George Wardrope

George Wardrope
Ontario MPP
In office
1951–1967
Preceded byFred Robinson
Succeeded byRon Knight
ConstituencyPort Arthur
Personal details
Born(1899-11-02)November 2, 1899
Montreal, Quebec
DiedJanuary 1, 1980(1980-01-01) (aged 80)
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Political partyProgressive Conservative
SpouseBlanche Mabel Senbolt
OccupationInsurance broker

George Calvin Wardrope (November 2, 1899 – January 1, 1980) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1951 to 1967. He was a member of cabinet in the governments of Leslie Frost and John Robarts.

Background

He was born in Montreal, the son of John W. Wardrope and educated at the University of Toronto. Wardrope operated an insurance and real estate agency in Port Arthur. He was also president of the Steep Rock Lumber Company and served on the city council for Port Arthur. In 1947, he married Blanche Mabel Senbolt.[1][2]

Politics

Wardrope was an unsuccessful candidate for the federal seat in 1935 and the provincial seat in 1948.[3] He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Progressive Conservative for the northern Ontario riding of Port Arthur in the 1951 provincial election.[4] In December 1958, he was appointed to cabinet as Minister of Reform Institutions.[5]

He was a candidate in the 1961 Progressive Conservative leadership convention, placing last with 45 votes. He was subsequently appointed to the Cabinet by the new Premier of Ontario, John Robarts as Minister of Mines.[6] He held this position until he was defeated in the 1967 election by radio broadcaster Ron Knight. Knight defeated him by 810 votes.[7]

Wardrope attempted to win a seat in the House of Commons of Canada in the 1968 federal election, but was defeated in the riding of Thunder Bay. He placed third behind Liberal Keith Penner and the New Democratic Party candidate.[8]

In 1969 he was elected to serve on the first City Council of the new city of Thunder Bay, which took office on January 1, 1970.[9]

Cabinet positions

Ontario provincial government of John Robarts
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
James Maloney Minister of Mines
1961–1967 		Allan Lawrence
Ontario provincial government of Leslie Frost
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
Matthew Dymond Minister of Reform Institutions
1958–1961 		Irwin Haskett

References

  1. ^ Canadian Who's Who. 1966. pp. 1132–3.
  2. ^ Pierre Normandin (1956). Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1952.
  3. ^ Canadian Press (June 6, 1948). "How Ontario Electors Voted in all 90 Ridings". The Toronto Daily Star. Toronto. p. 24.
  4. ^ Canadian Press (November 22, 1951). "Complete Ontario Vote". The Montreal Gazette. Montreal. p. 4. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
  5. ^ "Premier Frost's New Team". The Globe and Mail. December 23, 1958. p. 6.
  6. ^ "Haskett, MacNaughton Join Cabinet Ranks". The Globe and Mail. November 9, 1961. p. 29.
  7. ^ Canadian Press (October 18, 1967). "Tories win, but..." The Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. p. B2.
  8. ^ "Results from parliamentary constituencies across the country, riding by riding". The Globe and Mail. June 26, 1968. pp. 10–11.
  9. ^ F. Brent Scollie (2000). Thunder Bay Mayors and Councillors 1873-1945. Thunder Bay, Ont: Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society. pp. 146–147.