Douglas Lloyd Campbell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Douglas Lloyd Campbell
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| 13th Premier of Manitoba | |
| In office November 13, 1948 – June 30, 1958 |
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| Monarch | George VI Elizabeth II |
| Lieutenant Governor | Roland F. McWilliams John S. McDiarmid |
| Preceded by | Stuart Garson |
| Succeeded by | Dufferin Roblin |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Lakeside | |
| In office July 18, 1922 – June 25, 1969 |
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| Preceded by | Charles Duncan McPherson |
| Succeeded by | Harry Enns |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 27, 1895 Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada |
| Died | April 23, 1995 (aged 99) Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Political party | Progressive (1922–1932) Liberal-Progressive (1932–1961) Liberal (1961–1969) |
| Spouse |
Gladys Victoria Crampton
(m. 1920) |
| Children | 7 |
| Alma mater | Brandon University |
| Occupation | farmer and school teacher |
| Profession | politician |
| Cabinet | Minister of Agriculture (1936–1948) Minister of Manitoba Power Commission (1944–1948) President of the Council (1948–1958) Minister Dominion-Provincial Relations (1948–1958) |
Douglas Lloyd Campbell (May 27, 1895 – April 23, 1995) was a very important Canadian politician from Manitoba. He served as the 13th premier of Manitoba, which is like the leader of the province's government, from 1948 to 1958. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for an amazing 47 years. This is the longest time anyone has served in that role in Manitoba's history!
Contents
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Douglas Campbell was born in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. His parents were John Howard Campbell and Mary Campbell. He went to school in Portage la Prairie and Brandon. Before becoming a politician, he worked as a farmer and a school teacher. He was also involved in a group called the Freemasons. In 1920, he married Gladys Victoria Crampton. They had seven children together.
Starting in Provincial Politics
In 1922, Douglas Campbell decided to enter politics. He became a candidate for the United Farmers of Manitoba (UFM) in the area called Lakeside. This area is north of Winnipeg. He was known as a strong speaker. People saw him as a rising star in his party.
The UFM party won many seats in rural Manitoba in 1922. Campbell easily won his election against his opponent, Herbert Muir. He continued to win his elections in 1927 and 1932. During these years, no other major party ran candidates against him in Lakeside.
The UFM believed in a government that focused on managing things well. They paid special attention to the needs of people in rural areas. In 1932, the Progressives joined forces with the Manitoba Liberal Party. After this, Campbell and others in his party were called "Liberal-Progressives." He won his election again in 1936.
Becoming a Cabinet Minister
On December 21, 1936, Campbell became the Minister of Agriculture in the government led by John Bracken. This meant he was in charge of farming and food production for the province. Later, on February 5, 1944, he also became the Minister of the Manitoba Power Commission.
In this role, he helped create a program to bring electricity to farms and rural areas. This program was very important and helped set up what we now know as Manitoba Hydro, which provides electricity to the province.
In 1940, John Bracken's government became a "coalition government." This means different political parties worked together. The Conservatives, the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, and the Social Credit party all had members in the cabinet. Campbell faced no opponents in the elections of 1941, 1945, and 1949. This meant he won without anyone running against him.
Leading Manitoba as Premier
In 1943, John Bracken left provincial politics to join federal politics. His successor, Stuart Garson, did the same in 1948. Douglas Campbell then ran to become the next Premier. He won a vote among the different parties in the coalition government. He was sworn in as Premier on November 13, 1948. He was only the second person born in Manitoba to become Premier. He also became the Minister of Dominion-Provincial Relations.
Campbell's government continued the program to bring electricity to rural areas. However, his government was generally careful and didn't want to expand government services too much. They also did not support making the province officially bilingual (using both English and French). Campbell's government also kept some old laws, like "blue laws," which restricted things like alcohol sales and Sunday shopping. Manitoba's education system at the time still had many one-room schoolhouses, which were becoming outdated.
The coalition government ended in 1950. The Progressive Conservatives left the government. They disagreed with Campbell's idea of having a "minimal government," meaning less government involvement in people's lives.
In the 1953 election, Campbell's Liberal-Progressives won a clear victory. They won 32 out of 57 seats. After this election, Dufferin Roblin became the new leader of the Progressive Conservatives. Roblin wanted to build more infrastructure and modernize the province. Campbell, however, was against government involvement in many areas.
In the provincial election of 1958, no party won a clear majority. The Tories won 26 seats, Campbell's Liberal-Progressives won 19, and another party won 11. Campbell tried to form a government with another party, but it didn't work out. When it became clear that the other party would support the Tories, Campbell resigned as Premier on June 30, 1958. The next year, Roblin's Tories won a majority of seats.
After Being Premier
After stepping down as Premier, Campbell remained the Leader of the Opposition until 1961. He then resigned as leader of what was now called the Manitoba Liberal Party. Gildas Molgat took over from him.
Campbell continued to serve as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Lakeside until 1969. He had a strong influence on the Liberal party during this time. His 47 continuous years in the legislature is still a record for the province.
Later Life and Legacy
In the 1980s, Douglas Campbell supported new conservative movements. These included the Confederation of Regions Party and later the Reform Party of Canada led by Preston Manning. He also spoke at rallies for the Progressive Party, noting how it was similar to the earlier party he belonged to.
Campbell's political ideas stayed the same throughout his life. He believed in "small government," meaning he thought the government should not interfere too much in people's lives or the economy.
In 1972, he was given a special honor. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, which is one of Canada's highest awards.
Douglas Campbell passed away on April 23, 1995, at the age of 99. His wife had passed away in 1987.
Images for kids
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Douglas Lloyd Campbell, Premier of Manitoba
