Home > John Stewart McDiarmid

McDiarmid was born in Perthshire, Scotland, and emigrated to Canada with his family in 1887. He was educated in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and subsequently worked as a lumber merchant in the city. In 1925Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s Years: 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 See also 1925 in aviation 1925 in film 1925 in literature 1925 in mu, he was elected as an AldermanAn alderman is a member of a municipal legislative body in a town or city with many jurisdictions. Members of Chicago's city council, for instance, use the title. The title is Anglo-Saxon in origin, literally meaning "elder-man", and was used by the chief on Winnipeg's municipal council.

The following year, McDiarmid was elected to the federal House of CommonsThe House of Commons (in French, la Chambre des communes is the directly elected lower house of the Parliament of Canada which sits in the nation's capital of Ottawa, Ontario. Leadership Prime Minister and Cabinet Under the Westminster system, the prime m as a LiberalLiberal Party of Canada Current Leader Paul Martin Founded July 1, 1867 (nation's founding) Headquarters Suite 40081 Metcalfe Street Ottawa, OntarioK1P 6M8 Colours Red Political ideology liberal International alignment Liberal International The Liberal Pa, in the riding of Winnipeg SouthWinnipeg South is a Canadian electoral district that covers the south of the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. It was created in 1914, cut of the Winnipeg electoral district, and existed until 1976 when it was divided between Winnipeg—Assiniboine and Winnipeg—F. He defeated his only opponent, ConservativeThe name Conservative Party of Canada has been used twice in Canadian history. For the current party founded 2003 please see the article Conservative Party of Canada. The Conservative Party has been gone under a variety of names over the years. Initially Robert RogersRobert Rogers may refer to: Robert Rogers (1864-1936), Canadian politician Robert Rogers, 18th century British officer and explorer., by 8809 votes to 7638. For the next four years, he served in parliament as a backbench supporter of Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. He was defeated by Rogers in a 1930 rematch, 10117 votes to 9774.

On May 27, 1932, McDiarmid was appointed Provincial Lands Commissioner and Minister of Mines and Natural Resources in the government of provincial Premier John Bracken. This occurred after negotiations in which the provincial Liberal party merged with Bracken's governing Progressives; McDiarmid received one of the cabinet positions designated for the Liberal Party. In a provincial election held less than one month later, McDiarmid was elected to the provincial assembly, topping his party's list in Winnipeg (which elected ten members by preferential balloting, at the time).

Outgoing provincial Liberal leader Murdoch Mackay was defeated in the 1932 election, and McDiarmid was subsequently recognized as the leading Liberal spokesman in the Liberal-Progressive coalition. He was not formally recognized as a party leader, as the Liberals were no longer an autonomous entity.

Ideologically, McDiarmid appears to have been on the right-wing of his party. One-time Cooperative Commonwealth Federation leader Lloyd Stinson described him as the most right-wing member of the Liberal-Progressive government, and also accussed him of being anti-labour.

McDiarmid was re-elected for Winnipeg in 1936, finishing fifth on the city's first-preference votes. In the election 1941, held after the creation of a grand coalition ministry with the Conservatives, CCF and Social Credit, he topped the city's poll outright.

McDiarmid retained the Land and Natural Resources/Mines portfolios for the entirety of his time in cabinet, and was also Provincial Secretary from November 28, 1939 to February 14, 1946, Railway Commissioner and Minister of Industry and Commerce from November 4, 1940 to June 30, 1953, and (briefly) acting Labour Minister following the resignation of CCF leader Seymour J. Farmer in 1942.

McDiarmid finished second on the Winnipeg poll in the general election of 1945 (Farmer was first). In 1949, he topped the poll in the redistributed four-member riding of Winnipeg South.

McDiarmid did not seek re-election in 1953, but was instead appointed Lt. Governor on August 1 of that year. He served in this largely ceremonial position until January 15, 1960, when he was replaced by former Progressive Conservative party leader Errick Willis.

McDiarmid died in 1965.