Wilbert James Tinkler
Encyclopedia
Wilbert James Tinkler was a farmer and politician in Manitoba
, Canada
. He served as president of the province's Manitoba Social Credit Party
for at least some of the period between 1947 to 1959, and ran several times at the provincial and federal levels as a Social Credit candidate.
Tinkler became the president of the Social Credit league at a time when it had only a minimal presence in the legislature, and a weak provincial organization. The party had joined the governing coalition of Premier
John Bracken
in 1940, and its parliamentary representation was subsequently regarded as little more than an adjunct to the province's Liberal
-Conservative
government. Several figures within the party had campaigned against the alliance in 1941, but all were defeated. The party's organization subsequently collapsed, and it offered no candidates for election in 1949.
Social Credit did not have an official political leader between 1941 and at least 1959. Tinkler, as its leading official for most of this period, was not a prominent public figure, though he did help reconstruct some semblance of a provincial network for the party. He was replaced as party president by S.S. Hunt of Dauphin
in late June 1953, but appears to have regained this title later in the decade. Tinkler continued to work in the party after Jacob Froese
became its official leader following the 1959 election.
Tinkler outlined his basic political philosophy during a speech in the 1953 provincial election
. He claimed to follow four principles: (i) the individual is the most important aspect of God's creation, (ii) government should bring the people the results they want, (iii) security must be accompanied by freedom, and (iv) that which is physically possible and desirable must be made financially possible (Source: Winnipeg Free Press
, 6 June 1953). These principles are consistent with Social Credit's radical ideology on monetary issues, and its basic conservatism
on most other issues.
The Social Credit League of Manitoba did not field any candidates in the 1959 provincial election
. Tinkler endorsed the Liberal candidate in the Morris constituency, and was censured by the party executive for so doing. He claimed he was simply endorsing a local candidate, and that his actions did not reflect official Social Credit policy.
Tinkler ran for federal and provincial office on six occasions:
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 served as president of the province's Manitoba Social Credit Party
Manitoba Social Credit Party
The Manitoba Social Credit Party was a political party in the Canadian province of Manitoba. In its early years, it espoused the monetary reform theories of social credit....
for at least some of the period between 1947 to 1959, and ran several times at the provincial and federal levels as a Social Credit candidate.
Tinkler became the president of the Social Credit league at a time when it had only a minimal presence in the legislature, and a weak provincial organization. The party had joined the governing coalition of Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
John Bracken
John Bracken
John Bracken, PC was an agronomist, the 11th Premier of Manitoba and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ....
in 1940, and its parliamentary representation was subsequently regarded as little more than an adjunct to the province's Liberal
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 :...
-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:...
government. Several figures within the party had campaigned against the alliance in 1941, but all were defeated. The party's organization subsequently collapsed, and it offered no candidates for election in 1949.
Social Credit did not have an official political leader between 1941 and at least 1959. Tinkler, as its leading official for most of this period, was not a prominent public figure, though he did help reconstruct some semblance of a provincial network for the party. He was replaced as party president by S.S. Hunt of Dauphin
Dauphin, Manitoba
Dauphin is a small city in Manitoba, Canada, with a population of 7,906 as of 2006. The nearby lake was given the name "Dauphin" by the explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye in 1741 in honour of the heir to the French throne...
in late June 1953, but appears to have regained this title later in the decade. Tinkler continued to work in the party after Jacob Froese
Jacob Froese
Jacob Froese was a politician in the Canadian province of Manitoba. He was the province's only Social Credit MLA between 1959 and 1973, and was the party's leader for most if not all of the period from 1959 to 1977....
became its official leader following the 1959 election.
Tinkler outlined his basic political philosophy during a speech in the 1953 provincial 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...
. He claimed to follow four principles: (i) the individual is the most important aspect of God's creation, (ii) government should bring the people the results they want, (iii) security must be accompanied by freedom, and (iv) that which is physically possible and desirable must be made financially possible (Source: Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg Free Press
The Winnipeg Free Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Founded in 1872, as the Manitoba Free Press, it is the oldest newspaper in western Canada. It is the newspaper with the largest readership in the province....
, 6 June 1953). These principles are consistent with Social Credit's radical ideology on monetary issues, and its basic conservatism
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
on most other issues.
The Social Credit League of Manitoba did not field any candidates in the 1959 provincial 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...
. Tinkler endorsed the Liberal candidate in the Morris constituency, and was censured by the party executive for so doing. He claimed he was simply endorsing a local candidate, and that his actions did not reflect official Social Credit policy.
Tinkler ran for federal and provincial office on six occasions:
- Macdonald, 1945 (federal); 1235 votes (winner: William Gilbert WeirWilliam Gilbert WeirWilliam Gilbert Weir was a Canadian politician and was the longest serving Liberal-Progressive Member of Parliament in Canadian history sitting in the Canadian House of Commons for 27 years....
, L-PLiberal-ProgressiveLiberal-Progressive was a label used by a number of candidates in Canadian elections between 1926 and 1953. In federal and Ontario politics, there was no formal Liberal-Progressive party, but it was an alliance between two separate parties...
) - Morris, 1953 (provincial); 844 votes (winner: Harry ShewmanHarry ShewmanHarold Proctor Shewman was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1949 until his death in 1968....
, Ind) - Provencher, 1953 (federal); 1269 votes (winner: Rene JutrasRené JutrasRené Jutras was a Canadian politician.Born in Letellier, Manitoba, the son Joseph Jutras and Clara Blais, he attended St. Boniface College and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba. During World War II, he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force...
, LibLiberal Party of CanadaThe 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...
) - Provencher, 1958 (federal); 1363 votes (winner: Warner JorgensonWarner JorgensonWarner Herbert Jorgenson was a Canadian politician in Manitoba. He served as a Progressive Conservative member of the federal House of Commons from 1957 to 1968, and as a Progressive Conservative member of the Manitoba Legislature from 1969 to 1981...
, PCProgressive Conservative Party of CanadaThe 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....
) - Morris, 1962 (provincial); 609 votes (winner: Harry ShewmanHarry ShewmanHarold Proctor Shewman was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1949 until his death in 1968....
, PCProgressive Conservative Party of ManitobaThe 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:...
) - Provencher, 1965 (federal); 1195 votes (winner: Warner JorgensonWarner JorgensonWarner Herbert Jorgenson was a Canadian politician in Manitoba. He served as a Progressive Conservative member of the federal House of Commons from 1957 to 1968, and as a Progressive Conservative member of the Manitoba Legislature from 1969 to 1981...
, PCProgressive Conservative Party of CanadaThe 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....
)