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Kent (Ontario federal electoral district)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kent
Ontario electoral district
Defunct federal electoral district
LegislatureHouse of Commons
District created1867, 1914
District abolished1903, 1996
First contested1867
Last contested1993

Kent was a federal electoral district (riding) represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1867 to 1904, 1917 to 1968, and 1979 to 1997. It was located in the province of Ontario and was created by the British North America Act of 1867.

Geographic history

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Kent initially consisted of the Townships of Chatham, Dover, East Tilbury, Romney, Raleigh, and Harwich, and the Town of Chatham. In 1882, the township of Chatham was excluded from the riding, and the village of Blenheim was added.

The electoral district was abolished in 1903 when it was redistributed between Kent East and Kent West ridings.

The electoral district of Kent was recreated from Kent West and Kent East in 1914, and consisted of the county of Kent, excluding the townships of Zone and Camden.

In 1924, it was redefined as consisting of the part of the county of Kent lying west or south of and including the Gore of Chatham, the township of Chatham and the river Thames, but excluding the town of Tilbury and the village of Wheatley.

In 1933, it was redefined as consisting of the county of Kent, excluding the townships of Camden, Gore of Camden, Gore of Chatham and Zone, and including the city of Chatham, the town of Tilbury and the village of Wheatley.

In 1947, it was redefined as consisting of the county of Kent, excluding the townships of Camden and Zone, and that part of the township of Chatham formerly known as the Gore of Chatham; but including the city of Chatham, the town of Tilbury and the village of Wheatley.

The electoral district was abolished in 1966 when it was redistributed between Kent—Essex and Lambton—Kent ridings.

The electoral district of Kent was recreated a second time from Kent—Essex and Lambton—Kent ridings 1976. It consisted of:

(a) the part of the County of Kent lying north and east and including the Township of Dover, the City of Chatham, the Township of Chatham and the Township of Howard to the shore of Lake Erie, and

(b) Indian Reserve No. 46 in the County of Lambton.

In 1987, it was redefined to consist of

(a) the part of the County of Kent lying north and east of and including the Township of Howard, the Township of Chatham, the City of Chatham, and the Township of Dover, and

(b) that part of the County of Lambton contained in Walpole Island Indian Reserve No. 46.

The electoral district was abolished in 1996 when it was redistributed between Kent—Essex and Lambton—Kent—Middlesex ridings.

Members of Parliament

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This riding has elected the following members of Parliament:

Parliament Years Member Party
1st  1867–1872     Rufus Stephenson Conservative
2nd  1872–1874
3rd  1874–1878
4th  1878–1882
5th  1882–1883 Henry Smyth
 1884–1887
6th  1887–1887     Archibald Campbell Liberal
 1888–1891
7th  1891–1896
8th  1896–1900
9th  1900–1904 George Stephens
Riding dissolved into Kent East and Kent West
Riding re-created from Kent West and Kent East
13th  1917–1921     Archibald McCoig Opposition (Laurier Liberals)
14th  1921–1922     Liberal
 1922–1925 James Murdock
15th  1925–1926     Alexander Dew Chaplin Conservative
16th  1926–1930     James Rutherford Liberal
17th  1930–1935
18th  1935–1939†
 1939–1940 Arthur Lisle Thompson
19th  1940–1945     Earl Desmond National Government
20th  1945–1949     Progressive Conservative
21st  1949–1953     Blake Huffman Liberal
22nd  1953–1957
23rd  1957–1958
24th  1958–1962     Harold Danforth Progressive Conservative
25th  1962–1963     Sidney LeRoi Clunis Liberal
26th  1963–1965     Harold Danforth Progressive Conservative
27th  1965–1968
Riding dissolved into Kent—Essex and Lambton—Kent
Riding re-created from Kent—Essex and Lambton—Kent
31st  1979–1980     John Robert Holmes Progressive Conservative
32nd  1980–1984     Maurice Bossy Liberal
33rd  1984–1988     Elliott Hardey Progressive Conservative
34th  1988–1993     Rex Crawford Liberal
35th  1993–1997
Riding dissolved into Kent—Essex and Lambton—Kent—Middlesex

Election results

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Kent, 1867–1904

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1867 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Conservative Rufus Stephenson 1,524
Liberal Archibald McKellar 1,427
1872 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Conservative Rufus Stephenson 1,874
Unknown Wm. S. Stripp 1,730
1874 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Conservative Rufus Stephenson 1,895
Unknown Wm. S. Stripp 1,823
1878 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Conservative Rufus Stephenson 2,502
Unknown H. McMahon 1,969
1882 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Conservative Henry Smyth 2,223
Unknown Jas. Samson 2,066

On the election being declared void, 31 December 1883:

By-election on 29 January 1884
Party Candidate Votes
Conservative Henry Smyth 2,548
Unknown James Samson 2,266
1887 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Archibald Campbell 2,982
Conservative Henry Smyth 2,870

On Mr. Campbell being unseated, 17 November 1887:

By-election on 2 May 1888
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Archibald Campbell 2,679
Conservative Henry Smyth 2,585


1891 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Archibald Campbell 3,138
Conservative William P. Killackey 2,662
1896 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Archibald Campbell 3,315
Conservative W. Ball 3,158
1900 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal George Stephens 3,390
Conservative Theodore A. Smith 3,173

Kent, 1917–1968

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1917 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Opposition (Laurier Liberals) Archibald McCoig 7,402
Independent Liberal John Warcup Plewes 6,313
1921 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Archibald McCoig 11,093
Progressive Duncan Robert McDiarmid 7,211
Conservative Wm. Andrew Hammond 5,288

On Mr. McCoig being called to the Senate, 4 January 1922:

By-election on 19 January 1922
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal James Murdock acclaimed
1925 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Conservative Alexander Dew Chaplin 8,396
Liberal James Rutherford 7,833
Unknown John Wesley Ward 4,461
1926 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal James Rutherford 12,315
Conservative Alexander Dew Chaplin 10,578
1930 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal James Rutherford 12,179
Conservative Calvert Stanley Stonehouse 10,765
1935 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal James Rutherford 11,281
Reconstruction Frederick Arthur Leverton 7,588

On Mr. Rutherford's death, 27 February 1939:

By-election on 11 December 1939
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Arthur Lisle Thompson acclaimed
1940 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
National Government Earl Desmond 11,629
Liberal Arthur Lisle Thompson 10,945
1945 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Earl Desmond 12,706
Liberal William David Colby 10,490
Co-operative Commonwealth Duncan Robert McDiarmid 1,291
1949 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Blake Huffman 14,903
Progressive Conservative Earl Desmond 12,444
Co-operative Commonwealth Kenneth Simpson 949
1953 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Blake Huffman 15,532
Progressive Conservative Eugene King 10,496
1957 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Blake Huffman 13,977
Progressive Conservative Albert Evans Jolley 10,907
Social Credit Enos B. Brubacher 1,792
1958 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Harold Danforth 17,348
Liberal Blake Huffman 13,005
Social Credit Enos B. Brubacher 661
1962 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Sidney LeRoi Clunis 15,362
Progressive Conservative Harold Danforth 14,280
Social Credit Harold G. Youcke 629
1963 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Harold Danforth 15,381
Liberal Sidney LeRoi Clunis 15,179
New Democratic Larry Moore 924
Social Credit Donald Lawrence Heatherington 388
1965 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Harold Danforth 15,472
Liberal George Mickle 13,667
New Democratic Dianne Mary Fielding 1,231

Kent, 1979–1997

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1979 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative John Robert Holmes 18,007
Liberal Fred Reinhardt 11,713
New Democratic Marie-France Wilkinson 5,047
1980 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Maurice Bossy 15,140
Progressive Conservative John Robert Holmes 14,293
New Democratic George McDermott 5,758
1984 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Elliott Hardey 18,279
Liberal Maurice Bossy 13,027
New Democratic Derry McKeever 6,138
1988 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Rex Crawford 15,835
Progressive Conservative Elliott Hardey 13,835
New Democratic Leo Rustin 7,948
Christian Heritage Allan James 1,942
1993 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Rex Crawford 23,216
Reform Arnold Broeders 5,618
Progressive Conservative Tom Suitor 5,017
New Democratic Aaron G. De Meester 1,370
National Victor Knight 1,014
Natural Law Marty Howe 146

See also

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