Charles Witney
Encyclopedia
Charles H. Witney (July 12, 1919 in Moose Jaw
, Saskatchewan
– May 21, 1991) was a politician
in Manitoba, Canada
. He was a Progressive Conservative
member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1959 to 1969, and served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Dufferin Roblin
and Walter Weir
.
Witney was educated at Technical High School in Moose Jaw, and did not attend university. Prior to his election, he was a star personality at CFAR
, at the time the only radio station in the remote northern community of Flin Flon. Known as a populist
, he first ran for the Manitoba legislature in the 1958 provincial election
, against Liberal-Progressive
Francis Bud Jobin in the riding of Flin Flon. He lost, but defeated Jobin in the 1959 provincial election
, as the Progressive Conservatives won a majority government under the leadership of Dufferin Roblin
. Witney defeated Liberal-Progressive
cabinet minister Francis Bud Jobin, who later served as Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
. He was appointed Minister of Mines and Natural Resources on August 7, 1959.
Re-elected in the 1962 provincial election
, Witney was appointed Minister of Health on December 9, 1963. He held this position for the remainder of Roblin's time in office, and was retained in the portofolio when Walter Weir
succeeded Roblin as Premier in 1967. Many aldermen in Winnipeg found him extremely stubborn on health-related matters. On September 24, 1968, he was transferred to the Ministry of Labour.
He was defeated by New Democratic Party
candidate Thomas Barrow
in the 1969 provincial election
, and did not seek re-election after that time.
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Moose Jaw is a city in south-central Saskatchewan, Canada on the Moose Jaw River. It is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Regina. Residents of Moose Jaw are known as Moose Javians. It is best known as a retirement and tourist city that serves as a hub to the hundreds of small towns...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
– May 21, 1991) was a politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Manitoba, 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 was a Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
from 1959 to 1969, and served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Dufferin Roblin
Dufferin Roblin
Dufferin "Duff" Roblin, PC, CC, OM was a Canadian businessman and politician. Known as "Duff," he served as the 14th Premier of Manitoba from 1958 to 1967. Roblin was appointed to the Canadian Senate on the advice of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. In the government of Brian Mulroney, he served as...
and Walter Weir
Walter Weir
Walter C. Weir was a politician who served as the 15th Premier of Manitoba from 1967 to 1969.Weir was born in High Bluff, Manitoba, and worked as a funeral director. He served as chairman of the Minnedosa Hospital Board from 1955 to 1957, and of the Minnedosa Town Council from 1958 to 1959...
.
Witney was educated at Technical High School in Moose Jaw, and did not attend university. Prior to his election, he was a star personality at CFAR
CFAR (AM)
CFAR is a Canadian radio station that operates on 590 AM located in Flin Flon, Manitoba. It is part of the Arctic Radio Network, with sister stations in The Pas and Thompson...
, at the time the only radio station in the remote northern community of Flin Flon. Known as a populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
, he first ran for the Manitoba legislature in the 1958 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1958
Manitoba's general election of June 16, 1958 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was the first to be held in Manitoba after a comprehensive electoral redistribution in 1956...
, against Liberal-Progressive
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
Francis Bud Jobin in the riding of Flin Flon. He lost, but defeated Jobin in the 1959 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1959
Manitoba's general election of May 14, 1959 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a majority victory for the Progressive Conservative Party under the leadership of Dufferin Roblin...
, as the Progressive Conservatives won a majority government under the leadership of Dufferin Roblin
Dufferin Roblin
Dufferin "Duff" Roblin, PC, CC, OM was a Canadian businessman and politician. Known as "Duff," he served as the 14th Premier of Manitoba from 1958 to 1967. Roblin was appointed to the Canadian Senate on the advice of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. In the government of Brian Mulroney, he served as...
. Witney defeated Liberal-Progressive
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
cabinet minister Francis Bud Jobin, who later served as Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
The Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba is the viceregal representative in Manitoba of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
. He was appointed Minister of Mines and Natural Resources on August 7, 1959.
Re-elected in the 1962 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1962
Manitoba's general election of December 16, 1962 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a second majority victory for the Progressive Conservative Party under the leadership of Dufferin Roblin...
, Witney was appointed Minister of Health on December 9, 1963. He held this position for the remainder of Roblin's time in office, and was retained in the portofolio when Walter Weir
Walter Weir
Walter C. Weir was a politician who served as the 15th Premier of Manitoba from 1967 to 1969.Weir was born in High Bluff, Manitoba, and worked as a funeral director. He served as chairman of the Minnedosa Hospital Board from 1955 to 1957, and of the Minnedosa Town Council from 1958 to 1959...
succeeded Roblin as Premier in 1967. Many aldermen in Winnipeg found him extremely stubborn on health-related matters. On September 24, 1968, he was transferred to the Ministry of Labour.
He was defeated by New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party of Manitoba
The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
candidate Thomas Barrow
Thomas Barrow
Thomas Barrow was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1969 to 1981.Born in Ryhope, England, Barrow was educated in England and in Nova Scotia...
in the 1969 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1969
The Manitoba General Election of June 25, 1969 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was a watershed moment in the province's political history. The social-democratic New Democratic Party emerged for the first time as the largest party in...
, and did not seek re-election after that time.