Ira McLaughlin
Encyclopedia
Ira McLaughlin was a provincial politician from Alberta
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1944 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government. During his time in office he served as a cabinet minister in the government of Ernest Manning
from 1962 to 1968.
on January 5, 1891. At the age of 19 in 1910 he moved to Saskatchewan
and then later settled in the town of Bezanson
in the Grande Prairie area in 1928.
. He won the electoral district of Grande Prairie with a solid majority to pick it up for his party. The turnout in that election was 97.7%.
He won a larger majority running for his second term in the 1948 general election
. In that race he defeated two other candidates to hold his seat.
McLaughlin ran for his third term in office in the 1952 general election
. He held his vote to win the district while the two opposition candidates saw their support fall. He ran for a fourth term in office in the 1955 general election
. He defeated three other candidates while increasing his popular support.
McLaughlin ran for a fifth term in the 1959 general election
. His popularity kept increasing as he took the district with a margin of 65%.
Premier Ernest Manning
appointed McLaughlin to his cabinet as a Minister-without-portfolio on November 30, 1962. He went into the 1963 general election
with ministerial advantage and was returned to power with another large majority.
McLaughlin stood for his seventh and final term in the 1967 general election
. He won the highest popular vote of his career easily winning over two other candidates.
Social Credit chose a new leader on December 12, 1968. Premier Harry Strom
did not invite McLaughlin back into cabinet. He retired from the legislature at dissolution in 1971.
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...
, 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 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 1944 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government. During his time in office he served as a cabinet minister in the government of Ernest Manning
Ernest Manning
Ernest Charles Manning, , a Canadian politician, was the eighth Premier of Alberta between 1943 and 1968 for the Social Credit Party of Alberta. He served longer than any premier in the province's history, and was the second longest serving provincial premier in Canadian history...
from 1962 to 1968.
Early life
Ira McLaughlin was born in Prince Edward IslandPrince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
on January 5, 1891. At the age of 19 in 1910 he moved to 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....
and then later settled in the town of Bezanson
Bezanson, Alberta
Bezanson is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada within the County of Grande Prairie No. 1. It is located approximately east of Grande Prairie on Highway 43, west of the Smoky River.- History :...
in the Grande Prairie area in 1928.
Political career
McLaughlin ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature as a Social Credit candidate in the 1944 Alberta general electionAlberta general election, 1944
The Alberta general election of 1944 was the tenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. The Assembly was dissolved on July 8, 1944 and the vote for was held on August 8, 1944 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He won the electoral district of Grande Prairie with a solid majority to pick it up for his party. The turnout in that election was 97.7%.
He won a larger majority running for his second term in the 1948 general election
Alberta general election, 1948
The Alberta general election of 1948 was the eleventh general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 17, 1948 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. In that race he defeated two other candidates to hold his seat.
McLaughlin ran for his third term in office in the 1952 general election
Alberta general election, 1952
The Alberta general election of 1952 was the twelfth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 5, 1952 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
. He held his vote to win the district while the two opposition candidates saw their support fall. He ran for a fourth term in office in the 1955 general election
Alberta general election, 1955
The Alberta general election of 1955 was the thirteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 29, 1955 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He defeated three other candidates while increasing his popular support.
McLaughlin ran for a fifth term in the 1959 general election
Alberta general election, 1959
The Alberta general election of 1959 was the fourteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 18, 1959 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
. His popularity kept increasing as he took the district with a margin of 65%.
Premier Ernest Manning
Ernest Manning
Ernest Charles Manning, , a Canadian politician, was the eighth Premier of Alberta between 1943 and 1968 for the Social Credit Party of Alberta. He served longer than any premier in the province's history, and was the second longest serving provincial premier in Canadian history...
appointed McLaughlin to his cabinet as a Minister-without-portfolio on November 30, 1962. He went into the 1963 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...
with ministerial advantage and was returned to power with another large majority.
McLaughlin stood for his seventh and final term 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 won the highest popular vote of his career easily winning over two other candidates.
Social Credit chose a new leader on December 12, 1968. Premier Harry Strom
Harry Strom
Harry Edwin Strom was the ninth Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 1968 to 1971. His two and a half years as Premier were the last of the thirty-six year Social Credit dynasty, as his defeat by Peter Lougheed saw its replacement by a new era Progressive Conservative government...
did not invite McLaughlin back into cabinet. He retired from the legislature at dissolution in 1971.