James Christie
Encyclopedia
James Lyall Christie was a politician in Manitoba
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
as a Liberal-Progressive
representative from 1932 until his death.
Christie was born and educated in Glenboro, Manitoba
where he worked as a farmer. His father, also named James Christie, was an unsuccessful Liberal candidate in 1914 provincial election
.
The younger James Christie served as the provincial director of Manitoba Livestock Producers Ltd. and was an official or member in several local farm associations as well as being an activefreemason. He served as a soldier in France
with the Motor Machine Gun Corps from 1916 to 1918 during World War I
, and was wounded during the Arras-Cambrai drive.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1932 provincial election
, defeating incumbent Conservative
William H. Spinks by 256 votes in the Cypress constituency. In the 1936 election
, he was re-elected over Conservative candidate R.G. Hurton by 129 votes. Christie again defeated Hurton, who was by this time an independent candidate, in the 1941 provincial election
.
Christie's re-election in the 1945 provincial election
occurred under unusual circumstances. During this period, the Liberal-Progressive Party was the dominant power in a coalition government
which also included the Progressive Conservative Party, Social Credit
and some independents. At a nomination meeting to determine the governing coalition's candidate, Christie unexpectly lost to independent Robin Parsons by one vote. He challenged the validity of the result, however, and entered the general election as a candidate against Parsons. There were no further candidates, and Christie was easily elected over Parsons. He continued to sit with the Liberal-Progressives, on the government side.
He was re-elected again in the 1949 provincial election
and was still a member of the legislature when he died in January 1953. His death followed a serious illness.
Christie served as Whip
of the Liberal-Progressive party for thirteen years. He was appointed chair of the standing committee on municipal affairs in 1949, and headed the provincial committee on agriculture and immigration from 1949 to 1952.
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, 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 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...
as a 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 :...
representative from 1932 until his death.
Christie was born and educated in Glenboro, Manitoba
Glenboro, Manitoba
Glenboro is a village in Manitoba, Canada, located about 80 km southeast of the city of Brandon. It is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of South Cypress. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 656...
where he worked as a farmer. His father, also named James Christie, was an unsuccessful Liberal candidate in 1914 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1914
Manitoba's general election of July 10, 1914 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fifth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party, led by premier Rodmond P. Roblin...
.
The younger James Christie served as the provincial director of Manitoba Livestock Producers Ltd. and was an official or member in several local farm associations as well as being an activefreemason. He served as a soldier in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with the Motor Machine Gun Corps from 1916 to 1918 during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and was wounded during the Arras-Cambrai drive.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1932 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1932
Manitoba's general election of June 16, 1932 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This was the second election in Manitoba where the single transferable ballot was used in all electoral divisions...
, defeating incumbent 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 H. Spinks by 256 votes in the Cypress constituency. In the 1936 election
Manitoba general election, 1936
Manitoba's general election of July 27, 1936 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The was the second election in Manitoba after the formation of a Liberal-Progressive alliance in 1932...
, he was re-elected over Conservative candidate R.G. Hurton by 129 votes. Christie again defeated Hurton, who was by this time an independent candidate, in the 1941 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1941
Manitoba's general election of April 22, 1941 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was held shortly after the formation of a coalition government in December 1940...
.
Christie's re-election in the 1945 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1945
Manitoba's general election of October 15, 1945 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The 1945 provincial election was extremely different from the previous election, which was held in 1941...
occurred under unusual circumstances. During this period, the Liberal-Progressive Party was the dominant power in a coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
which also included the Progressive Conservative Party, Social Credit
Manitoba Social Credit Party
The Manitoba Social Credit Party was a political party in the Canadian province of Manitoba. In its early years, it espoused the monetary reform theories of social credit....
and some independents. At a nomination meeting to determine the governing coalition's candidate, Christie unexpectly lost to independent Robin Parsons by one vote. He challenged the validity of the result, however, and entered the general election as a candidate against Parsons. There were no further candidates, and Christie was easily elected over Parsons. He continued to sit with the Liberal-Progressives, on the government side.
He was re-elected again 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...
and was still a member of the legislature when he died in January 1953. His death followed a serious illness.
Christie served as 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...
of the Liberal-Progressive party for thirteen years. He was appointed chair of the standing committee on municipal affairs in 1949, and headed the provincial committee on agriculture and immigration from 1949 to 1952.