Charles Winnans Cox
Encyclopedia
Charles Winnans Cox was a politician and timber contractor in Ontario
, Canada
.
Born on a farm in Westminster Township, Middlesex County, Ontario
, he first worked as a farm and ranch hand near Nanton, Alberta
, then moved to Port Arthur, Ontario
in around 1908. He became one of the largest timber contractors in the Thunder Bay region, then branched into general contracting.
He was elected as a councillor of Port Arthur in 1932, and became mayor in 1934. He served as mayor until 1948, being re-elected for 15 years.
A supporter of the Conservative Party while they were in power, he sought the Liberal
nomination for Port Arthur riding for the June 1934 provincial election
, and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
with 58.9% of the votes cast. Liberal Premier
Mitchell Hepburn
named him to cabinet as a minister without portfolio
in December 1936.
Any chances of remaining a cabinet minister vanished in February 1937 when one of his love affairs went sour, and a 32-year-old teacher threw acid at him, scarring his handsome face and impairing the sight in his left eye. The scandal did not hurt him locally, and he was re-elected in the October 1937 election
, but not re-appointed to cabinet.
He was defeated as a Liberal candidate in the 1943 election
, and as an Independent Liberal in the 1945 election
.
Always an unpredictable and controversial figure, he astonished most observers by running and getting elected in the neighbouring riding
of Fort William, Ontario
in the 1948 election
as a Liberal candidate. That same year, still the retiring mayor of Port Arthur, he brazenly ran for mayor of Fort William, but lost to Hubert Badanai
.
He ran in the 1950 Ontario Liberal leadership convention, placing sixth with 24 votes. He was defeated in the 1951 election
. His last political victory came in 1952 when he was again elected as mayor of Port Arthur.
The death of his wife in July 1953 marked the end of his political career. He died in March 1958, tending furnace in a building he owned. A reporter for the Port Arthur News-Chronicle observed at his death,
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....
, 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...
.
Born on a farm in Westminster Township, Middlesex County, Ontario
Middlesex County, Ontario
Middlesex County is a primarily rural county in Southwestern Ontario. Landlocked, the county is bordered by Huron and Perth counties on the north, Oxford County on the east, Elgin County on the south, and Chatham-Kent and Lambton County on the west.The seat is the city of London, although the city...
, he first worked as a farm and ranch hand near Nanton, Alberta
Nanton, Alberta
Nanton is a town in southern Alberta, Canada. Nanton was named after Sir Augustus Meredith Nanton, of Winnipeg who directed firms that offered financing for farms and ranches throughout the west...
, then moved to Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur was a city in Northern Ontario which amalgamated with Fort William and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Port Arthur was the district seat of Thunder Bay District.- History :...
in around 1908. He became one of the largest timber contractors in the Thunder Bay region, then branched into general contracting.
He was elected as a councillor of Port Arthur in 1932, and became mayor in 1934. He served as mayor until 1948, being re-elected for 15 years.
A supporter of the Conservative Party while they were in power, he sought the Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
nomination for Port Arthur riding for the June 1934 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1934
The Ontario general election, 1934 was the 19th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on June 19, 1934, to elect the 90 Members of the 19th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
, and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
with 58.9% of the votes cast. Liberal Premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
Mitchell Hepburn
Mitchell Hepburn
Mitchell Frederick Hepburn was the 11th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1934 to 1942. He was the youngest Premier in Ontario history, appointed at age 37....
named him to cabinet as a minister without portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
in December 1936.
Any chances of remaining a cabinet minister vanished in February 1937 when one of his love affairs went sour, and a 32-year-old teacher threw acid at him, scarring his handsome face and impairing the sight in his left eye. The scandal did not hurt him locally, and he was re-elected in the October 1937 election
Ontario general election, 1937
The Ontario general election, 1937 was held on October 6, 1937, to elect the 90 Members of the 20th Legislative Assembly of Ontario . It was the 20th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, but not re-appointed to cabinet.
He was defeated as a Liberal candidate in the 1943 election
Ontario general election, 1943
The Ontario general election of 1943 was held on August 4, 1943, to elect the 90 Members of the 21st Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, and as an Independent Liberal in the 1945 election
Ontario general election, 1945
The Ontario general election of 1945 was held on June 4, 1945, to elect the 90 members of the 22nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
.
Always an unpredictable and controversial figure, he astonished most observers by running and getting elected in the neighbouring riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Fort William, Ontario
Fort William, Ontario
Fort William was a city in Northern Ontario, located on the Kaministiquia River, at its entrance to Lake Superior. It amalgamated with Port Arthur and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Ever since then it has been the largest city in Northwestern...
in the 1948 election
Ontario general election, 1948
The Ontario general election of 1948 was held on June 7, 1948, to elect the 90 members of the 23rd Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
as a Liberal candidate. That same year, still the retiring mayor of Port Arthur, he brazenly ran for mayor of Fort William, but lost to Hubert Badanai
Hubert Badanai
Hubert Badanai was a Canadian automobile dealer and politician.Born at Azzano Decimo in the Province of Pordenone, northern Italy, he moved to Canada when he was 18 and worked at a brickyard in Rosslyn. He later opened a successful car dealership and became an alderman in Fort William, Ontario for...
.
He ran in the 1950 Ontario Liberal leadership convention, placing sixth with 24 votes. He was defeated in the 1951 election
Ontario general election, 1951
The Ontario general election of 1951 was held on November 22, 1951, to elect the 90 members of the 24th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
. His last political victory came in 1952 when he was again elected as mayor of Port Arthur.
The death of his wife in July 1953 marked the end of his political career. He died in March 1958, tending furnace in a building he owned. A reporter for the Port Arthur News-Chronicle observed at his death,
- An astute if unruly mayor he was once described as a man always in or on the brink of a consummate rage. Under a robust growth of steely-gray hair, his corrugated features approximated those of a truculent bulldog. He had the self-assurance of a man used to victory at the polls and was given to taunting his opponents with a tongue like a flame-thrower. "I can be mayor of Port Arthur as long as I wish", he said not long before his voluntary retirement from that position. "Do you think any other mayor is talked about as much as I am."