Toronto West (provincial electoral district)

Toronto West, also known as West Toronto, was a provincial riding that was created in Toronto, Ontario when the country of Canada was established in 1867. At the time Toronto was divided into two ridings, West Toronto and East Toronto. In 1886, these ridings were dissolved and a combined riding of the entire city was created which elected three members. In 1894 this riding was split into four parts of which Toronto West was one. It occupied the western part of the old city of Toronto. From 1908 to 1914 it elected two members to the legislature. In 1914 the riding was abolished and reformed into three new ridings called Toronto Southwest, Toronto Northwest and Parkdale.

This article is about the provincial electoral district. For the federal electoral district, see Toronto West.
Toronto West
Ontario electoral district
Toronto West riding, created in 1894
Defunct provincial electoral district
LegislatureLegislative Assembly of Ontario
District created1867
District abolished1914
First contested1867
Last contested1911

Boundaries

In 1867, when the province of Ontario was established, two ridings were created to represent the city of Toronto. Toronto West was created from the city wards of St. John, St. Andrew, St. Patrick and St. George.

In 1886 the riding was abolished and a single riding called Toronto, representing the entire city was created which elected three members to the legislature.

The riding was re-formed in 1894. In the second incarnation, the boundaries were Lake Ontario to the south between Palmerston Avenue in the east and the city limits in the west. The northern boundary was the city limits which was formed by the Grand Trunk Railway right-of-way.[1]

In 1914, the riding was split between the new ridings of Toronto Southwest, Toronto Northwest and Parkdale.

Members of Provincial Parliament
Parliament Years Member Party
Riding established in 1867
1st 1867–1871     John Wallis Conservative
2nd 1871–1875     Adam Crooks[nb 1] Liberal
3rd 1875–1879     Robert Bell Conservative
4th 1879–1883
5th 1883–1886     Henry Clarke Conservative
Riding dissolved into combined Toronto riding in 1886
Riding reestablished in 1894
8th 1894–1898     Thomas Crawford Conservative
9th 1898–1902
10th 1902–1905
11th 1905–1908
Seat A
12th 1908–1911     Thomas Crawford Conservative
13th 1911–1914
Seat B
12th 1908–1911     William McPherson Conservative
13th 1911–1914
Sourced from the Ontario Legislative Assembly[2]
Merged into Toronto Southwest, Toronto Northwest and Parkdale ridings after 1911

Election results

1894-1914
1894 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes[3] Vote %
    Conservative Thomas Crawford 4,860 63.1
    Liberal Mr. Lindsey 2,846 36.9
Total 7,706
1898 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes[4] Vote %
    Conservative Thomas Crawford 3,777 55.9
    Liberal Mr. Spence 2,982 44.1
Total 6,759
1902 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes[5] Vote %
    Conservative Thomas Crawford 4,260 58.0
    Liberal Mr. Urquhart 2,732 37.2
    Socialist J. Kelly 270 3.7
    Socialist-Labour Mr. Wellwood 79 1.1
Total 7,341
1905 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes[6][7] Vote %
    Conservative Thomas Crawford 5,022 70.3
    Temperance Dr. Hunter 1,792 25.1
    Socialist Mr. Peel 208 2.9
    Independent Mr. Galbraith 91 1.3
    Independent Mr. Noble 32 0.4
Total 7,145

Seat A
1908 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes[8][9] Vote %
    Conservative Thomas Crawford 6,251 70.9
    Liberal Mr. Miles 1,908 21.6
    Socialist Mr. Thompson 295 3.3
    Independent Liberal Mr. Hunter 281 3.2
    Labour Mr. Noble 49 0.6
    Independent Mr. Briggs 32 0.4
Total 8,816
1911 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes[10][11] Vote %
    Conservative Thomas Crawford 5,111 76.5
    Liberal Mr. Hunter 1,362 20.4
    Labour Mr. Noble 212 3.2
Total 6,685

Seat B
1908 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes[8][9] Vote %
    Conservative William McPherson 4,180 46.3
    Liberal Mr. Hay 2,269 25.2
    Independent Conservative Mr. Wright 1,991 22.1
    Labour Mr. Gardner 432 4.8
    Socialist Mr. Frost 149 1.7
Total 9,021
1911 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes[10][11] Vote %
    Conservative William McPherson 4,837 75.0
    Liberal James Watt 1,613 25.0
Total 6,450

References

Notes
  1. On 9 January 1872, Crooks resigned in order to recontest the seat due to his appointment as Attorney General. This was known as a ministerial by-election.

Citations
  1. "The Registration Divisions". The Globe. 2 June 1894. p. 16.
  2. For a listing of each MPP's Queen's Park curriculum vitae see below:
    • For John Wallis's Legislative Assembly information see "John Wallis, MPP". Parliamentary History. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-17.
    • For Adam Crooks' Legislative Assembly information see "Adam Crooks, MPP". Parliamentary History. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-17.
    • For Robert Bell's Legislative Assembly information see "Robert Bell, MPP". Parliamentary History. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-17.
    • For Henry Clarke's Legislative Assembly information see "Henry Edward Clarke, MPP". Parliamentary History. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-17.
    • For Thomas Crawford's Legislative Assembly information see "Thomas Crawford, MPP". Parliamentary History. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-17.
    • For William McPherson's Legislative Assembly information see "William David McPherson, MPP". Parliamentary History. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-17.
  3. "Mowat Seven Times a Conqueror". The Evening Star. Toronto. 1894-06-27. p. 1.
  4. "Liberals Wield an Axe". The Evening Star. Toronto. 1898-03-02. p. 2.
  5. "Toronto is still Tory". The Globe. Toronto. 1902-05-30. p. 8.
  6. "Toronto Leads the Van in Conservative Sweep". The Globe. Toronto. 1905-01-26. p. 8.
  7. "Conservatives Roll up 10,000 Majority". Toronto Daily Star. Toronto. 1905-01-26. p. 4.
  8. "The City Returns Came in Quickly, The Vote in Toronto". The Toronto Daily Star. Toronto. 1908-06-09. p. 10.
  9. "Toronto Yet Tory; A Straight Eight: Liberals and Independents Were All Defeated". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. 1908-06-09. p. 4.
  10. "Toronto is Totally Tory Again". The Toronto Daily Star. Toronto. 1911-12-12. p. 3.
  11. "Only 41,000 Votes in City Ridings". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. 1911-12-12. p. 8.
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