Charles Edward Johnston (February 12, 1899 – December 1, 1971) was a teacher and a long serving Canadian politician. He served as a member of the House of Commons of Canada for the opposition federal Social Credit party from 1935 to 1958. He moved to provincial politics and served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1959 to 1967 for the governing Alberta Social Credit party.[1]

Political career

Federal career

Johnston first ran for the House of Commons of Canada as a Social Credit candidate in the 1935 Canadian federal election. He defeated incumbent Member of Parliament Edward Joseph Garland to win his first term in office.[2] Johnston ran for re-election in the 1940 Canadian federal election. The election was hotly contested, he defeated four other candidates including former Alberta provincial Member of the Legislative Assembly Aylmer Liesemer.[3]

Johnston would increase his margin of victory winning his third term in office defeating four other candidates in the 1945 Canadian federal election.[4] The 1949 Canadian federal election would bring Johnston his largest vote total as he defeated five other candidates to win his fourth consecutive term in office.[5] He would be re-elected to a fifth term in office with another comfortable plurality in the 1953 Canadian federal election.[6] Johnston would suffer near defeat in the 1957 Canadian federal election winning by just 300 votes over Progressive Conservative candidate Eldon Woolliams.[7] Parliament would be dissolved a year later, and this time Johnston would be defeated in a landslide, after facing Woolliams once again in the 1958 Canadian federal election.[8]

Provincial career

After being defeated from federal politics he would run for a seat to the Alberta Legislature as the governing Alberta Social Credit candidate in the new provincial electoral district of Calgary Bowness. He would win his first term in office with a landslide taking almost 60% of the popular vote.[9] He was re-elected to a second term in office in the 1963 Alberta general election. His popular vote would decline but he still won his district with more than 50%.[10] Johnston ran for a third term in office in the 1967 general election. He was defeated in a closely contested race by Progressive Conservative candidate Len Werry.[11]

Johnston died on December 1, 1971.

References

  1. ^ Mardon, Austin (2012). What's in a Name?. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781897472583.
  2. ^ "Bow River election results". Parliament of Canada. 14 October 1935. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  3. ^ "Bow River election results". Parliament of Canada. 26 March 1940. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  4. ^ "Bow River election results". Parliament of Canada. 11 June 1945. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  5. ^ "Bow River election results". Parliament of Canada. 27 June 1949. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  6. ^ "Bow River election results". Parliament of Canada. 10 August 1953. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  7. ^ "Bow River election results". Parliament of Canada. 10 June 1957. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  8. ^ "Bow River election results". Parliament of Canada. 31 March 1958. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  9. ^ "Calgary Bowness results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  10. ^ "Calgary Bowness results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  11. ^ "Calgary Bowness results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
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