Joseph Van Belleghem
Encyclopedia
Joseph Gustave Van Belleghen (September 6, 1901 in St. Vital, Manitoba
– January 5, 1967) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
as a Liberal-Progressive
from 1949 to 1953.
Van Belleghem was educated at St. Boniface College, and worked as a hotel manager for several years. He served as an alderman in St. Boniface for eighteen years between 1931 and 1965.
Van Belleghem was elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1949 provincial election
for the two-member constituency of St. Boniface, which elected members by a single transferable ballot. Van Belleghem finished first in this poll, with CCF leader Edwin Hansford
finishing second. In 1952, he was the only member of the Liberal-Progressive caucus to support an electoral reform bill which attempted to correct the under-representation of urban members.
Van Belleghem initially planned to contest the Liberal-Progressive nomination in St. Boniface again in the 1953 election, but withdrew from the race after complaints that his campaign was not being informed of meeting times. He sought re-election as an Independent Liberal-Progressive and was defeated, placing third on the first count and falling to fourth on transfers.
He was later elected Mayor
of St. Boniface, serving from 1955 to 1960. Fluent in Dutch
and French, he was appointed Belgian Consul for Manitoba in 1964 and held this position until his death.
An "École Van Belleghem" was opened in Winnipeg shortly after his death.
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...
– January 5, 1967) was a politician 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 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 :...
from 1949 to 1953.
Van Belleghem was educated at St. Boniface College, and worked as a hotel manager for several years. He served as an alderman in St. Boniface for eighteen years between 1931 and 1965.
Van Belleghem 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...
for the two-member constituency of St. Boniface, which elected members by a single transferable ballot. Van Belleghem finished first in this poll, with CCF leader Edwin Hansford
Edwin Hansford
Edwin A. Hansford was a politician in Manitoba, Canada, and served as leader of that province's Co-operative Commonwealth Federation between 1948 and 1952.Hansford was born in the Annapolis Valley region of Nova Scotia...
finishing second. In 1952, he was the only member of the Liberal-Progressive caucus to support an electoral reform bill which attempted to correct the under-representation of urban members.
Van Belleghem initially planned to contest the Liberal-Progressive nomination in St. Boniface again in the 1953 election, but withdrew from the race after complaints that his campaign was not being informed of meeting times. He sought re-election as an Independent Liberal-Progressive and was defeated, placing third on the first count and falling to fourth on transfers.
He was later elected Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of St. Boniface, serving from 1955 to 1960. Fluent in Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
and French, he was appointed Belgian Consul for Manitoba in 1964 and held this position until his death.
An "École Van Belleghem" was opened in Winnipeg shortly after his death.