16th Parliament of Ontario

The 16th Legislative Assembly of Ontario was in session from June 25, 1923, until October 18, 1926, just prior to the 1926 general election. The majority party was the Ontario Conservative Party led by George Howard Ferguson.

The United Farmers of Ontario party, who had held the balance of power in the preceding assembly, lost most of their seats to Conservatives.

The Liberals led by Wellington Hay were recognized as the Official Opposition following the 1923 election by the governing Conservatives, despite the fact that the United Farmers of Ontario had more seats. According to historian Peter Oliver, this was an arbitrary decision without basis in precedent or law. Conservative Premier G. Howard Ferguson used as justification an announcement by UFO general secretary James J. Morrison that the UFO would be withdrawing from party politics, though Oliver argues that this was facetious logic. UFO parliamentary leader Manning Doherty protested the decision, but to no avail.[1] In the course of the parliament, most UFO MLAs reorganized themselves as the Progressive Party under the leadership of first Manning Doherty and then William Raney, with only Beniah Bowman and Leslie Warner Oke continuing as UFO MLAs.

Joseph Elijah Thompson served as speaker for the assembly.[2]

Members elected to the Assembly

Listing reflects the UFO/Progressive split in 1924. Italicized names indicate members returned by acclamation.

Timeline
16th Legislative Assembly of Ontario - Movement in seats held (1923-1926)
Party 1923 Gain/(loss) due to 1926
Party
split		 Death
in office		 Resignation
as MPP		 Byelection
gain		 Byelection
hold
Conservative 75(1)(2)1174
United Farmers 17(15)(1)1
Progressive –15(4)11
Liberal 14(2)(1)11
Labour 4(1)3
Independent 11
Vacant –2810
Total111–(1)(1)11111
Changes in seats held (1923–1926)
Seat Before Change
Date Member Party Reason Date Member Party
Lennox August 23, 1923 John Perry Vrooman █ Liberal Died in office October 22, 1923 Charles Wesley Hambly █ Conservative
Toronto Northwest - A May 15, 1924 Thomas Crawford █ Conservative Accepted provincial appointment July 7, 1924 William Henry Edwards █ Conservative
Simcoe South April 14, 1925 William Earl Rowe █ Conservative Resigned to run in 1925 federal election █ Vacant
Kenora April 14, 1925 Peter Heenan █ Labour Resigned to run in 1925 federal election █ Vacant
Cochrane April 14, 1925 Malcolm Lang █ Liberal Resigned to run in 1925 federal election █ Vacant
Norfolk North April 14, 1925 George David Sewell █ Progressive Resigned to run in 1925 federal election █ Vacant
Grey Centre April 14, 1925 Dougall Carmichael █ Progressive Resigned to run in 1925 federal election █ Vacant
Kent East April 14, 1925 Manning William Doherty █ Progressive Resigned seat to promote cooperative movement █ Vacant
London August 15, 1925 Adam Beck █ Conservative Died in office █ Vacant
Middlesex East April 8, 1926 John Willard Freeborn █ Progressive Resigned to run in 1926 federal election █ Vacant
Manitoulin April 8, 1926 Beniah Bowman █ United Farmers Resigned to run in 1926 federal election █ Vacant
Kent West October 11, 1926 Robert Livingstone Brackin █ Liberal Died in office █ Vacant

References
  1. Peter Oliver, G. Howard Ferguson: Ontario Tory, (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1977), p. 158.)
  2. "Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Archived from the original on 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2014-08-27.
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