John Chester MacRae
John Chester "Chet" MacRae MC (August 29, 1912 – October 5, 1997) was a Canadian school teacher, soldier, and politician. Known by his second name, Chester, he was widely referred to as "Chet."
J. Chester MacRae | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Canadian Parliament for York-Sunbury | |
| In office 1957–1972 | |
| Preceded by | Milton Fowler Gregg |
| Succeeded by | Robert Howie |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 29, 1912 Hope Town, Quebec |
| Died | October 5, 1997 (aged 85) Fredericton, New Brunswick |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative Party of Canada |
Born in Hope Town, Quebec, MacRae lived most of his life in the Province of New Brunswick. He graduated from high school in Campbellton, New Brunswick then attended the provincial Normal School in Fredericton. He taught in the public school system until 1940.
A veteran of World War II, serving in the Canadian Army he rose to the rank of captain in New Brunswick's North Shore Regiment and participated in the D-Day Normandy Landings in France. He was awarded a number of medals including the Military Cross. In later years he was appointed an honorary Colonel of the First Battalion Royal New Brunswick Regiment, the Carleton-York regiment.
MacRae was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in 1957 as the Progressive Conservative Party's candidate in the York-Sunbury riding. He was re-elected in 1958, 1962, 1963, 1965, and 1968. He served until September 1, 1972.
He died at a Fredericton hospital in 1997.[1]
Archives
There is a John Chester MacRae fonds at Library and Archives Canada.[2] Archival reference number is R3367.
Electoral history
| 1968 Canadian federal election: Fredericton | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | John Chester MacRae | 17,394 | 55.39 | +6.87 | ||||
| Liberal | Paul Burden | 12,983 | 41.34 | -4.40 | ||||
| New Democratic | Patrick Callaghan | 1,028 | 3.27 | -2.47 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 31,405 | 100.00 | ||||||
| 1965 Canadian federal election: Fredericton | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | John Chester MacRae | 15,813 | 48.52 | +0.04 | ||||
| Liberal | Paul Burden | 14,909 | 45.74 | +0.78 | ||||
| New Democratic | Patrick Callaghan | 1,872 | 5.74 | +2.67 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 32,594 | 100.00 | ||||||
| 1963 Canadian federal election: Fredericton | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | John Chester MacRae | 15,827 | 48.48 | -0.11 | ||||
| Liberal | David Dickson | 14,678 | 44.96 | +2.09 | ||||
| Social Credit | George Nickerson | 1,142 | 3.50 | -1.32 | ||||
| New Democratic | Lovell Clark | 1,001 | 3.07 | -0.65 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 32,648 | 100.00 | ||||||
| 1962 Canadian federal election: Fredericton | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | John Chester MacRae | 15,255 | 48.59 | -4.83 | ||||
| Liberal | David Dickson | 13,461 | 42.87 | -1.45 | ||||
| Social Credit | George Nickerson | 1,513 | 4.82 | Ø | ||||
| New Democratic | John Simonds | 1,167 | 3.72 | +1.46 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 31,396 | 100.00 | ||||||
Changes for the New Democratic Party are based on the 1958 results of its predecessor, the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation.
| 1958 Canadian federal election: Fredericton | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | John Chester MacRae | 15,813 | 53.42 | +3.96 | ||||
| Liberal | David Dickson | 13,118 | 44.32 | -3.89 | ||||
| Co-operative Commonwealth | Lawrence Bright | 669 | 2.26 | -0.07 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 29,600 | 100.00 | ||||||
| 1957 Canadian federal election: Fredericton | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | John Chester MacRae | 13,356 | 49.46 | +6.71 | ||||
| Liberal | Milton Fowler Gregg | 13,018 | 48.21 | -4.49 | ||||
| Co-operative Commonwealth | Lawrence Bright | 628 | 2.33 | -2.21 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 27,002 | 100.00 | ||||||
References
- "Vital Statistics", Fredericton Daily Gleaner, October 7, 1997, pg.D7
- "Finding aid to John Chester MacRae fonds, Library and Archives Canada" (PDF).