John C. Dryden

John Cameron Dryden (February 3, 1893[1] near Ste. Agathe, Manitoba[2] – October 15, 1951[3]) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1941 to 1949, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of Stuart Garson and Douglas Campbell.[1]

Dryden was educated at the Manitoba Agricultural College, and worked as a farmer. He served for ten years on the municipal council of Ste. Agathe, and served overseas in World War I from 1915 to 1918 as a member of the Royal Canadian Engineers. Dryden received a military medal in 1917.[2] In 1919, he married Luella Mary Kemp.[3]

He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1941 provincial election,[1] defeating Liberal-Progressive candidate L.A. Slater in the rural constituency of Morris. Although elected as an independent, Dryden was a supporter of the coalition government led by Liberal-Progressive Premier John Bracken. He joined the Liberal-Progressive Party himself during the parliament which followed.

Dryden was appointed to Stuart Garson's cabinet on February 4, 1944, as Minister of Education. Returned without difficulty in the 1945 election, he held this position until December 14, 1948, while he was promoted to Provincial Treasurer by Garson's replacement, Douglas Lloyd Campbell.[1]

Dryden was defeated in the 1949 provincial election by Harry Shewman, an independent candidate. He remained as a caretaker Provincial Treasurer until February 16, 1950, when he resigned his office.[1] He did not seek a return to the legislature, and died in Winnipeg at the age of 58.[3]

In the early 2000s, his nephew Murray Dryden's son, Ken Dryden, was appointed by Prime Minister Paul Martin to the federal cabinet as Minister of Social Development.

Electoral results

1941 Manitoba general election: Morris
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent John C. Dryden 1,708 59.37
Liberal–Progressive Leo Arthur Slater 1,169 40.63 -11.65
Total valid votes 2,877
Rejected 32
Eligible voters / Turnout 5,574 52.19 -20.71
Source(s)
Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba.
1945 Manitoba general election: Morris
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive John C. Dryden 1,676 70.13 29.49
Co-operative Commonwealth Ivan Langtry 714 29.87
Total valid votes 2,390
Rejected 62
Eligible voters / Turnout 5,697 43.04 -9.15
Source(s)
Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba.
1949 Manitoba general election: Morris
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Harry Shewman 1,452 47.76
Liberal–Progressive John C. Dryden 1,253 41.22 -28.91
Co-operative Commonwealth Thomas Wishart 335 11.02 -18.85
Total valid votes 3,040
Rejected 99
Eligible voters / Turnout 5,953 52.73 9.69
Source(s)
Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Statement of Votes for the 37th Provincial General Election, September 21, 1999 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "MLA Biographies - Deceased". Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Archived from the original on 2014-03-30.
  2. ^ a b "Under The Golden Boy, Manitoba's M.L.A.s". Winnipeg Evening Tribune. March 19, 1943. p. 13. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-21.
  3. ^ a b c "John Cameron Dryden (1893-1951)". Manitoba Historical Society. Retrieved 2013-04-21.