Ira McLaughlin

McLaughlin ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature as a Social Credit candidate in the 1944 Alberta general election. He won the electoral district of Grande Prairie with a solid majority to pick it up for his party.^[1][2]

He won a larger majority running for his second term in the 1948 general election. In that race he defeated two other candidates to hold his seat.^[3]

McLaughlin ran for his third term in office in the 1952 general election. He held his vote to win the district while the two opposition candidates saw their support fall.^[4] He ran for a fourth term in office in the 1955 general election. He defeated three other candidates while increasing his popular support.^[5]

McLaughlin ran for a fifth term in the 1959 general election. His popularity kept increasing as he took the district with a margin of 65%.^[6]

Premier Ernest Manning appointed McLaughlin to his cabinet as a Minister-without-portfolio on November 30, 1962. He went into the 1963 general election with ministerial advantage and was returned to power with another large majority.^[7]

McLaughlin stood for his seventh and final term in the 1967 general election. He won the highest popular vote of his career easily winning over two other candidates.^[8]

Social Credit chose a new leader on December 12, 1968. Premier Harry Strom did not invite McLaughlin back into cabinet. He retired from the legislature at dissolution in 1971.

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