A
plebiscite on the legality of alcoholic beverages was held in Ontario, Canada on January 1, 1894. Per the terms of the ''Prohibition Plebiscite Act'' passed in 1893, a plebiscite was held on the issue in conjunction with the 1894
municipal elections. Though a majority of voters indicated support for
prohibition, the results were non-binding and prohibition would not occur in Ontario until 1916.
Plebiscite question
An Act of the Legislature specified the form of the question posed:
''Are you in favour of the immediate prohibition by law, of the importation, manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage.''
Voting only occurred within the various constituted municipalities. Anyone who lived in
unorganized area
An unorganized area or unorganized territory (french: Territoire non organisé) is any geographic region in Canada that does not form part of a municipality or Indian reserve. In these areas, the lowest level of government is provincial or territ ...
s of the Province was unable to participate.
[1891 Act, s. 27]
Results
Unmarried women and widows were permitted to vote in the plebiscite, though they voted in a ballot of a different colour (blue for women, yellow for men). Though the plebiscite passed, the results were non-binding and prohibition would not occur in Ontario until 1916. Provincial prohibition, though having majority support, would face another roadblock in 1896 when the
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council determined that provinces do not have the authority to prohibit the importation of alcohol.
Analysis
Only three counties, one city and two separated towns voted No:
;Counties
*
Essex
*
Prescott and Russell
*
Waterloo
Waterloo most commonly refers to:
* Battle of Waterloo, a battle on 18 June 1815 in which Napoleon met his final defeat
* Waterloo, Belgium, where the battle took place.
Waterloo may also refer to:
Other places
Antarctica
*King George Island (S ...
;City
*
Windsor
;Separated towns
*
Prescott
*
Pelee Island
See also
*
Prohibition in Canada
Prohibition in Canada was a ban on alcoholic beverages that arose in various stages, from local municipal bans in the late 19th century (extending to the present in some cases), to provincial bans in the early 20th century, and national prohibi ...
* ''
Canada Temperance Act
The ''Canada Temperance Act'' (french: Loi de tempérance du Canada), also known as the ''Scott Act'', was an Act of the Parliament of Canada passed in 1878, which provided for a national framework for municipalities to opt in by plebiscite to a s ...
''
*
1902 Ontario prohibition referendum
A referendum on the legality of alcoholic beverages was held in Ontario, Canada on December 4, 1902. Though 65 percent of voters indicated support for prohibition, a majority of half of the number of voters in the 1898 election did not support th ...
*
1919 Ontario prohibition referendum
A referendum was held in Ontario, Canada on October 20, 1919 (in conjunction with the 15th provincial election) on the legality of alcoholic beverages and the maintaining of prohibition. Prohibition had been passed by the provincial government i ...
*
1921 Ontario prohibition referendum
A referendum was held in Ontario, Canada on April 18, 1921, concerning a ban on the importation of alcoholic beverages into the province. The referendum passed, and an importation ban was implemented.
Referendum question
''Shall the importatio ...
*
1924 Ontario prohibition referendum
A referendum was held on October 23, 1924 on the repeal of the ''Ontario Temperance Act''. The referendum was brought about by a clause in the Act, which permitted the possible repeal of prohibition by a majority vote. The referendum upheld prohib ...
References
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ontario Prohibition Plebiscite, 1894
1894 in Ontario
1894 referendums
Ontario prohibition referendums
1894 elections in Canada
January 1894 events