
Durham PC PC 7,027 53.36% 2,585 19.63% 77.00% 7,027 4,442 – 1,700 – – – – – 13,169
Elgin Ind-Lib PC 10,278 52.29% 2,402 12.22% 76.50% 10,278 7,876 – 1,500 – – – – – 19,654
Essex North CCF LL 6,801 36.41% 685 3.67% 69.28% 6,116 – 6,801 5,762 – – – – – 18,679
Essex South PC PC 7,688 51.99% 1,825 12.34% 74.42% 7,688 5,863 – 1,237 – – – – – 14,788
Fort William CCF CCF 8,197 41.88% 2,590 13.23% 74.29% 5,607 4,598 – 8,197 1,171 – – – – 19,573
Glengarry Lib Lib 5,594 54.90% 1,613 15.83% 74.30% 3,981 5,594 – 615 – – – – – 10,190
Grenville—Dundas PC PC 8,843 62.17% 4,593 32.29% 65.50% 8,843 4,250 – 1,130 – – – – – 14,223
Grey North Lib PC 7,275 45.63% 592 3.71% 74.17% 7,275 6,683 – 1,987 – – – – – 15,945
Grey South Lib Lib 6,584 52.66% 1,541 12.33% 72.17% 5,043 6,584 – 876 – – – – – 12,503
Haldimand—Norfolk PC PC 11,943 53.64% 4,622 20.76% 71.55% 11,943 7,321 – 3,003 – – – – – 22,267
Halton PC PC 6,914 44.77% 1,189 7.70% 74.31% 6,914 5,725 – 2,806 – – – – – 15,445
Hamilton East CCF PC 10,561 41.70% 2,739 10.81% 73.12% 10,561 4,445 – 7,822 2,291 – – – 207 25,326
Hamilton Centre CCF PC 9,091 36.23% 640 2.55% 74.18% 9,091 5,633 – 8,451 1,919 – – – – 25,094
Hamilton—Wentworth CCF PC 10,102 44.00% 3,850 16.77% 78.49% 10,102 6,252 – 6,047 556 – – – – 22,957
Hastings East* PC PC 5,928 56.90% 2,489 23.89% 72.02% 5,928 3,439 – 1,052 – – – – – 10,419
Hastings West PC PC 9,351 50.83% 2,910 15.82% 69.35% 9,351 6,441 – 2,604 – – – – – 18,396
Huron PC PC 7,081 52.67% 1,929 14.35% 74.90% 7,081 5,152 – 1,211 – – – – – 13,444
Huron—Bruce PC PC 7,188 52.57% 2,169 15.86% 76.53% 7,188 5,019 – 1,465 – – – – – 13,672
Kenora CCF CCF 3,461 33.92% 190 1.86% 73.80% 3,271 – 2,998 3,461 474 – – – – 10,204
Kent East PC PC 7,000 53.20% 841 6.39% 78.53% 7,000 6,159 – – – – – – – 13,159
Kent West Lib PC 10,691 51.68% 2,555 12.35% 71.20% 10,691 8,136 – 1,861 – – – – – 20,688
Kingston* PC PC 9,275 52.71% 2,907 16.52% 73.63% 9,275 6,368 – 1,631 322 – – – – 17,596
Lambton East Lib PC 5,693 45.96% 86 0.69% 71.90% 5,693 5,607 – 1,087 – – – – – 12,387
Lambton West CCF PC 7,255 42.61% 975 5.73% 77.16% 7,255 6,280 – 3,490 – – – – – 17,025
Lanark PC PC 12,483 87.26% 10,660 74.51% 63.59% 12,483 – – 1,823 – – – – – 14,306
Leeds PC PC 10,192 58.05% 4,229 24.09% 75.89% 10,192 5,963 – 1,403 – – – – – 17,558
Lincoln PC PC 16,344 49.91% 8,293 25.32% 76.03% 16,344 8,051 – 6,791 – 1,563 – – – 32,749
London PC PC 16,649 46.03% 5,390 14.90% 77.55% 16,649 11,259 – 7,863 402 – – – – 36,173
Middlesex North PC PC 7,123 45.85% 1,764 11.35% 71.76% 7,123 5,359 – 3,055 – – – – – 15,537
Middlesex South PC PC 6,251 44.57% 135 0.96% 71.08% 6,251 6,116 – 1,659 – – – – – 14,026
Muskoka—Ontario Lib PC 8,073 47.71% 1,902 11.24% 73.95% 8,073 6,171 – 2,676 – – – – – 16,920
Niagara Falls CCF PC 7,014 33.39% 192 0.91% 70.22% 7,014 6,822 – 6,560 611 – – – – 21,007
Nipissing CCF Lib 5,988 35.45% 1,123 6.65% 74.59% 4,512 5,988 – 4,865 – – – 1,525 – 16,890
Northumberland PC PC 8,674 55.70% 2,911 18.69% 76.85% 8,674 5,763 – 1,135 – – – – – 15,572
Ontario CCF PC 9,130 35.49% 1,079 4.19% 74.38% 9,130 8,051 – 7,693 – 852 – – – 25,726
Ottawa East Lib Lib 10,725 42.36% 4,708 18.60% 66.34% 5,287 10,725 – 2,234 – – 6,359 – 711 25,316
Ottawa South PC PC 23,616 53.50% 9,167 20.77% 69.93% 23,616 14,449 – 5,571 – – – – 503 44,139
Oxford PC PC 11,402 50.05% 3,408 14.96% 72.53% 11,402 7,994 – 3,386 – – – – – 22,782
Parry Sound CCF Lib 4,289 36.81% 124 1.06% 73.35% 4,165 4,289 – 3,199 – – – – – 11,653
Peel PC PC 9,923 56.19% 5,511 31.21% 69.10% 9,923 – 4,412 3,325 – – – – – 17,660
Perth Lib PC 12,302 48.24% 1,935 7.59% 72.34% 12,302 10,367 – 2,835 – – – – – 25,504
Peterborough PC PC 12,398 50.94% 4,684 19.25% 81.29% 12,398 7,714 – 4,225 – – – – – 24,337
Port Arthur CCF CCF 6,403 34.90% 2,028 11.05% 73.01% 3,254 4,375 – 6,403 1,486 – – 2,828 – 18,346
Prescott Lib Lib 6,037 51.31% 2,255 19.17% 75.06% 1,946 6,037 – 3,782 – – – – – 11,765
Prince Edward—Lennox PC PC 7,583 57.46% 2,878 21.81% 71.84% 7,583 4,705 – 909 – – – – – 13,197
Rainy River CCF LL 2,583 34.59% 251 3.36% 78.63% 2,332 – 2,583 2,186 366 – – – – 7,467
Renfrew North PC PC 6,118 45.97% 1,570 11.80% 80.89% 6,118 4,548 – 2,643 – – – – – 13,309
Renfrew South Lib PC 5,864 48.39% 774 6.39% 75.09% 5,864 5,090 – 1,164 – – – – – 12,118
Russell Lib Lib 5,925 49.94% 1,511 12.74% 65.82% 4,414 5,925 – 997 – – – 528 – 11,864
Sault Ste. Marie CCF CCF 5,623 34.69% 176 1.09% 81.51% 5,447 5,138 – 5,623 – – – – – 16,208
Simcoe Centre PC PC 6,229 45.22% 1,613 11.71% 77.39% 6,229 4,616 – 1,754 – – – 1,176 – 13,775
Simcoe East PC PC 7,433 50.05% 3,265 21.99% 60.10% 7,433 4,168 – 3,249 – – – – – 14,850
Stormont PC Lib 8,701 49.43% 2,057 11.69% 59.26% 6,644 8,701 – 1,664 594 – – – – 17,603
Sudbury CCF CCF 13,627 47.33% 6,075 21.10% 74.80% 5,920 7,552 – 13,627 1,692 – – – – 28,791
Temiskaming CCF CCF 4,327 39.66% 1,176 10.78% 78.17% 3,151 3,150 – 4,327 282 – – – – 10,910
Victoria PC PC 9,732 61.39% 5,098 32.16% 75.66% 9,732 4,634 – 1,487 – – – – – 15,853
Waterloo North CCF LL 11,104 41.24% 1,165 4.33% 69.96% 9,939 – 11,104 5,135 745 – – – – 26,923
Waterloo South CCF PC 8,289 42.32% 2,035 10.39% 72.64% 8,289 5,043 – 6,254 – – – – – 19,586
Welland CCF PC 8,161 34.55% 244 1.03% 78.35% 8,161 7,917 – 5,440 – 2,106 – – – 23,624
Wellington North Lib Lib 6,821 46.89% 24 0.16% 72.58% 6,797 6,821 – 928 – – – – – 14,546
Wellington South CCF PC 7,608 43.40% 1,598 9.12% 74.29% 7,608 6,010 – 3,910 – – – – – 17,528
Wentworth CCF CCF 9,612 39.08% 591 2.40% 70.03% 9,021 4,254 – 9,612 1,325 – – – 385 24,597
Windsor—Walkerville CCF PC 7,880 40.27% 1,596 8.16% 69.21% 7,880 – – 5,402 – 6,284 – – – 19,566
Windsor—Sandwich CCF PC 8,487 40.59% 1,506 7.20% 67.54% 8,487 – 6,981 5,439 – – – – – 20,907
York East CCF PC 20,741 46.95% 5,628 12.74% 68.66% 20,741 6,163 – 15,113 753 – – – 1,411 44,181
York North CCF PC 10,348 42.16% 3,042 12.39% 72.23% 10,348 7,306 – 6,889 – – – – – 24,543
York South CCF PC 14,893 40.53% 768 2.09% 68.39% 14,893 6,486 – 14,125 1,024 – – – 220 36,748
York West CCF PC 16,408 43.95% 4,422 11.85% 68.84% 16,408 8,016 – 11,986 922 – – – – 37,332
Beaches PC PC 11,676 52.38% 4,854 21.77% 70.60% 11,676 3,794 – 6,822 – – – – – 22,292
Bellwoods Lab Lab-Pr 6,799 33.62% 816 4.03% 70.28% 5,983 3,301 – 4,142 6,799 – – – – 20,225
Bracondale CCF PC 6,600 35.61% 1,622 8.75% 70.77% 6,600 4,019 – 4,978 2,607 – – 328 – 18,532
Dovercourt PC PC 12,236 45.67% 4,704 17.56% 68.84% 12,236 5,788 – 7,532 1,237 – – – – 26,793
Eglinton PC PC 26,115 63.72% 18,830 45.95% 78.93% 26,115 6,450 – 7,285 1,132 – – – – 40,982
High Park PC PC 15,238 57.19% 3,830 14.37% 72.87% 15,238 – – 11,408 – – – – – 26,646
Parkdale PC PC 13,875 46.71% 6,159 20.73% 71.44% 13,875 7,716 – 6,812 1,304 – – – – 29,707
Riverdale CCF PC 12,620 47.53% 3,871 14.58% 67.06% 12,620 4,302 – 8,749 683 – – – 197 26,551
St. Andrew Lab Lab-Pr 10,010 51.80% 5,985 30.97% 68.22% 4,025 2,505 – 2,786 10,010 – – – – 19,326
St. David CCF PC 8,535 42.24% 2,973 14.71% 66.38% 8,535 4,924 – 5,562 1,183 – – – – 20,204
St. George PC PC 13,153 55.34% 6,982 29.38% 65.87% 13,153 4,442 – 6,171 – – – – – 23,766
St. Patrick PC PC 7,974 50.21% 4,713 29.68% 68.02% 7,974 3,163 – 3,261 1,484 – – – – 15,882
Woodbine CCF PC 12,083 43.83% 2,262 8.20% 67.78% 12,083 4,199 – 9,821 459 – – 938 69 27,569
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots
  2. ^ order is as given in EO reports
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = previously incumbent in another riding
  = other incumbents renominated
  = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
  = previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada
  = multiple candidates

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
PC Lib LL CCF Lab I-Lib
Progressive Conservative 45 2 18 1 66
Liberal 7 3 1 11
Liberal–Labour 3 3
Co-operative Commonwealth 5 3 8
Labor–Progressive 2 2
Total 17 48 2 21 1 1 90
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total
█ Progressive Conservative 66 17 7 90
█ Liberal 11 48 19 2 80
█ Co-operative Commonwealth 8 21 59 1 89
█ Liberal–Labour 3 2 1 6
█ Labor–Progressive 2 26 3 31
█ Labour 1 3 4
█ Independent Liberal 1 1
█ Independent 5 5
█ Socialist Labour 1 2 3
█ Soldier 1 1 2
█ Social Credit 2 2
█ Independent PC 1 1
Resulting composition of the 22nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Source Party
PC Lib L-L CCF Lab-Pr Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 35 6 8 2 51
Open seats held 2 1 3
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 25 2 2 29
Open seats gained 3 1 4
Return of members previously elected 1 2 3
Total 66 11 3 8 2 90

Seats that changed hands

Elections to the 22nd Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1943–1945
Party 1943 Gain from (loss to) 1945
PC Lib CCF L-L Lbr-P I-Lib
Progressive Conservative 38 8 (1) 20 1 66
Liberal 15 1 (8) 3 11
Co-operative Commonwealth 34 (20) (3) (3) 8
Liberal–Labour – 3 3
Labor–Progressive 2 2
Independent-Liberal[a 1] 1 (1) –
Total 90 1 (29) 8 (4) 26 – – (3) – – 1 – 90
  1. ^ Mitchell Hepburn (Elgin) campaigned as a Liberal and lost.

There were 36 seats that changed allegiance in the election.

Notable group of candidates

Ten candidates who were not incumbents had served as MPPs prior to 1943:

Riding Candidate Votes Placed
Cochrane North █ Liberal Joseph-Anaclet Habel 3,573 1st
Hamilton Centre █ Liberal John Newlands 5,633 3rd
Hamilton—Wentworth █ Liberal Thomas Baker McQuesten 6,252 2nd
Lambton West █ Liberal William Guthrie 6,280 2nd
Niagara Falls █ Liberal William Houck 6,822 2nd
Parry Sound █ Liberal Milton Taylor Armstrong 4,289 1st
Temiskaming █ Liberal William Glennie Nixon 3,150 3rd
Welland █ Liberal Edward James Anderson 7,917 2nd
Bracondale █ Liberal Lionel Pretoria Conacher 4,019 3rd
Woodbine █ Progressive Conservative Goldwin Corlett Elgie 12,083 1st

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "1945 General Election". Elections Ontario. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  2. ^ The Active Service Election Act, 1945, S.O. 1945 (1st sess.), c. 1
  3. ^ "Advance Ontario Election To June 4". Ottawa Citizen. April 16, 1945. p. 1.
  4. ^ MacDonald, Donald C. (1998). The Happy Warrior: Political Memoirs, 2nd Ed. Toronto: Dundurn Press. pp. 292–296. ISBN 1-55002-307-1.
  5. ^ a b "Returns by Ridings". Ottawa Journal. June 5, 1945. p. 11. Party affiliation for Robert Shantz (Waterloo South) corrected - he was a Liberal candidate: "South Waterloo Liberals Name Candidate For Federal Election". Waterloo Chronicle. p. 1.
  6. ^ a b "Sessional Paper No. 40 - Return from the records of the General Election to the Legislative Assembly in 1945". Sessional Papers: Vol. LXXVIII - Part IV. Toronto: King's Printer. 1946.
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