Harold Proctor Shewman(April 14, 1900[1]inWinnipeg,Manitoba[2]– July 13, 1968) was apoliticianin Manitoba,Canada.He served as a member of theLegislative Assembly of Manitobafrom 1949 until his death in 1968.[1]
Shewman was educated at Wellington School in Winnipeg. He moved toMorriswith his family in 1915. He was a partner in his father's construction business and later worked as an auctioneer and insurance agent. He was a school trustee from 1925 to 1938, and served asmayorof the Town of Morris from 1948 to 1954, coinciding with his early period in the legislature.[2]
Shewman was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the1949 provincial election.[1]At that time, Manitoba was governed by a coalition of the province'sLiberal-Progressives(commonly called Liberals) andProgressive Conservatives.Shewman ran as an independent candidate inMorris,and defeated coalitionistJohn C. Drydenby 153 votes. Shewman was initially identified as a coalition supporter, but had turned to the opposition side by 1950.
In 1950, Shewman called onPremierDouglas Campbellto declare a state of emergency over rising flood waters. Campbell delayed, which resulted in a number of municipalities being left ineligible for federal relief.
Shewman was re-elected in the1953 general election,again as an independent.[1]He was not opposed by the Progressive Conservatives (who left the coalition government 1950), and seems to have been at least tacitly supported by that party. He formally joined the Progressive Conservatives in 1954, afterDufferin Roblinwas chosen as the party's leader.
The Progressive Conservatives made significant gains in the1958 provincial election,and formed aminority governmentafter the vote. Shewman was easily re-elected under the PC banner, and was again returned without difficulty in the elections of1959and1962.In the1966 election,[1]he defeated LiberalBruce McKenzieby the reduced margin of 230 votes.
He served on the backbenches throughout his time in parliament, and was never appointed to a cabinet position.
Shewman died in 1968. The Morris constituency has remained in Progressive Conservative hands since this time.[3]
References
edit- ^abcde"MLA Biographies - Deceased".Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.Archived fromthe originalon 2014-03-30.
- ^abBumsted, J M (2000).Dictionary of Manitoba Biography.University of Manitoba Press. pp. 226–27.ISBN0887553184.Retrieved2013-07-30.
- ^"Shannon Martin gets Manitoba Tory nod in Morris byelection".CBC News. May 14, 2013.Retrieved2013-07-30.