Manitoba Cooperative Commonwealth Federation candidates in the 1953 Manitoba provincial election

The Manitoba Cooperative Commonwealth Federation existed from 1933 to 1961, and was the dominant socialist party in the province during its existence.

The party nominated 25 candidates in the 1953 provincial election, five of whom were elected. Some candidates have their own biography pages; information on other candidates may be found here.

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

The CCF's 1953 platform contained fourteen points, foremost of which was a plan for a provincial hospital scheme similar to that undertaken by Tommy Douglas in neighbouring Saskatchewan. The party also supported state automobile insurance, a restructuring of the provincial municipalities, needs-based grants to municipalities for road repair, a provincial labour code, and lowering the voting age to eighteen. Party leader Lloyd Stinson later argued that the election was essentially about three things: hospitalization, education and electoral redistribution.

There is no doubt that the party was at a disadvantage as a result of their decision to run only 25 candidates. There were 57 seats in the Manitoba legislature, so a majority government for the CCF was mathematically impossible to win. Stinson later acknowledged that this situation hurt the party's image, and marginalized it with the electorate.

Tom Kobzey planned to run for the CCF in Emerson. He was reportedly threatened with violence from a vigilante group, and was forced to leave the area. Provided by Wikipedia