Norman Turnbull
Encyclopedia
Norman Leslie Turnbull was a politician in Manitoba, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1936 to 1949 as a representative of the Social Credit League, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of John Bracken
and Stuart Garson
.
Turnbull was educated at the Manitoba Agricultural College, and worked as a flour
miller in Hamiota, Manitoba
.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1936 provincial election
, defeating Liberal-Progressive
candidate J. Spalding by 222 votes in the Hamiota constituency. Turnbull was one of five Social Credit MLAs elected to the 55-member legislature.
The Manitoba Social Credit League had been created for the 1936 election following the unexpected victory of the Alberta Social Credit Party in that province's 1935 provincial election
. The party's MLAs were monetary reformists, and were initially regarded as radicals. After the election, they surprised many in the province by providing support to Liberal-Progressive Premier
John Bracken
's minority government
.
In 1940, Social Credit formally entered government as part of a four-party coalition
, which also included the Liberal-Progressives, Conservatives
and CCF. Although Turnbull did not lead the Social Credit caucus in the house, he was selected as the party's cabinet representative and was sworn into office on November 4, 1940 as a Minister without portfolio
. He was the first Social Credit representative to receive a cabinet position anywhere in the world outside Alberta
.
Turnbull was responsible for representing the Social Credit caucus in cabinet. It is not clear what influence, if any, he held over broader government policy.
The Social Credit Party split after the caucus's decision to enter government. In the 1941 provincial election
, all of the party's pro-government candidates were re-elected while the opposition candidates were defeated. Turnbull was re-elected with an increased plurality, and remained in cabinet when Stuart Garson replaced John Bracken as Premier in 1943.
Easily re-elected in the 1945 election
, Turnbull stepped down from his cabinet position on February 14, 1946. The only remaining Social Credits MLAs in the legislature by this time were Turnbull and Stanley Fox
. The party was not represented in cabinet after Turnbull's resignation, although it continued to support the government.
The Social Credit Party did not field any candidates in the 1949 provincial election
, and Turnbull did not seek re-election.
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 1936 to 1949 as a representative of the Social Credit League, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of John Bracken
John Bracken
John Bracken, PC was an agronomist, the 11th Premier of Manitoba and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ....
and Stuart Garson
Stuart Garson
Stuart Sinclair Garson, was a Canadian politician and lawyer. He served as the 12th Premier of Manitoba from 1943 to 1948, and later became a federal cabinet minister....
.
Turnbull was educated at the Manitoba Agricultural College, and worked as a flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
miller in Hamiota, Manitoba
Hamiota, Manitoba
Hamiota is a growing community located on Provincial Trunk Highway 21 in Manitoba, Canada, midway between the Trans-Canada Highway and the Yellowhead Highway....
.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1936 provincial 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...
, defeating 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 :...
candidate J. Spalding by 222 votes in the Hamiota constituency. Turnbull was one of five Social Credit MLAs elected to the 55-member legislature.
The Manitoba Social Credit League had been created for the 1936 election following the unexpected victory of the Alberta Social Credit Party in that province's 1935 provincial election
Alberta general election, 1935
The Alberta general election of 1935 was the eighth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 22, 1935 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. The party's MLAs were monetary reformists, and were initially regarded as radicals. After the election, they surprised many in the province by providing support to Liberal-Progressive Premier
Premier of Manitoba
The Premier of Manitoba is the first minister for the Canadian province of Manitoba. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. Until the early 1970s, the title "Prime Minister of Manitoba" was used frequently. Afterwards, the word Premier, derived from the French...
John Bracken
John Bracken
John Bracken, PC was an agronomist, the 11th Premier of Manitoba and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ....
's minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
.
In 1940, Social Credit formally entered government as part of a four-party coalition
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 Liberal-Progressives, Conservatives
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:...
and CCF. Although Turnbull did not lead the Social Credit caucus in the house, he was selected as the party's cabinet representative and was sworn into office on November 4, 1940 as a Minister without portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
. He was the first Social Credit representative to receive a cabinet position anywhere in the world outside Alberta
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...
.
Turnbull was responsible for representing the Social Credit caucus in cabinet. It is not clear what influence, if any, he held over broader government policy.
The Social Credit Party split after the caucus's decision to enter government. 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...
, all of the party's pro-government candidates were re-elected while the opposition candidates were defeated. Turnbull was re-elected with an increased plurality, and remained in cabinet when Stuart Garson replaced John Bracken as Premier in 1943.
Easily re-elected in the 1945 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...
, Turnbull stepped down from his cabinet position on February 14, 1946. The only remaining Social Credits MLAs in the legislature by this time were Turnbull and Stanley Fox
Stanley Fox
Stanley Fox was a politician in Manitoba, Canada, who served as the first leader of the Manitoba Social Credit Party, a party that supported the social credit theories of monetary reform....
. The party was not represented in cabinet after Turnbull's resignation, although it continued to support the government.
The Social Credit Party did not field any candidates 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 Turnbull did not seek re-election.