Charles Edward Johnston
Encyclopedia
Charles Edward Johnston (February 12, 1899 Bay Mills, Michigan - December 1, 1971) was a teacher and a long serving Canadian politician. He served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons
for the opposition federal Social Credit party from 1935 to 1958. He moved to provincial politics and served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1959 to 1967 for the governing Alberta Social Credit party.
as a Social Credit
candidate in the 1935 Canadian federal election
. He defeated incumbent Member of Parliament Edward Joseph Garland
to win his first term in office. Johnston ran for re-election in the 1940 Canadian federal election
. The election was hotly contested, he defeated four other candidates including former Alberta
provincial Member of the Legislative Assembly Aylmer Liesemer
.
Johnston would increase his margin of victory winning his third term in office defeating four other candidates in the 1945 Canadian federal election
. The 1949 Canadian federal election
would bring Johnston his largest vote total as he defeated five other candidates to win his fourth consecutive term in office. He would be re-elected to a fifth term in office with another comfortable plurality in the 1953 Canadian federal election
. Johnston would suffer near defeat in the 1957 Canadian federal election
winning by just 300 votes over Progressive Conservative
candidate Eldon Woolliams
. Parliament would be dissolved a year later, and this time Johnston would be defeated in a landslide, after facing Woolliams once again in the 1958 Canadian federal election
.
candidate in the new provincial electoral district of Calgary Bowness
. He would win his first term in office with a landslide taking almost 60% of the popular vote. He was re-elected to a second term in office in the 1963 Alberta general election
. His popular vote would decline but he still won his district with more than 50%. Johnston ran for a third term in office in the 1967 general election
. He was defeated in a closely contested race by Progressive Conservative candidate Len Werry
.
Johnston died on December 1, 1971.
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...
for the opposition federal Social Credit party from 1935 to 1958. He moved to provincial politics and served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
from 1959 to 1967 for the governing Alberta Social Credit party.
Federal career
Johnston first ran for the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian 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...
as a Social Credit
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...
candidate in the 1935 Canadian federal 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...
. He defeated incumbent Member of Parliament Edward Joseph Garland
Edward Joseph Garland
Edward Joseph "Ted" Garland was a farmer, diplomat and a Canadian federal politician.-Political career:...
to win his first term in office. Johnston ran for re-election in the 1940 Canadian 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...
. The election was hotly contested, he defeated four other candidates including former 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...
provincial Member of the Legislative Assembly Aylmer Liesemer
Aylmer Liesemer
Aylmer "Alymer" "A.J.E" John Eggert Liesemer was a retired politician and teacher in Alberta, Canada.-Early life:Liesemer was born in Didsbury, Alberta in 1905...
.
Johnston would increase his margin of victory winning his third term in office defeating four other candidates in the 1945 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1945
The Canadian federal election of 1945 was the 20th general election in Canadian history. It was held June 11, 1945 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 20th Parliament of Canada...
. The 1949 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1949
The Canadian federal election of 1949 was held on June 27 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 21st Parliament of Canada. It was the first election in Canada in almost thirty years in which the Liberal Party of Canada was not led by William Lyon Mackenzie King. King had...
would bring Johnston his largest vote total as he defeated five other candidates to win his fourth consecutive term in office. He would be re-elected to a fifth term in office with another comfortable plurality 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...
. Johnston would suffer near defeat 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...
winning by just 300 votes over Progressive Conservative
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....
candidate Eldon Woolliams
Eldon Woolliams
Eldon Mattison Woolliams, QC was a Progressive Conservative party member of the Canadian House of Commons. He was born in Rosetown, Saskatchewan and his career included law and education. He was shadow Justice Minister and Chairman of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Legal...
. Parliament would be dissolved a year later, and this time Johnston would be defeated in a landslide, after facing Woolliams once again in 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...
.
Provincial career
After being defeated from federal politics he would run for a seat to the Alberta Legislature as the governing Alberta Social CreditSocial Credit Party of Alberta
The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values....
candidate in the new provincial electoral district of Calgary Bowness
Calgary Bowness
Calgary Bowness is a defunct provincial electoral district in Alberta Canada. The district was named after the community of Bowness, and during its time encompassed the Northwestern part of the city. The riding was created in 1959...
. He would win his first term in office with a landslide taking almost 60% of the popular vote. He was re-elected to a second term in office in the 1963 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1963
The Alberta general election of 1963 was the fifteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 17, 1963 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.The Social Credit Party, led by Ernest C...
. His popular vote would decline but he still won his district with more than 50%. Johnston ran for a third term in office in the 1967 general election
Alberta general election, 1967
The Alberta general election of 1967 was the sixteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on May 23, 1967 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He was defeated in a closely contested race by Progressive Conservative candidate Len Werry
Len Werry
Len F. Werry was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1967 to his death in 1973 and a Cabinet Minister in the Government of Alberta of Premier Peter Lougheed from 1971 to 1973.-Political career:Werry ran as a...
.
Johnston died on December 1, 1971.