Gordon Fines
Encyclopedia
Gordon Richard Fines was a politician in Manitoba, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1949 to 1953, as a member of the social-democratic Cooperative Commonwealth Federation.
Fines came from a family that had resided in Manitoba since 1876, shortly after the province's creation. He was educated in Baldur
, and worked as an educator in Manitoba and Saskatchewan
for eight years. He was elected to the Winnipeg school board in 1947, and to the Winnipeg city council in 1948 Fines also became active in the labour movement, and was local chair of the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks Lodge 49. He returned to teaching later in life.
He was elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1949 provincial election
, in the constituency of Winnipeg Centre. During this period's Winnipeg was divided into three constituencies, each of which elected four members through a single transferable ballot. Fines finished fourth on the first count with 2,149 votes, and was declared elected to the third position on the seventh count when another CCF member was eliminated.
He was chosen as party whip
on December 22, 1952, at the same meeting which saw Lloyd Stinson
chosen as party leader. Stinson later described Fines as "a quiet man with firm opinions and a flair for statistics and fiscal matters". He was the CCF's main spokesperson in budget debates.
Fines sought re-election to the legislature in the 1953 election
, but was defeated. He finished seventh on the first count with 1,080 votes, and was eliminated on the seventh count. The independent candidates of Lewis St. George Stubbs
and Stephen Juba
likely contributed to Fines's defeat.
After his provincial defeat, Fines ran for the federal Cooperative Commonwealth Federation in the 1953 Canadian election
, in the single-member riding of Winnipeg South Centre
. He finished third, with about half the votes of Progressive Conservative
Gordon Churchill
. He ran again in the 1958 election
, but finished a poor third.
Winnipeg's electoral map was redrawn before the 1958 provincial election
, with the multi-member constituencies eliminated and "first past the post" single-member constituencies introduced in their place. Fines ran for the CCF in the St. Matthews constituency, but lost to Progressive Conservative
William G. Martin by 822 votes. He lost to Martin by 545 votes in the 1959 election
, and finished third as a candidate of the New Democratic Party
(successor to the CCF) in the 1962 campaign
.
Fines had greater success in municipal politics. He was elected to the Winnipeg City Council
for Ward Two in the 1953 municipal election
. He served on council from 1953 to 1960, and again from 1966 to 1971. In 1969, he was chosen as the head of Winnipeg's Parks and Recreation Committee.
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 served in 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 1949 to 1953, as a member of the social-democratic Cooperative Commonwealth Federation.
Fines came from a family that had resided in Manitoba since 1876, shortly after the province's creation. He was educated in Baldur
Baldur, Manitoba
Baldur is a village in the Canadian province of Manitoba, located in the Rural Municipality of Argyle. Baldur is the largest community of the municipality, which is in southwestern Manitoba between Brandon and Portage la Prairie.-History:...
, and worked as an educator in Manitoba and 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....
for eight years. He was elected to the Winnipeg school board in 1947, and to the Winnipeg city council in 1948 Fines also became active in the labour movement, and was local chair of the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks Lodge 49. He returned to teaching later in life.
He was elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1949 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1949
Manitoba's general election of November 10, 1949 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election pitted the province's coalition government, made up of the Liberal-Progressive Party and the Progressive Conservative Party, against a variety of...
, in the constituency of Winnipeg Centre. During this period's Winnipeg was divided into three constituencies, each of which elected four members through a single transferable ballot. Fines finished fourth on the first count with 2,149 votes, and was declared elected to the third position on the seventh count when another CCF member was eliminated.
He was chosen as party whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
on December 22, 1952, at the same meeting which saw Lloyd Stinson
Lloyd Stinson
Lloyd Stinson was a politician in Manitoba, Canada, and the leader of that province's Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from 1953 to 1959. Although widely regarded as a capable leader, he was unable to achieve a major electoral breakthrough for his party.Stinson was born in Treherne,...
chosen as party leader. Stinson later described Fines as "a quiet man with firm opinions and a flair for statistics and fiscal matters". He was the CCF's main spokesperson in budget debates.
Fines sought re-election to the legislature in the 1953 election
Manitoba general election, 1953
Manitoba's general election of June 8, 1953 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. This was the first election held in Manitoba after the breakup of a ten-year coalition government led by the Liberal-Progressives and Progressive Conservatives...
, but was defeated. He finished seventh on the first count with 1,080 votes, and was eliminated on the seventh count. The independent candidates of Lewis St. George Stubbs
Lewis St. George Stubbs
Lewis St. George Stubbs was a prominent judge and politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1936 to 1949 as an Independent, and was known for promoting left-wing and socially progressive causes.Stubbs was born on the island of Cockburn Harbour in the...
and Stephen Juba
Stephen Juba
Stephen Juba, OC was a Canadian politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1953 to 1959, and served as the 37th Mayor of Winnipeg from 1957 to 1977. He was the first Ukrainian Canadian to hold high political office in the city.Juba left school at age fifteen, when...
likely contributed to Fines's defeat.
After his provincial defeat, Fines ran for the federal Cooperative Commonwealth Federation in the 1953 Canadian 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...
, in the single-member riding of Winnipeg South Centre
Winnipeg South Centre
Winnipeg South Centre is a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1979 and since 1988.-Geography:...
. He finished third, with about half the votes of 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....
Gordon Churchill
Gordon Churchill
Gordon Minto Churchill, PC, DSO was a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1946 to 1949 as an independent representative, and in the Canadian House of Commons from 1951 to 1968 as a Progressive Conservative...
. He ran again in the 1958 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...
, but finished a poor third.
Winnipeg's electoral map was redrawn before 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...
, with the multi-member constituencies eliminated and "first past the post" single-member constituencies introduced in their place. Fines ran for the CCF in the St. Matthews constituency, but lost to 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:...
William G. Martin by 822 votes. He lost to Martin by 545 votes in the 1959 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...
, and finished third as a candidate of the 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...
(successor to the CCF) in the 1962 campaign
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...
.
Fines had greater success in municipal politics. He was elected to the Winnipeg City Council
Winnipeg City Council
The Winnipeg City Council is the governing body of the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors.-2006-2010:Council elected in the 2006 election:-2010-2014:...
for Ward Two in the 1953 municipal election
Winnipeg municipal election, 1953
The 1953 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 28, 1953 to elect councillors and school trustees in the Manitoba city of Winnipeg. There was no mayoral election; mayors were elected for two-year terms in this period, and 1953 was an off year....
. He served on council from 1953 to 1960, and again from 1966 to 1971. In 1969, he was chosen as the head of Winnipeg's Parks and Recreation Committee.