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Picture courtesy of Wikipedia
In Lakeview Park, Oshawa near Henry House of the Oshawa Museum
Commemoration
Ontario's twelfth prime minister was born in Oshawa and educated at the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall. A practising lawyer, he was a leader in civic affairs and in 1916-17 served as mayor of Oshawa. During the following years he held various municipal offices, and in 1937 was elected to the provincial legislature as Liberal member for the riding of Ontario. He was appointed attorney general that year for the administration of the Hon. Michael F. Hepburn and, on the latter's resignation in 1942, succeeded him as prime minister. Mr. Conant resigned in 1943 and became Master of the Supreme Court of Ontario.
Background
We most often use the term “premier” today when describing a provincial leader rather than “prime minister” which would have been used in Conant’s time.
Conant came from Empire Loyalist stock. His wife, Verna, was a daughter of the food magnate, E. D. Smith. The Ontario Liberals, during the Second World War were at odds with the federal Liberals under Hepburn’s leadership. Conant smoothed those waters. While Conant became premier, Hepburn retained the party leadership in Ontario. The party demanded that the two men run for election as leader. Unfortunately, Conant collapsed just hours before the vote. In the end, neither man was chosen. Harry Nixon was elected leader and replaced Conant as premier in 1943.
This shows the shift of power in the province. Where once, the leading politicians came from the staunch UEL portions of the province east of here, by the Second World War, economic and political power now resided in and about Toronto.
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