In the current Provincial Election, there are two local candidates calling Eastern Renfrew County home- Billy Denault of Arnprior, and McNab-Braeside’s Oliver Jacob- meaning there’s a good chance that an 80 year-drought at Queen’s Park with no representation from the Town Where the Rivers Meet will end this evening.
It was Oliver Jacob, Deputy Clerk with the Town of Arnprior who brought this to our attention, so we set our AI co-pilot on the campaign trail to tell us more.
In 1945, Arnprior was in the former riding of Renfrew South, and the winner was local son, Liberal James Anthony McCann, who bested his Tory rival John Smith by 247 votes.
In the subsequent election of 1948, Smith of the Progressive Conservatives returned the favour, winning by the identical 247 vote plurality and ousting McCann.
As with today’s ballot, neither contest was a two-candidate race.
The CCF, or “Co-Operative Commonwealth Federation” nominee (now the NDP) placed third and the LPP standard-bearer fourth in each.
The 1948 Ontario election marked the last time a candidate from the Labor-Progressive, or Communist Party’s name appeared on the local ballot.
By Rick Stow