Articles

The City of Toronto certainly lived by its nick-name “the Belfast of Canada “in the area of municipal politics. The County Orange Lodge of Toronto; through its Legislative Committee, endorsed the “Orange Slate” of candidates for office during this era with great success. The mayor-elect Thomas Foster served from 1925-27, he was a Past master of McKinley L.O.L.275. This continued a run of Orangemen holding that office that was virtually unbroken up and until the election of William Dennison a member of Enniskillen L.O.L.387 in 1966. Other future mayors elected in 1925 were Controller W.D.Robbins and Aldermen Bert Wemp and W.J.Stewart.

Mayor Thomas Foster pictured in 1927 Orange Parade.

The following two articles from the pages of the Sentinel show the power that the Orange Order in Toronto exhibited at the polls.

THE ORANGE SLATE WAS SUCCESSFUL

Nearly the Whole List of Candidates were Elected

The “Orange Slate” for the Municipal Elections in Toronto was most successful this year, having to its credit the Mayor, 3 out of 4 Controllers, 14 out of 17 aldermen and 7 of 11 Scholl Trustees elected.

Here are the results:

Mayor: Thomas Foster (elected)

Controllers: A.E.Hacker (elected), W.D.Robbins (elected), D.C.MacGregor (elected), and R.H.Cameron (defeated)

Aldermen:

Ward Two – Major Bert Wemp (elected), John Winnett (elected), H.H.Ball (defeated)

Ward Three – H.W.Hunt (elected), J.G.Ramsden (elected)

Ward Four – I.M.MacDonnell (defeated)

Ward Five – J.Wes Benson (defeated), C.Blackburn (elected), W.J.Stewart (elected)

Ward Six - B.Sykes (elected), S.T.Wright (elected), J.S.Laxton (elected)

Ward Seven – S.Ryding (elected), W.A.Baird (elected)

Ward Eight – F.M.Baker (elected), Dr.W.N.Robertson (elected), R.C.Dibble (elected)

Board of Education:

Ward One – Clarence H. Spooner (defeated), P.M.Douglas (elected)

Ward Two – S.J.Thomas (elected)

Ward Three – J.Wanless (elected)

Ward Four - J.McLelland (defeated), W.H.Walters (defeated)

Ward Five - W.H.Harper (elected), Charles Carrie (defeated)

Ward Six - W.C.McBrien (elected), W.A.Brillinger (elected)

Ward Seven – F.B.Edmonds (elected)

The Orange Civic Slate For 1926

List of Candidates Suggested for Election on January 1st

Following is the “orange slate” issued by the County Lodge Legislative Committee for support in the civic election in Toronto on January 1st.

For Mayor: Thomas Foster

For Board of Control: A.E.Hacker, Bert Wemp, W.D.Robbins and D.C.MacGregor

For Aldermen:

Ward One – R.Luxton, G.Smith and W.H.Summerville

Ward Two – John Winnett, C.A.Reed and Dr.C.A.Risk

Ward Three - W.J.Beaton, H.W.Hunt and G.Ramsden

Ward Four - Ian MacDonell

Ward Five – C.E.Blackburn, B.J.Miller and W.J.Stewart

Ward Six – J.Laxton, R.M.Tuthill and S.T.Wright

Ward Seven – W.A.Baird, W.C.Davidson and S.Ryding

Ward Eight – F.M.Baker, W.M.Robertson and I.Pimblett

For Board of Education:

Ward One – P.M.Douglas and Z.Hilton

Ward Two – S.J.Thomas and W.Pimblett

Ward Three – F.R.Marshall and J.Wanless

Ward Four – W.R.Flett and J.McLelland

Ward Five - A.Fegan and W.H.Harper

Ward Six – M.A.Brillinger and J.Lawson

Ward Seven – W.H.Butt and F.D.Edmunds

Ward Eight – L.H.Reid and W.R.Walters

Submitted by John Wells – County Secretary – Nov.13th, 2009

Sources: the Sentinel issues of Jan 6th and Dec 29th, 1925 and the pages of the Canadian Orange Historical Site of Right Worshipful Brother Alec Rough