Percy Wright
Encyclopedia
Percy Ellis Wright was a democratic socialist politician. He was a member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
(CCF), and served over 13 years as a Member of Parliament
(MP) in the Canadian House of Commons
. He served on the CCF's national council and executive, and was elected as the CCF's National Chairman in 1950. After he was defeated as an MP, he returned to his occupation as a farmer until his death in 1980.
Wright was born in Beachburg, Ontario
and attended Jarvis Collegiate Institute
in Toronto. He served in the Canadian Field Artillery during World War I
and became a lieutenant. His career was in farming.
He was first elected to Parliament from the Melfort electoral district
in the 1940 federal election
. He was re-elected in 1945
and 1949
. When the Melfort electoral district was abolished, in the 1952 federal riding
redistribution, Wright sought re-election in Melville
, which contained roughly half of his old riding. It was also the electoral district of incumbent federal Minister of Agriculture James Garfield Gardiner
of the Liberal party
. In the 1953 Federal Election
Wright was defeated by Gardiner, ending his federal political career.
When F.R. Scott retired as the National Chairman, just before the CCF's biennial convention in Vancouver in July 1950, there was a rift between the farmer and labour wings. Wright represented the farmer-wing, while Vancouver's Angus MacInnis
, the son-in-law of former party founding leader J.S. Woodsworth, represented the labour-wing. Wright defeated MacInnis in the election to be the CCF's National Chairman. He was elected again in 1952. At the 1954 convention Wright retired as National Chairman and David Lewis
was elected to replace him.
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
(CCF), and served over 13 years as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
. He served on the CCF's national council and executive, and was elected as the CCF's National Chairman in 1950. After he was defeated as an MP, he returned to his occupation as a farmer until his death in 1980.
Wright was born in Beachburg, Ontario
Whitewater Region, Ontario
Whitewater Region is a township located within the scenic Ottawa Valley, in eastern Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River in Renfrew County. Whitewater Region is made up of the former municipalities of Beachburg, Cobden, Ross and Westmeath, which were amalgamated into the current township on January...
and attended Jarvis Collegiate Institute
Jarvis Collegiate Institute
Jarvis Collegiate Institute is a high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Jarvis is located on Jarvis Street. Founded in 1807 it is the second oldest high school in Ontario after the Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute, and the oldest high school in Toronto.-History:Jarvis Collegiate was...
in Toronto. He served in the Canadian Field Artillery 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 became a lieutenant. His career was in farming.
He was first elected to Parliament from the Melfort electoral district
Melfort (electoral district)
Melfort was a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1953. It was created in 1924 from Prince Albert riding, and was abolished in 1952 when it was redistributed into Humboldt—Melfort, Mackenzie, Prince Albert, and...
in the 1940 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1940
The Canadian federal election of 1940 was the 19th general election in Canadian history. It was held March 26, 1940 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 19th Parliament of Canada...
. He was re-elected in 1945
Canadian federal election, 1945
The Canadian federal election of 1945 was the 20th general election in Canadian history. It was held June 11, 1945 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 20th Parliament of Canada...
and 1949
Canadian federal election, 1949
The Canadian federal election of 1949 was held on June 27 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 21st Parliament of Canada. It was the first election in Canada in almost thirty years in which the Liberal Party of Canada was not led by William Lyon Mackenzie King. King had...
. When the Melfort electoral district was abolished, in the 1952 federal riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
redistribution, Wright sought re-election in Melville
Melville (electoral district)
Melville was a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1968. This riding was created in 1924 from parts of Saltcoats riding....
, which contained roughly half of his old riding. It was also the electoral district of incumbent federal Minister of Agriculture James Garfield Gardiner
James Garfield Gardiner
James Garfield "Jimmy" Gardiner, PC was a Canadian farmer, educator, and politician...
of the Liberal party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
. In the 1953 Federal 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...
Wright was defeated by Gardiner, ending his federal political career.
When F.R. Scott retired as the National Chairman, just before the CCF's biennial convention in Vancouver in July 1950, there was a rift between the farmer and labour wings. Wright represented the farmer-wing, while Vancouver's Angus MacInnis
Angus MacInnis
Angus MacInnis was a socialist politician and Canadian parliamentarian.MacInnis, a trade unionist who had served for five years as a Vancouver Alderman, was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1930 election as an Independent Labour Member of Parliament. He joined the Ginger Group...
, the son-in-law of former party founding leader J.S. Woodsworth, represented the labour-wing. Wright defeated MacInnis in the election to be the CCF's National Chairman. He was elected again in 1952. At the 1954 convention Wright retired as National Chairman and David Lewis
David Lewis (politician)
David Lewis, CC was a Russian-born Canadian labour lawyer and social democratic politician. He was national secretary of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from 1936 to 1950, and one of the key architects of the New Democratic Party in 1961...
was elected to replace him.