Rod Clement
Encyclopedia
Rodney Stewart Clement was a politician
in Manitoba
, Canada
. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1949 to 1959 and again from 1966 to 1968. Initially elected as an Independent, Clement ended his career as a member of the Manitoba Liberal Party
.
, Manitoba, and educated at Binscarth
. He served in the Royal Canadian Air Force
from 1941 to 1945, saw action in World War II
, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
(DFC) award. He later worked as a farmer, rancher, and automobile and implement dealer. He also remained active as a pilot, and operated the first privately owned helicopter
in Manitoba. Clement was a member of the United Church of Canada
.
for the riding
of Russell as an Independent, supporting the coalition government of Douglas L. Campbell.
He was re-elected in the 1953 election
as an Independent Liberal-Progressive
. He was endorsed by the official Liberal-Progressive Party during the election, and promised to affiliate with "some political party" at some point in the next legislative session. Clement eventually became a full member of the Liberal-Progressive Party, and was narrowly re-elected under this party's banner in the 1958 election
for the new riding of Birtle-Russell.
In the 1959 election
, he lost to Progressive Conservative
Robert Smellie
by 224 votes. He did not contest the 1962 election, but returned to defeat Smellie by 245 votes in the 1966 provincial election
. The Progressive Conservatives were returned with a majority government
provincially, and Clement served as the critic for agriculture in the official opposition.
Clement resigned his seat on June 5, 1968 to contest the federal riding of Marquette
for the Liberal Party of Canada
in the 1968 Canadian federal election
. He was unsuccessful, losing to Progressive Conservative
Craig Stewart by over 3,500 votes.
Clement died in hospital on March 9, 1969. He was 49 years old.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Manitoba
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 was a member of 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 1949 to 1959 and again from 1966 to 1968. Initially elected as an Independent, Clement ended his career as a member of the Manitoba Liberal Party
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 :...
.
Early life and career
Clement was born in RussellRussell, Manitoba
Russell is a town of 1,428 located in southwestern Manitoba, Canada, in the Rural Municipality of Russell. The town of Russell is located along Highway 16 and Highway 83, and is at the western terminus of Highway 45. Russell is approximately 15 km from the Saskatchewan border and 340 km...
, Manitoba, and educated at Binscarth
Binscarth, Manitoba
Binscarth is a village in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Russell. It is located approximately northwest of Brandon and south from the town of Russell, Manitoba. The Manitoba government established the community in 1886. The Northwestern Railway...
. He served in the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
from 1941 to 1945, saw action in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(DFC) award. He later worked as a farmer, rancher, and automobile and implement dealer. He also remained active as a pilot, and operated the first privately owned helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
in Manitoba. Clement was a member of the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
.
Legislator
Clement was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1949 electionManitoba 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 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...
of Russell as an Independent, supporting the coalition government of Douglas L. Campbell.
He was re-elected in the 1953 election
Manitoba general election, 1953
Manitoba's general election of June 8, 1953 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. This was the first election held in Manitoba after the breakup of a ten-year coalition government led by the Liberal-Progressives and Progressive Conservatives...
as an Independent 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 :...
. He was endorsed by the official Liberal-Progressive Party during the election, and promised to affiliate with "some political party" at some point in the next legislative session. Clement eventually became a full member of the Liberal-Progressive Party, and was narrowly re-elected under this party's banner in the 1958 election
Manitoba general election, 1958
Manitoba's general election of June 16, 1958 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was the first to be held in Manitoba after a comprehensive electoral redistribution in 1956...
for the new riding of Birtle-Russell.
In the 1959 election
Manitoba general election, 1959
Manitoba's general election of May 14, 1959 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a majority victory for the Progressive Conservative Party under the leadership of Dufferin Roblin...
, he lost to Progressive 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:...
Robert Smellie
Robert Smellie
Robert Gordon Smellie was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1959 to 1966, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of Dufferin Roblin.Smellie was born in Russell, was educated at Brandon College and...
by 224 votes. He did not contest the 1962 election, but returned to defeat Smellie by 245 votes in the 1966 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1966
The Manitoba general election held on June 23, 1966, was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a third consecutive majority win for the Progressive Conservative Party led by Dufferin Roblin...
. The Progressive Conservatives were returned with a majority government
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
provincially, and Clement served as the critic for agriculture in the official opposition.
Clement resigned his seat on June 5, 1968 to contest the federal riding of Marquette
Marquette (electoral district)
Marquette was a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1871 to 1979.This riding was created in 1871 following the creation of the province of Manitoba in 1870....
for the Liberal Party of Canada
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 1968 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1968
The Canadian federal election of 1968 was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 28th Parliament of Canada...
. He was unsuccessful, losing to Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
Craig Stewart by over 3,500 votes.
Clement died in hospital on March 9, 1969. He was 49 years old.