Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba candidates in the 1953 Manitoba provincial election

The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba ran 38 candidates in the 1953 provincial election, under the leadership of Errick Willis. Twelve of these candidates were elected, and the Progressive Conservatives formed the official opposition in the legislature. Some candidates have their own biography pages; information about others may be founded here.

Between 1940 and 1950, Manitoba had been administered by a coalition government led by the Liberal-Progressive Party. The Progressive Conservatives, who had been the secondary power in the coalition, left the government in 1950. This decision split the party, and a number of Progressive Conservatives either retired or chose to remain on the government side.

After ten years of coalition government, the Progressive Conservative Party's provincial machinery had largely fallen into disrepair. The party was not able to field a full slate of candidates, and had difficulty mounting effective campaigns in some regions.

The 1953 Manitoba election was determined by instant-runoff voting in most constituencies. Three constituencies (Winnipeg Centre, Winnipeg North and Winnipeg South) returned four members by the single transferable vote (STV), with a 20% quota for election. St. Boniface elected two members by STV, with a 33% quota. The Progressive Conservatives ran three candidates in Winnipeg South, two in St. Boniface and Winnipeg Centre, and one in Winnipeg North.

In Kildonan—Transcona, the local Progressive Conservative association endorsed independent candidate Steve Melnyk. In St. George, the association endorsed Liberal-Progressive incumbent Chris Halldorson. Harry Shewman, an Independent candidate in Morris, also seems to have been at least tacitly endorsed by the Progressive Conservative Party.

The party also did not field candidates in Carillon, Emerson, Fisher, Gimli, Gladstone, La Verendrye, Mountain or The Pas.

The party also did not contest the deferred elections in Rupertsland and Ste. Rose. Progressive Conservatives candidate had been nominated for both divisions, but in each case the candidate withdrew before election day. Provided by Wikipedia