John Bracken

John Bracken (June 22, 1883-March 18, 1969) was an agronomist, Premier of Manitoba (1922-1943) and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (1942-1948).

Bracken was born in Ellesville, Ontario, and was educated at the Ontario Agricultural College. He was professor of animal husbandry at the University of Saskatchewan from 1910 to 1920 when he became President of the Manitoba Agricultural College.

The United Farmers of Manitoba won the provincial election of 1922 but did not have a leader so they asked Bracken to head the party and become Premier of Manitoba. (Something similar happened to Ernest C. Drury when the United Farmers of Ontario won the 1919 election in that province.)

Bracken was a political outsider, and gave the UFM the technocratic grounding it desired. The United Farmers generally promoted the abandonment of the older Liberal and Conservative parties in favour of a government based on non-partisanship, under the control of an enlightened bureaucracy. Bracken accepted the UFM's request, and won a deferred election in the northern riding of The Pas. The UFM governed as the Progressive Party of Manitoba, and Bracken served as Manitoba's Premier for twenty years.

Bracken's government was in most respects conservative and cautious, not willing to risk innovation in untried areas. It was also dominated by rural interests, who controlled the Manitoba legislature through an outdated system of representation. For these reasons, labour interests did not fare well under Bracken's leadership. He had little sympathy with the leaders of the Winnipeg General Strike, and once fired a number of government workers to demonstrate his independence from organized labour.

Bracken's personal inclinations were in favour of non-partisan government. In 1931, his Progressives formed an alliance with the Manitoba Liberal Party, and the two parties eventually merged into one. In 1940, Bracken formed a wartime coalition government which included the Conservatives, the CCF and Social Credit. When Bracken left provincial politics in 1942, there were only 5 opposition MLAs in a 57-member parliament. His multi-party coalition remained in government through most of the 1950s, although the CCF left in 1943.

Bracken held several cabinet portfolios in addition to the office of Premier. He served as Minister of Education from August 8, 1922 to December 3, 1923; Provincial Lands Commissioner and Railway Commissioner from August 10, 1922 to December 3, 1923; Minister of Agriculture from December 3, 1923 to January 12, 1925; Provincial Treasurer from January 18, 1925 to May 27, 1932; Minister of Public Utilities from April 29, 1927 to April 19, 1928; Minister of Mines and Natural Resources from April 19, 1928 to October 25, 1930; Provincial Secretary from May 10, 1935 to November 28, 1939; Railway Commissioner (again) from May 10, 1935 to November 4, 1940; Minister of Agriculture (again) from April 28, 1936 to September 21, 1936; Minister of the Manitoba Power Commission from June 3, 1936 to November 4, 1940; and Minister of Dominion-Provincial Relations from November 22, 1939 to November 4, 1940. Quite obviously, he possessed a keen interest in several aspects of his government, and took an activist role among his ministers.

Despite having cooperated with the Liberals, Bracken was asked by senior Tories, including Arthur Meighen, to take over the leadership of the weak federal Conservative Party. He agreed to seek the leadership on the condition that the party change its name to the Progressive Conservative Party and was elected at the 1942 Tory leadership convention. Bracken stepped down as Manitoba premier shortly afterwards, being succeeded by Stuart S. Garson.

Bracken did not seek a seat in the House of Commons until the 1945 election, which the Tories lost. Bracken became Leader of the Opposition and remained leader of the Tories until he was pushed to resign in 1948. He was defeated by Liberal James Matthews in 1949, and did not return to political life thereafter.

Preceded by: Tobias C. Norris 1915-1922

Premier of Manitoba 1922-1943

Succeeded by: Stuart S. Garson 1943-1948

Preceded by: Arthur Meighen

(Progressive) Conservative Leaders

Followed by: George Drew