William Morton (Manitoba politician)
Encyclopedia
William Morton was a politician in Manitoba, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1927 to 1958, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of John Bracken
, Stuart Garson
and Douglas Campbell
. His father, Thomas Lewis Morton, was a member of the assembly from 1888 to 1903.
Morton was educated at St. John's College in Winnipeg, and was prominent in athletics, notably football, hockey and curling. He was a councillor in the municipality of Westbourne
from 1913 to 1917, and was its reeve from 1917 to 1927.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1927 provincial election
as a Progressive
, in the rural constituency of Gladstone. He was returned as a Liberal-Progressive
in the 1932 election
, after the two parties formed an alliance.
Re-elected again in the 1936 election
, Morton was promoted to cabinet on November 22, 1939 as Municipal Commissioner
in John Bracken's government. On February 14, 1944, he was given additional cabinet responsibilities as Minister under the Manitoba Telephone Act.
When Douglas Campbell became Premier of Manitoba
on December 14, 1948, he relieved Morton of the Municipal Affairs portfolio, but kept him as minister under the Manitoba Telephone Act, Minister under the Manitoba Power Commission Act, and Minister of Public Utilities under the Municipal and Public Utility Board Act. His title was later simplified to Minister of Public Works and Minister of Public Utilities. In these portfolios, Morton continued Campbell's work in providing electricity to the rural areas of the province.
In 1952, Morton approved a motion which gave aboriginal Canadians in Manitoba the right to vote in provincial elections.
Morton holds the unique distinction of having been returned without opposition in four consecutive elections: 1941
, 1945
, 1949
and 1953
.
Morton stepped down from his ministerial portfolios on January 28, 1955, and served as a minister without portfolio
until his death in early 1958.
Manitoba Cooperative Commonwealth Federation leader Lloyd Stinson
described Morton as the "strong silent" man of Campbell's administration. He was a loyal supporter of Campbell, and often used his extensive ties to municipal politicians for the government's benefit.
Morton's son, William Lewis Morton, was a prominent Canadian historian. There is currently a William Morton Collegiate in Gladstone, Manitoba
.
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 1927 to 1958, 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 ....
, 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....
and Douglas Campbell
Douglas Lloyd Campbell
Douglas Lloyd Campbell, OC was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as the 13th Premier of Manitoba from 1948 to 1958...
. His father, Thomas Lewis Morton, was a member of the assembly from 1888 to 1903.
Morton was educated at St. John's College in Winnipeg, and was prominent in athletics, notably football, hockey and curling. He was a councillor in the municipality of Westbourne
Westbourne, Manitoba
Westbourne is a rural municipality in the province of Manitoba in Western Canada. The separately administered town of Gladstone lies within its borders.-External links:*...
from 1913 to 1917, and was its reeve from 1917 to 1927.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1927 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1927
Manitoba's general election of 28 June 1927 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This was the first election in Manitoba history to elect members through a single transferable ballot in all constituencies...
as a Progressive
Progressive Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Party of Manitoba, Canada, was a political party that developed from the United Farmers of Manitoba, an agrarian movement that became politically active following World War I...
, in the rural constituency of Gladstone. He was returned as a 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 :...
in the 1932 election
Manitoba general election, 1932
Manitoba's general election of June 16, 1932 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This was the second election in Manitoba where the single transferable ballot was used in all electoral divisions...
, after the two parties formed an alliance.
Re-elected again in the 1936 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...
, Morton was promoted to cabinet on November 22, 1939 as Municipal Commissioner
Municipal Commissioner (Manitoba)
The office of the Municipal Commissioner is a former government department in the Canadian province of Manitoba, established by the government of John Norquay in 1887...
in John Bracken's government. On February 14, 1944, he was given additional cabinet responsibilities as Minister under the Manitoba Telephone Act.
When Douglas Campbell became Premier of Manitoba
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...
on December 14, 1948, he relieved Morton of the Municipal Affairs portfolio, but kept him as minister under the Manitoba Telephone Act, Minister under the Manitoba Power Commission Act, and Minister of Public Utilities under the Municipal and Public Utility Board Act. His title was later simplified to Minister of Public Works and Minister of Public Utilities. In these portfolios, Morton continued Campbell's work in providing electricity to the rural areas of the province.
In 1952, Morton approved a motion which gave aboriginal Canadians in Manitoba the right to vote in provincial elections.
Morton holds the unique distinction of having been returned without opposition in four consecutive elections: 1941
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...
, 1945
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...
, 1949
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 1953
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...
.
Morton stepped down from his ministerial portfolios on January 28, 1955, and served 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...
until his death in early 1958.
Manitoba Cooperative Commonwealth Federation leader Lloyd Stinson
Lloyd Stinson
Lloyd Stinson was a politician in Manitoba, Canada, and the leader of that province's Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from 1953 to 1959. Although widely regarded as a capable leader, he was unable to achieve a major electoral breakthrough for his party.Stinson was born in Treherne,...
described Morton as the "strong silent" man of Campbell's administration. He was a loyal supporter of Campbell, and often used his extensive ties to municipal politicians for the government's benefit.
Morton's son, William Lewis Morton, was a prominent Canadian historian. There is currently a William Morton Collegiate in Gladstone, Manitoba
Gladstone, Manitoba
Gladstone is a town in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It is located on the Yellowhead Highway at the intersection with Highway 34 within the boundaries of the Rural Municipality of Westbourne...
.