Bruce County History

Political History

Wardens of the County of Bruce

Compiled by Dorne C. Fitzsimmons

1857	George Cromar	Greenock
1858	John Purvis	Kinloss
1859	John Valentine	Greenock
1860	John Bruce	Brant
1861	John Purvis	Kinloss
1862	J.T. Conaway	Southampton
1863	John Gillies	Elderslie
1864	James Brocklebank	Brant
1865	James Brocklebank	Brant
1866	James Brocklebank	Brant
1867	James Brocklebank	Brant
1868	James Brocklebank	Brant
1869	John Gillies	Elderslie
1870	John Gillies	Elderslie
1871	John Gillies	Elderslie
1872	John Gillies	Elderslie
1873	Robert Baird	Kincardine Town
1874	Robert Baird	Kincardine Town
1875	Robert Baird	Kincardine Town
1876	Robert Baird	Kincardine Town
1877	Robert Baird	Kincardine Town
1878	Robert Baird	Kincardine Town
1879	Robert Baird	Kincardine Town
1880	Robert Purves	Kinloss
1881	Robert Purves	Kinloss
1882	Robert Purves	Kinloss
1883	James Tolton	Brant
1884	John Pierson	Saugeen
1885	H.T. Potts	Arran
1886	W.S. Johnston	Port Elgin
1887	William Dickison	Carrick
1888	William Scott	Culross
1889	John Douglass	Tara
1890	James Gaunt	Kinloss
1891	J.S. McDonald	Huron
1892	Thomas Bradley, M.D.	Kincardine Twp.
1893	James Bryan	Lucknow
1894	J.H. Scott	Kincardine Town
1895	William MacKintosh	Arran
1896	J.H. Elliot	Chesley
1897	James Shouldice	Elderslie
1898	L.T. Bland	Kincardine Twp.
1899	D.M. Jermyn	Wiarton
1900	P. Cummings	Saugeen
1901	Benj. Cannon	Brant
1902	J.J. Donnelly	Greenock
1903	Robert Watt	Wiarton
1904	John McCharles	Huron
1905	William McDonald	Chesley
1906	A.W. Robb	Walkerton
1907	F.A. McDonald	Amabel
1908	Henry Hilker	Port Elgin
1909	S.J. Parke	Wiarton
1910	W.A. Crowe	Chesley
1911	Isaiah Shoemaker	Paisley
1912	D.A. McDonald	Kinloss
1913	S.R. Brill	Teeswater
1914	Alex P. Mewhinney	Bruce
1915	Alex McCannel	Saugeen
1916	A.E. McNab	Walkerton
1917	D.J. Izzard	Port Elgin
1918	Gideon Kastner	Wiarton
1919	W.H. Brown	Chesley
1920	D.B. McDonald	Tiverton
1921	R. Johnston	Lucknow
1922	J.A. Lewis	Elderslie
1923	R. McVittie	Southampton
1924	J.W. Sinclair	Arran
1925	D.J. Byers	Wiarton
1926	David McDonald	Culross
1927	Gilbert McLaren	Port Elgin
1928	W.J. MacKay	Huron
1929	J.H. Brown	Teeswater
1930	D. Willoughby	Brant
1931	E.J. Downs	Hepworth
1932	G.H. MacKay	Bruce
1933	Campbell Grant	Walkerton
1934	Dan McDonald	Lindsay
1935	D. Munn	Ripley
1936	W. Ard	Amabel
1937	C.R. VanDusen	Tara
1938	Henry Lantz	Carrick
1939	W.S. Fenton	Port Elgin
1940	John Dawson	Eastnor
1941	S. Ewart	Chesley
1941	J.A. Logie	Paisley
1942	Thomas Duff	Arran
1943	Peter C. Liesemer	Mildmay
1944	William Shewfelt	Kincardine Twp
1945	Gordon White	Lion’s Head
1946	Kenzie Foster	Bruce
1947	J.W. Joynt	Lucknow
1948	Harold Donnelly	Greenock
1949	Andrew H. McTavish	Teeswater
1950	Wilfred Adis	Albemarle
1951	William Walsh	Kincardine Town
1952	John W. Ransbury	St. Edmunds
1953	Gordon Stanley	Ripley
1954	William P. Oswald	Elderslie
1955	William Winter	Walkerton
1956	Donald M. Lamont	Saugeen
1957	Dr. J. Frank Morton	Southampton
1958	Donald McLay	Lindsay
1959	George W. Joynt	Lucknow
1960	Micheal Fischer	Culross
1961	Douglas Kreutzweiser	Hepworth
1962	John MacKenzie	Bruce
1963	Harvey F. Palmateer	Kincardine Town
1964	Chester Emmerton	Huron
1965	Mrs. Tessie Greig	Lion’s Head
1966	P.A. Murray	Kinloss
1967	Frank T. Field	Teeswater
1968	Roswell Smith	Amabel
1969	William Macke	Mildmay
1970	Howard Chesney	Brant
1971	R. George Grant	Paisley
1972	Harvey L. Davis	Elderslie
1973	Vernon E. Emke	Chesley
1974	J.P. Johnston	St. Edmunds
1975	A.J. Worall	Teeswater
1976	Alex Lamont	Saugeen
1977	Andrew Cormack	Paisley
1978	Gary Harron	Amabel
1979	Arthur Speer	Tara
1980	Alvin Thompson	Kincardine Twp.
1981	Howard Collins	Port Elgin
1982	Clifford Pegelo	Brant
1983	Jack Cumming	Elderslie
1984	Maurice Donnelly	Greenock
1985	Ivan Mielhausen	Eastnor
1986	Douglas Thompson	Albemarle
1987	Ross Herron	Arran
1988	Roy Pennington	Culross
1989	Bradley Davis	St. Edmunds
1990	David Thomson	Brant
1991	Barry Johnston	Kinloss
1992	Weir Sheane	Kincardine Twp.
1993	Carman Fullerton	Elderslie
1994	Milton McIver	Lindsay
1995	Paul Eagleson	Tara
1996	Stuart Reavie	Lucknow
1997	Harry Thede	Saugeen
1998	Harry Thede	Saugeen
1999	Milton McIver	Lindsay
2000	Stuart Reavie	Huron-Kinloss
2001	Stuart Reavie	Huron-Kinloss
2002	Mark Kraemer	Saugeen Shores
2003	Ralph Kreutzwiser	South Bruce
2004	Ralph Kreutzwiser	South Bruce
2005	Mark Kraemer	Saugeen Shores
2006	Ron Oswald	Arran-Elderslie
2007	Mitch Twolan	Huron-Kinloss
2008	Milton McIver	North Bruce
2009	Bill Goetz	South Bruce
2010	Mike Smith	Saugeen Shores

 

Members of the Parliament of Canada Representing the County of Bruce

Election	Riding	Member	Party
1867	Bruce North	Alexander Sproat	Conservative
1867	Bruce South	Francis Hurdon	Conservative
1872	Bruce North	John Gillies	Liberal
1872	Bruce South	Hon. Edward Blake	Liberal
1873 By-election	Bruce South	Hon. Edward Blake	Liberal
1874	Bruce North	John Gillies	Liberal
1874	Bruce South	Hon. Edward Blake	Liberal
1875 By-election	Bruce South	Hon. Edward Blake	Liberal
1878	Bruce North	John Gillies	Liberal
1878	Bruce South	Alexander Shaw	Conservative
1882	Bruce North	Alexander McNeill	Conservative
1882	Bruce West	James Somerville	Liberal
1882	Bruce East	Rupert Mearse Wells	Liberal
1887	Bruce North	Alexander McNeill	Conservative
1887	Bruce West	Hon. Edward Blake	Liberal
1887	Bruce East	Henry Cargill	Conservative
1887 By-election	Bruce West	James Rowand	Liberal
1887 By-election	Bruce East	Henry Cargill	Conservative
1891	Bruce North	Alexander McNeill	Conservative
1891	Bruce West	James Rowand	Liberal
1891	Bruce East	Reuban Truax	Liberal
1892 By-election	Bruce East	Henry Cargill	Conservative
1896	Bruce North	Alexander McNeill	Conservative
1896	Bruce West	John Tolmie	Liberal
1896	Bruce East	Henry Cargill	Conservative
1900	Bruce North	Alexander McNeill	Conservative
1900	Bruce West	John Tolmie	Liberal
1900	Bruce East	Henry Cargill	Conservative
1901 By-election	Bruce North	James Halliday	Conservative
1904	Bruce North	L.T. Bland	Conservative
1904	Bruce South	Peter A. McKenzie	Liberal
1906 By-election	Bruce North	John Tolmie	Liberal
1908	Bruce North	John Tolmie	Liberal
1908	Bruce South	James J. Donnelly	Conservative
1911	Bruce North	Hugh Clark	Conservative
1911	Bruce South	James J. Donnelly	Conservative
1917	Bruce North	Hugh Clark	Conservative
1917	Bruce South	Reuban Eldridge Truax	Opposition
1921	Bruce North	James Malcolm	Liberal
1921	Bruce South	John Walter Findlay	Progressive
1925	Bruce North	James Malcolm	Liberal
1925	Bruce South	Walter Allan Hall	Liberal
1926	Bruce North	James Malcolm	Liberal
1926	Bruce South	Walter Allan Hall	Liberal
1926 By-election	Bruce North	Hon. James Malcolm	Liberal
1930	Bruce North	Hon. James Malcolm	Liberal
1930	Bruce South	Walter Allan Hall	Liberal
1935	Bruce	William Rae Tomlinson	Liberal
1935	Grey-Bruce	Agnes C. MacPhail	United Farmers of Ontario-Labour
1940	Bruce	William Rae Tomlinson	Liberal
1940	Grey-Bruce	Walter Edward Harris	Liberal
1945	Bruce	Andrew E. Robinson	Progressive Conservative
1945	Grey-Bruce	Walter Edward Harris	Liberal
1949	Bruce	Donald B. Blue	Liberal
1949	Grey-Bruce	Walter Edward Harris	Liberal
1953	Bruce	Andrew E. Robinson	Progressive Conservative
1953	Grey-Bruce	Hon. Walter Edward Harris	Liberal
1957	Bruce	Andrew E. Robinson	Progressive Conservative
1957	Grey-Bruce	Eric Alfred Winkler	Progressive Conservative
1958	Bruce	Andrew E. Robinson	Progressive Conservative
1958	Grey-Bruce	Eric Alfred Winkler	Progressive Conservative
1962	Bruce	Andrew E. Robinson	Progressive Conservative
1962	Grey-Bruce	Eric Alfred Winkler	Progressive Conservative
1963	Bruce	John Loney	Progressive Conservative
1963	Grey-Bruce	Eric Alfred Winkler	Progressive Conservative
1965	Bruce	John Loney	Progressive Conservative
1965	Grey-Bruce	Eric Alfred Winkler	Progressive Conservative
1968	Bruce	Ross Whicher	Liberal
1972	Bruce	Ross Whicher	Liberal
1974	Bruce	Crawford Douglas	Liberal
1979	Bruce-Grey	Gary M. Gurbin	Progressive Conservative
1979	Huron-Bruce	Robert McKinley	Progressive Conservative
1980	Bruce-Grey	Gary M. Gurbin	Progressive Conservative
1980	Huron-Bruce	Murray Cardiff	Progressive Conservative
1984	Bruce-Grey	Gary M. Gurbin	Progressive Conservative
1984	Huron-Bruce	Murray Cardiff	Progressive Conservative
1988	Bruce-Grey	Gus Mitges	Progressive Conservative
1988	Huron-Bruce	Murray Cardiff	Progressive Conservative
1993	Bruce-Grey	Ovid Jackson	Liberal
1993	Huron-Bruce	Paul Steckle	Liberal
1997	Bruce-Grey	Ovid Jackson	Liberal
1997	Huron-Bruce	Paul Steckle	Liberal
2000	Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound	Ovid Jackson	Liberal
2000	Huron-Bruce	Paul Steckle	Liberal
2004	Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound	Larry Miller	Conservative
2004	Huron-Bruce	Paul Steckle	Liberal
2006	Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound	Larry Miller	Conservative
2006	Huron-Bruce	Paul Steckle	Liberal
2008	Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound	Larry Miller	Conservative
2008	Huron-Bruce	Ben Lobb	Conservative

 

Members of the Legislature of the Province of Canada (Canada West) Representing the County of Bruce

Compiled by Dorne C. Fitzsimmons using Legislators and Legislatures of Ontario, Legislative Library, Research and Information Services, Legislature of Ontario.

The first reference to the County of Bruce for the purpose of electing a member to the Legislature of the Province of Canada - Canada West was the “Act to make certain alterations in the Territorial Divisions of Upper Canada”. Huron, Perth and Bruce as the County of Huron. Huron. 1851. 14 & 15 Vic., C.5, Ss.2, 30, 31, 29 Schedules C, A. Counties United for the Purpose of Representation. 

Election	Riding	Member
1851	Huron	Hon. Malcolm Cameron Mr. Cameron resigned prior to the commencement of the 4th Legislature having been appointed President of the Executive Council of the Province of Canada. A by-election was called and Mr. Cameron was returned duly elected.
1854	Huron & Bruce	Hon. William Cayley Mr. Cayley resigned on September 13, 1854 having been appointed Inspector General of the Province of Canada. A by-election was called and Mr. Cayley was returned duly elected.
1858	Huron & Bruce	John Holmes
1861	Huron & Bruce	James Dickson
1863	Huron & Bruce	James Dickson

 

Members of the Legislature of the Province of Ontario Representing the County of Bruce

Election	Riding	Member	Party
1867	Bruce North	Donald Sinclair	Liberal
1867	Bruce South	Edward Blake	Liberal
1871	Bruce North	Donald Sinclair	Liberal
1871	Bruce South	Hon. Edward Blake The Hon. Edward Blake resigned his seat on December 20 1871 to accept the office of Premier.	Liberal
1872 By-election	Bruce South	Hon. Edward Blake The Hon. Edward Blake won the by-election by acclamation on January 5, 1872. On January 8, 1973 Mr. Blake resigned his seat to run for the House of Commons.	Liberal
1872 By-election	Bruce South	Hon. Rupert Mearse Wells On January 7,1874 the Attorney General, Mr. Mowat, proposed Mr. Wells as Speaker of the Legislature. The motion was seconded and resolved. Mr. Wells took the chair the same day.	Liberal
1875	Bruce North	Donald Sinclair	Liberal
1875	Bruce South	Hon. Rupert Mearse Wells On November 24, 1875 the Attorney General, Mr. Mowat, proposed Mr. Wells as Speaker of the Legislature. The motion was seconded and resolved. Mr. Wells took the chair the same day.	Liberal
1879	Bruce North	Donald Sinclair	Liberal
1879	Bruce South	Rupert Mearse Wells Mr. Wells resigned his seat on June 6, 1882 to run for the House of Commons.	Liberal
1882 By-election	Bruce South	Hamilton Parke O’Connor	Liberal
1883	Bruce North	John Gillies	Independent Liberal
1883	Bruce South	Hamilton Parke O’Connor	Liberal
1886	Bruce Centre	Walter MacMorris Dack	Liberal
1886	Bruce North	John Walter Scott Biggar	Conservative
1886	Bruce South	Hamilton Parke O’Connor	Liberal
1890	Bruce Centre	Walter MacMorris Dack	Liberal
1890	Bruce North	John George Mr. George did not take his seat as his election was declared void on January 29, 1891.	Conservative
1890	Bruce South	Hamilton Parke O’Connor
1891 By-election	Bruce North	David Porter On February 14, 1894 the house was informed of the death of Mr. Porter. A new election was called.	Liberal
1893 By-election	Bruce North	Daniel McNaughton	Liberal
1894	Bruce Centre	John Stevenson McDonald	Liberal-Patron
1894	Bruce North	Daniel McNaughton	Liberal-Protestant Protective Association
1984	Bruce South	Reuban Eldridge Truax	Liberal
1898	Bruce Centre	Andrew Malcolm	Liberal
1898	Bruce North	Charles Martin Bowman	Liberal
1898	Bruce South	Reuban Eldridge Truax	Liberal
1902	Bruce Centre	Hugh Clark On February 6, 1903 the election of Mr. Clark was declared void. A by-election was held on February 26, 1903 and Mr. Clark was elected.	Conservative
1902	Bruce North	Charles Martin Bowman	Liberal
1902	Bruce South	Reuban Eldridge Truax	Liberal
1905	Bruce Centre	Hugh Clark	Conservative
1905	Bruce North	Charles Martin Bowman	Liberal
1905	Bruce South	Robert Edwin Clapp	Conservative
1908	Bruce Centre	Hugh Clark	Conservative
1908	Bruce North	Charles Martin Bowman	Liberal
1908	Bruce South	Reuban Eldridge Truax	Liberal
1911	Bruce Centre	William McDonald	Liberal
1911	Bruce North	Charles Martin Bowman	Liberal
1911	Bruce South	John George Anderson	Liberal
1914	Bruce North	Harold A. Vandussen Mr Vandussen was originally elected with a majority of 23 votes over Mr. William McDonald. However, after a recount, his election was declared void and Mr. McDonald was elected with a majority of 7 votes.	Conservative
1914	Bruce North	William McDonald	Liberal
1914	Bruce South	Wellington David Cargill	Conservative
1914	Bruce West	Charles Martin Bowman	Liberal
1919	Bruce North	William Henry Fenton	United Farmers of Ontario
1919	Bruce South	Frank Rennie	Liberal
1919	Bruce West	Alexander Patterson Mewhinney	Liberal
1923	Bruce North	William Henry Fenton	United Farmers of Ontario
1923	Bruce South	Malcolm Alexander McCallum	United Farmers of Ontario
1923	Bruce West	Alexander Patterson Mewhinney	Liberal
1926	Bruce North	Alexander Patterson Mewhinney	Liberal
1926	Bruce South	Malcolm Alexander McCallum On November 14, 1927 the election of Mr. McCallum was declared void and a by-election was called.	Progressive
1928	Bruce South	Foster Graham Moffatt	Conservative
1929	Bruce North	Frederick Wellington Elliott Mr. Elliot died on November 26, 1933. No by-election was called.	Liberal
1929	Bruce South	William John Mackay	Liberal
1934	Bruce	John William Sinclair	Liberal
1934	Bruce South	Charles Alexander Robertson	Liberal
1937	Bruce	John William Sinclair	Liberal
1937	Huron-Bruce	Charles Alexander Robertson	Liberal
1943	Bruce	Thomas Neil Duff	Liberal
1943	Huron-Bruce	John William Hanna	Progressive Conservative
1945	Bruce	John Philemon Johnstone	Progressive Conservative
1945	Huron-Bruce	John William Hanna	Progressive Conservative
1948	Bruce	T. Kenzie Foster	Liberal
1948	Huron-Bruce	John William Hanna	Progressive Conservative
1951	Bruce	John Philemon Johnstone	Progressive Conservative
1951	Huron-Bruce	John William Hanna	Progressive Conservative
1955	Bruce	Ross Mackenzie Whicher	Liberal
1955	Huron-Bruce	John William Hanna	Progressive Conservative
1959	Bruce	Ross Mackenzie Whicher	Liberal
1959	Huron-Bruce	John William Hanna Mr. Hanna died on March 23, 1962. A by-election was called.	Progressive Conservative
1962 By-election	Huron-Bruce	Murray Andrew Gaunt	Liberal
1963	Bruce	Ross Mackenzie Whicher	Liberal
1963	Huron-Bruce	Murray Andrew Gaunt	Liberal
1967	Grey-Bruce	Edward Carson Sargent	Liberal
1967	Huron-Bruce	Murray Andrew Gaunt	Liberal
1971	Grey-Bruce	Edward Carson Sargent	Liberal
1971	Huron-Bruce	Murray Andrew Gaunt	Liberal
1975	Grey-Bruce	Edward Carson Sargent	Liberal
1975	Huron-Bruce	Murray Andrew Gaunt	Liberal
1977	Grey-Bruce	Edward Carson Sargent	Liberal
1977	Huron-Bruce	Murray Andrew Gaunt	Liberal
1981	Grey-Bruce	Edward Carson Sargent	Liberal
1981	Huron-Bruce	Murray Andrew Gaunt	Liberal
1985	Grey-Bruce	Edward Carson Sargent	Liberal
1985	Huron-Bruce	Hon. Murray John Elston	Liberal
1987	Bruce	Hon. Murray John Elston	Liberal
1990	Bruce	Hon. Murray John Elston	Liberal
1995	Bruce	Barbara Fisher	Progressive Conservative
1999	Huron-Bruce	Helen Johns	Progressive Conservative
1999	Bruce-Grey	William Murdock	Progressive Conservative
2003	Huron-Bruce	Carol Mitchell	Liberal
2003	Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound	William Murdock	Progressive Conservative
2007	Huron-Bruce	Carol Mitchell	Liberal
2007	Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound	William Murdock	Progressive Conservative