James Arthur Ross (8 December 1893 – 1 April 1958) was a

Manitoba , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital = Winn ...

politician. He served in the House of Commons of Canada for thirteen years, and was a candidate for the leadership of the

Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba (french: Parti progressiste-conservateur du Manitoba) is a centre-right political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is currently the governing party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, after winnin ...

in 1953. Ross was born in Lyleton,

Manitoba , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital = Winn ...

, the son of John Alexander Ross and Jessie Mary Sellar, and was educated in Melita and at the Manitoba Agricultural College. He enlisted as a soldier in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, served in

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, and was promoted to the rank of

lieutenant-colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colo ...

. After the war, he worked as a farmer and served as reeve of Arthur municipality for twelve years. He was also an active Freemason. In 1930, Ross married Hilda Morrison. Ross ran as a candidate of the Manitoba Conservative Party in the southwestern riding of

Arthur Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more wi ...

for the provincial elections of

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1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort to assassinate Emperor Hiro ...

and

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. He was defeated on all three occasions by candidates of the governing

Progressive Party Progressive Party may refer to: Active parties * Progressive Party, Brazil * Progressive Party (Chile) * Progressive Party of Working People, Cyprus * Dominica Progressive Party * Progressive Party (Iceland) * Progressive Party (Sardinia), Ita ...

(known after 1932 as the ''Liberal-Progressive Party''). In 1940, Ross was elected to the House of Commons of Canada for the riding of Souris, narrowly defeating

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

candidate

George William McDonald George William McDonald (November 20, 1875 – April 6, 1950) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1915 to 1922 as a member of the Manitoba Liberal Party, and later sat in the House of C ...

. He was re-elected by a wider margin in 1945, and once again by a narrow margin in 1949. He remained an MP until 1953, serving for the entire time in the opposition Progressive Conservative caucus. Ross retired from federal politics in 1953, after his riding was eliminated by redistribution. Ross returned to provincial politics for the 1953 provincial election, and was elected for Arthur on his fourth attempt. He defeated John R. Pitt, who had also been his opponent in 1936. The Conservatives had been led since 1936 by

Errick Willis Errick French Willis (March 21, 1896 – January 9, 1967) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as leader of the province's Conservative Party between 1936 and 1954, and was responsible for beginning and ending the party's allia ...

, a figure from the party's rural base who was a prominent cabinet minister in the coalition years. Willis had been an ineffective campaigner in the 1953 election, and many Conservatives (including Ross) believed that new leadership would be needed for an electoral breakthrough. In October 1953, Willis bowed to internal pressure and called a leadership convention for the following year. Willis announced that he would stand for re-election; Ross and

Dufferin Roblin Dufferin "Duff" Roblin, (June 17, 1917 – May 30, 2010) was a Canadian businessman and politician. He served as the 14th premier of Manitoba from 1958 to 1967. Roblin was appointed to the Senate of Canada on the advice of Prime Minister Pierre ...

also declared themselves as candidates. Ross was unskilled at province-wide campaigning, and was unable to develop an organization comparable with those of Willis and Roblin. He was also damaged by reports that he and other MLAs were preparing to start a new party if Willis was re-elected. Ross finished third on the first ballot, with 55 votes. Most of his supporters went to Roblin, who won on the second ballot. Ross died in Melita just before the election of 1958.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, J. Arthur 1893 births 1958 deaths Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party of Canada MPs Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba MLAs