Percy Wright

Percy Ellis Wright (1 November 1892 – 30 September 1980) was a democratic socialist politician. He was a member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), and served over 13 years as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of Canada. He served on the CCF's national council and executive, and was elected as the CCF's National Chairman in 1950. After he was defeated as an MP, he returned to his occupation as a farmer until his death in 1980.

Percy Wright
Wright in September 1944
Member of Parliament
for Melfort
In office
16 May 1940 – 13 June 1953[1]
Preceded byMalcolm MacLean
Succeeded byriding dissolved
Personal details
Born
Percy Ellis Wright

(1892-11-01)1 November 1892
Beachburg, Ontario, Canada
Died30 September 1980(1980-09-30) (aged 87)
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Political partyCo-operative Commonwealth Federation
Spouse(s)Alice I. Dougherty
m. 28 February 1922[2]
Professionfarmer

Wright was born in Beachburg, Ontario, and attended Jarvis Collegiate Institute in Toronto. He served in the Canadian Field Artillery during World War I and became a lieutenant.[1] His career was in farming.[2]

He was first elected to Parliament from the Melfort electoral district in the 1940 federal election. He was re-elected in 1945 and 1949. When the Melfort electoral district was abolished, in the 1952 federal riding redistribution, Wright sought re-election in Melville, which contained roughly half of his old riding. It was also the electoral district of incumbent federal Minister of Agriculture James Garfield Gardiner of the Liberal party. In the 1953 Federal Election Wright was defeated by Gardiner, ending his federal political career.

When F. R. Scott retired as the national chairman, just before the CCF's biennial convention in Vancouver in July 1950, there was a rift between the farmer and labour wings.[3] Wright represented the farmer-wing, while Vancouver's Angus MacInnis, the son-in-law of former party founding leader J.S. Woodsworth, represented the labour-wing.[3] Wright defeated MacInnis in the election to be the CCF's National Chairman.[3] He was elected again in 1952.[4] At the 1954 convention Wright retired as national chairman, and David Lewis was elected to replace him.[5] He died in 1980.[6]

References
  1. "Wright, Percy Ellis". Parliamentarian Information File. House of Commons, Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  2. Normandin, Pierre G. (1952). The Canadian Parliamentary Guide.
  3. Braithwaite, Dennis (29 July 1950). "C.C.F. Disavows Marx Class Struggle Idea, Tempers High in Debate". The Toronto Daily Star. pp. 1, 7.
  4. Staff (9 August 1952). "Make Own Foreign Policy, Follow U.N. CCF Meet Urges". The Toronto Daily Star. pp. 1–2.
  5. McNenly, Pat (31 July 1954). "'Ginger' Grouper Declines, Pick Lewis CCF Chairman". The Toronto Daily Star. p. 3.
  6. "Login: The Family of John and Priscilla Wright".
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