Stuart Garson

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Stuart Sinclair Garson, PC, CC (December 1, 1898 - May 5, 1977) was a Canadian politician and lawyer. He served as Premier of Manitoba from 1943 to 1948, and later became a federal cabinet minister.

Born in St. Catharines, Ontario, Garson was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for the riding of Fairford in 1927, defeating incumbent Liberal Albert Kirvan. He defeated again Kirvan in 1932, and faced only minor competition for the remainder of his time in the Manitoba legislature. In early 1932, Garson was one of the founding members of the province's Liberal-Progressive coalition.

Garson was sworn in as provincial Treasurer on September 21, 1936. He also became minister of the Manitoba Power Commission on November 4, 1940, and Minister of Public Utilities on May 15, 1941. He continued to hold all of these positions after being sworn in as Premier on January 14, 1943. He resigned the MPC and Utilities portfolios in 1944.

Garson's government was perhaps slightly more interventionist than those of fellow Liberal-Progressives John Bracken and Douglas Campbell. Garson's ministry began a program of rapid rural electrification, and made some effort to service the needs of returning soldiers after World War II. All the same, he rejected demanded from the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation to introduce programs in public housing and old-age pensions.

Under Garson's leadership, the "Liberal-Progressive" alliance became a united party -- albeit one that was dominated by former Progressive politicians. His ministry also retained close ties to the federal Liberal government of William Lyon Mackenzie King.

Garson moved to federal politics in 1948, at the behest of new Liberal Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent. On November 15, 1948, Garson was sworn in as Minister of Justice and Attorney General; he was elected to the federal parliament in a by-election the next month. For the next nine years, Garson would be the dominant cabinet minister from Manitoba in St. Laurent's government. He also served as Solicitor General of Canada from August 7, 1950 to October 14, 1952.

Garson lost his seat in 1957, the year that Progressive Conservative leader John Diefenbaker formed a minority government. He did not return to active political life thereafter. In 1971, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.

Preceded by: John Bracken

Premier of Manitoba 1943-1948

Succeeded by: Douglas L. Campbell

Premiers of Manitoba
Boyd | Girard | Clarke | Davis | Norquay | Harrison | Greenway | Macdonald | R. Roblin | Norris | Bracken | Garson | Campbell | D. Roblin | Weir | Schreyer | Lyon | Pawley | Filmon | Doer