Pattullo ministry

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Pattullo ministry

22nd ministry of British Columbia
Date formedNovember 15, 1933 (1933-11-15)
Date dissolvedDecember 9, 1941 (1941-12-09)
People and organisations
Monarch
Lieutenant Governor
PremierDuff Pattullo
Member partiesLiberal Party
Status in legislature
Opposition party
Opposition leader
History
Election(s)1933, 1937, 1941
Legislature term(s)
PredecessorTolmie ministry
SuccessorHart ministry

The Pattullo ministry was the combined Cabinet (formally the Executive Council of British Columbia) that governed British Columbia from November 15, 1933, to December 9, 1941. It was led by Duff Pattullo, the 22nd premier of British Columbia, and was composed of members of the Liberal Party.

The Pattullo ministry was established following the 1933 election, in which the Liberal Party won a majority government.[1] It governed for the entirety of the 18th Parliament of British Columbia and, after re-election in the 1937 election, the entirety of the 19th Parliament of British Columbia as well.

After the 1941 election, the Liberal Party lost its majority in the Legislature.[2] Pattullo faced calls to form a coalition government with the Conservative Party, including from within his own party, but opted instead to form a minority government.[3] His new cabinet was sworn in on November 14.[4] However, at the party's annual convention on December 3, delegates voted to establish a coalition government. Pattullo then resigned, and the convention elected John Hart, who endorsed a coalition, as leader.[5] The next day, Pattullo announced his resignation as premier, and Hart invited Royal Maitland, the Conservative leader, to join a coalition.[6] The Pattullo ministry was thus disestablished and replaced by the Hart ministry on December 9, 1941.[7]

List of ministers[edit]

Pattullo ministry by portfolio
Portfolio Minister Tenure
Start End
Premier of British Columbia Duff Pattullo November 15, 1933 December 9, 1941
Minister of Agriculture Kenneth Cattanach MacDonald November 15, 1933 November 25, 1941
Frank Putnam November 26, 1941 December 9, 1941
Attorney General Gordon McGregor Sloan November 15, 1933 April 5, 1937
Duff Pattullo April 5, 1937 July 5, 1937
Gordon Sylvester Wismer July 5, 1937 November 14, 1941
Norman William Whittaker November 14, 1941 November 19, 1941
Duff Pattullo November 24, 1941 December 9, 1941
Minister of Education George Moir Weir November 15, 1933 November 18, 1941
Duff Pattullo November 18, 1941 December 9, 1941
Minister of Finance John Hart November 15, 1933 November 17, 1941
Duff Pattullo November 18, 1941 December 9, 1941
Minister of Labour George Sharratt Pearson November 15, 1933 November 14, 1941
William James Asselstine November 14, 1941 December 9, 1941
Minister of Lands Wells Gray November 15, 1933 December 9, 1941
Minister of Mines George Sharratt Pearson November 15, 1933 December 23, 1937
William James Asselstine December 23, 1937 November 14, 1941
Charles Sidney Leary November 14, 1941 December 9, 1941
Minister of Municipal Affairs Wells Gray March 31, 1934 December 9, 1941
Provincial Secretary George Moir Weir November 15, 1933 November 17, 1941
Wells Gray November 18, 1941 December 9, 1941
Minister of Public Works Frank Mitchell MacPherson November 15, 1933 September 27, 1939
Duff Pattullo September 27, 1939 December 5, 1939
George Sharratt Pearson December 5, 1939 November 14, 1941
Thomas King November 15, 1941 December 9, 1941
Minister of Railways Duff Pattullo November 15, 1933 December 23, 1937
George Sharratt Pearson December 23, 1937 December 5, 1939
Charles Sidney Leary December 5, 1939 November 14, 1941
Thomas King November 15, 1941 December 9, 1941
Minister of Trade and Industry[a] John Hart December 1, 1933 December 10, 1937
William James Asselstine December 23, 1937 November 14, 1941
Charles Sidney Leary November 14, 1941 December 9, 1941

Cabinet shuffles[edit]

A wave of resignations followed Pattullo's declaration of a minority government. On November 15, George Sharratt Pearson resigned from cabinet in protest. Pearson's resignation surprised Pattullo; the Vancouver Sun noted "never before had one of his cabinet gone against him so willfully".[8] Two days later, on November 17, Finance Minister John Hart stepped down over the coalition issue as well.[9] They were followed, on November 19, by Norman William Whittaker, who cited Hart and Pearson's resignations as evidence of Pattullo's crumbling support and authority.[10] Finally, K. C. MacDonald announced his resignation on November 20.[11] During this period, Pattullo took over the portfolios of education, finance[12] and attorney general himself.[13]

New ministries[edit]

On February 20, 1934, the government announced plans to establish a separate Department of Municipal Affairs.[14] Wells Gray was sworn in as the inaugural minister on March 31, 1934.[15]

On September 11, 1937, Pattullo announced plans to establish a Department of Trade and Industry, amalgamating the existing Department of Industries with the BC Economic Council and Bureau of Provincial Information.[16] William James Asselstine was named Minister of Trade and Industry as well as taking over as Minister of Mines, effectively combining administration of the two portfolios, on December 23, 1937.[17]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ "Industries" from November 15, 1933 to December 1, 1933.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Thirty Liberals Elected; Tolmie Group Crushed; C.C.F. To Be Opposition". Vancouver Daily Province. November 3, 1933. pp. A1.
  2. ^ "B.C. Election Stalemated, Coalition Cabinet Expected". Victoria Daily Times. October 22, 1941. pp. A1.
  3. ^ "'We Elected The Largest Group'". Vancouver Sun. November 15, 1941. pp. A1.
  4. ^ "Pattullo's 'Double-Shuffle'; Lieut.-Governor Swears-in Four Ministers". Vancouver Sun. November 15, 1941. pp. A1.
  5. ^ Nesbitt, J.K. (December 3, 1941). "Liberals Vote for Coalition 477 to 312, Hart Succeeds Pattullo as Liberal Chief". Victoria Daily Times. pp. A13.
  6. ^ "House to Recess So Hart, Maitland Can Set Up Gov't". Vancouver Sun. December 4, 1941. pp. A1.
  7. ^ Hutchinson, Bruce (December 3, 1941). "New 8-Man B.C. Cabinet Announced". Vancouver Sun. pp. A1, A10.
  8. ^ "Pearson's Action Put Skids Under Pattullo". Vancouver Sun. November 15, 1941. pp. A6.
  9. ^ "Hart Resigns and Pattullo Becomes Finance Minister". Vancouver Sun. November 17, 1941. pp. A1–A2.
  10. ^ "Whittaker Quits, Macdonald Still In". Victoria Daily Times. November 19, 1941. pp. AA.
  11. ^ "MacDonald Resigns as Pattullo's Ministry Still Dwindles". Vancouver Daily Province. November 17, 1941. pp. A1.
  12. ^ "John Hart Quits Cabinet: Pattullo Takes Over Both His And Weir Post". Vancouver Sun. November 17, 1941. pp. A1.
  13. ^ "Pattullo Sworn as Attorney General". Vancouver Sun. November 24, 1941. pp. A1.
  14. ^ "Finance Problem Stressed In Speech From Throne". Nanaimo Daily News. March 31, 1934. pp. A1.
  15. ^ "Minister Sworn In: Hon. A. Wells Gray Becomes Head of Two Depts". Vancouver Sun. March 31, 1934. pp. A1.
  16. ^ "Draft Bill On New Department: Trade, Industry and Tourists to Be Combined in New B.C. Portfolio". Victoria Daily Times. September 11, 1937. pp. A1.
  17. ^ "The New Minister". Victoria Daily Times. December 23, 1937. pp. A4.

Sources[edit]

"British Columbia Executive Council Appointments (1871-1986)" (PDF). Legislative Library of British Columbia. pp. 48–50. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
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