W. E. N. Sinclair
Encyclopedia
William Edmund Newton Sinclair (June 28, 1873 – November 26, 1947), known as W.E.N. Sinclair, was a Canadian
barrister, solicitor and politician.
He was born in Whitby Township, Ontario
, the son of John Sinclair, and was educated at Toronto University
, receiving a bachelor's degree in law. In 1907, he married Ella Minerva Montgomery; he married Edna Worden in 1918 after his first wife's death.
Sinclair was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
as a candidate of the Ontario Liberal Party
in the 1911 provincial election
but was defeated in 1914
.
He returned to politics in the 1917 federal election
on conscription
(see Conscription Crisis of 1917
), Sinclair ran on as part of the anti-conscription "Laurier Liberals
" but was again defeated.
He returned to provincial politics and was elected again to the Ontario legislature in the 1919 provincial election
as the MLA
for the riding of Ontario South.
Sinclair ran for the leadership of the party in the 1922 leadership convention
, but lost to Wellington Hay
. Hay resigned following a disastrous election result, and Sinclair served as interim leader
of the Ontario Liberal Party
from 1923 to 1930 and also as Leader of the Opposition
in the provincial legislature. He was interim leader for that length of time (and through the elections of 1926
and 1929
) because of the party's state of disorganization and inability to hold a proper leadership convention
.
The Liberals remained at the 14 seats they had in 1926, and dropped to 13 seats in the 1929 election. Sinclair initially decided to run for the permanent leadership in 1930, but because of the party's failure to make gains during his tenure, he attracted little support, and withdrew before balloting began. He remained Leader of the Opposition
until the 1934 election
because the newly-elected leader, Mitchell Hepburn
, did not have a seat in the provincial legislature. Sinclair was re-elected in the 1934 election that brought the Liberals to power but Hepburn, the new Premier of Ontario
, did not appoint him to Cabinet
. Sinclair sat as a government backbencher for three years and then retired from the legislature at the 1937 provincial election
.
In the 1945 federal election
, Sinclair was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
for the Liberal Party of Canada
. He died in office in 1947.
Sinclair also served as mayor of Oshawa
from 1910 to 1911, in 1915 and from 1932 to 1934.
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...
barrister, solicitor and politician.
He was born in Whitby Township, Ontario
Whitby Township, Ontario
Whitby Township is a geographic township and former municipality in what was Ontario County , Ontario, Canada. It is now part of the Town of Whitby.The Township was established in as part of what was then York County...
, the son of John Sinclair, and was educated at Toronto University
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, receiving a bachelor's degree in law. In 1907, he married Ella Minerva Montgomery; he married Edna Worden in 1918 after his first wife's death.
Sinclair was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
as a candidate of the Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
in the 1911 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1911
The Ontario general election, 1911 was the 13th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on December 11, 1911, to elect the 106 Members of the 13th Legislative Assembly of Ontario .The Ontario Conservative Party, led by Sir James P...
but was defeated in 1914
Ontario general election, 1914
The Ontario general election, 1914 was the 14th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on June 29, 1914, to elect the 111 Members of the 14th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
.
He returned to politics in the 1917 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1917
The 1917 Canadian federal election was held on December 17, 1917, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 13th Parliament of Canada. Described by historian Michael Bliss as the "most bitter election in Canadian history", it was fought mainly over the issue of conscription...
on conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
(see Conscription Crisis of 1917
Conscription Crisis of 1917
The Conscription Crisis of 1917 was a political and military crisis in Canada during World War I.-Background:...
), Sinclair ran on as part of the anti-conscription "Laurier Liberals
Laurier Liberals
Prior to the 1917 federal election in Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada split into two factions:* the Laurier Liberals, who opposed conscription of soldiers to support Canada's involvement in World War I and who were led by former Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier; and* the Liberal Unionists who...
" but was again defeated.
He returned to provincial politics and was elected again to the Ontario legislature in the 1919 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1919
The Ontario general election, 1919 was the 15th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on October 20, 1919, to elect the 111 Members of the 15th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
as the MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
for the riding of Ontario South.
Sinclair ran for the leadership of the party in the 1922 leadership convention
Ontario Liberal leadership conventions
Ballot-by-ballot results of leadership elections in the Ontario Liberal Party, a political party in the Province of Ontario, Canada.Note: Before 1919, the leaders of the Ontario Liberal Party were chosen by the party's elected Members of the Legislative Assembly...
, but lost to Wellington Hay
Wellington Hay
Francis Wellington Hay was a grain merchant and Canadian politician.Hay was born in Listowel, Canada West, the son of William G. Hay. He worked for the Federal Bank for three years before entering the family grain business. He was mayor of Listowel from 1903 to 1904...
. Hay resigned following a disastrous election result, and Sinclair served as interim leader
Interim leader
An interim leader, in Canadian politics, is a party leader appointed by the party's legislative caucus or the party's executive to temporarily act as leader when a gap occurs between the resignation or death of a party leader and the election of a formal successor...
of the Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
from 1923 to 1930 and also as Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Ontario)
The Leader of the Opposition in Ontario is usually leader of the largest party in the Ontario legislature which is not the government. The current official opposition is formed by the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, and Tim Hudak is the current Leader of the Opposition.Ontario's first...
in the provincial legislature. He was interim leader for that length of time (and through the elections of 1926
Ontario general election, 1926
The Ontario general election, 1926 was the 17th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on December 1, 1926, to elect the 112 Members of the 17th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
and 1929
Ontario general election, 1929
The Ontario general election, 1929 was the 18th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on October 30, 1929, to elect the 112 Members of the 18th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
) because of the party's state of disorganization and inability to hold a proper leadership convention
Leadership convention
In Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader.- Overview :...
.
The Liberals remained at the 14 seats they had in 1926, and dropped to 13 seats in the 1929 election. Sinclair initially decided to run for the permanent leadership in 1930, but because of the party's failure to make gains during his tenure, he attracted little support, and withdrew before balloting began. He remained Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Ontario)
The Leader of the Opposition in Ontario is usually leader of the largest party in the Ontario legislature which is not the government. The current official opposition is formed by the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, and Tim Hudak is the current Leader of the Opposition.Ontario's first...
until the 1934 election
Ontario general election, 1934
The Ontario general election, 1934 was the 19th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on June 19, 1934, to elect the 90 Members of the 19th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
because the newly-elected leader, Mitchell Hepburn
Mitchell Hepburn
Mitchell Frederick Hepburn was the 11th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1934 to 1942. He was the youngest Premier in Ontario history, appointed at age 37....
, did not have a seat in the provincial legislature. Sinclair was re-elected in the 1934 election that brought the Liberals to power but Hepburn, the new Premier of Ontario
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
, did not appoint him to Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
. Sinclair sat as a government backbencher for three years and then retired from the legislature at the 1937 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1937
The Ontario general election, 1937 was held on October 6, 1937, to elect the 90 Members of the 20th Legislative Assembly of Ontario . It was the 20th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada....
.
In the 1945 federal election
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...
, Sinclair was elected to 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...
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...
. He died in office in 1947.
Sinclair also served as mayor of Oshawa
Oshawa
Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is now commonly referred to as the most...
from 1910 to 1911, in 1915 and from 1932 to 1934.