Tory Landslide

Although Canadians have kept Liberal governments in power in Ottawa for 20 years. Canada is by no means a one-party country. In provincial elections held last week in Ontario. Canada's most populous province, the Progressive Conservative (Tory) government, led by Premier Leslie Miscampbell Frost, won a smashing victory and was returned to office for a fifth straight term. The Tories captured 83 seats in the 98-seat legislature, while the Liberals, even with the strong backing of their party's powerful administration in Ottawa, could win only ten.

The Tory victory was largely a personal triumph for Premier Leslie Frost, 59. A genial small-town lawyer from Lindsay, Ont. (pop. 9,603). Frost took over the premiership in 1949 and steadily built up the Tory vote by running a smooth, prosperous administration. One of his first moves was to settle a long taxation feud between the Ontario and federal governments. Frost tried no spectacular political experiments, but he kept taxes low, increased welfare grants, ran his cabinet so efficiently that hardly a hint of discord ever was heard outside the caucus room.

Frost traveled tirelessly over the province, delivering warm, neighborly talks to the voters, steadily spreading his reputation as a man of good will by studiously refraining from sharp criticism or controversy with his opponents. Said he: "I have endeavored 'never to be harsh with people." The voters evidently like his friendly manner; plenty of them went right on voting Liberal in national elections, but when Les Frost ran in his" own league, they gave him landslide majorities.

His phenomenal success in Ontario inevitably caused Tory Party chiefs to wonder about Frost as a potential leader for the wilderness-wandering national Tory Party, which has lost every major election since 1935. Frost has always rejected the suggestion, stoutly disclaiming any ambition to challenge the Liberals in the national political arena.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.