George Roy McWilliam

George Roy McWilliam
Member of Parliament for Northumberland—Miramichi
In office 1949–1968
Preceded by	John William Maloney
Succeeded by	G.A. Percy Smith
Personal details
Born	(1905-07-21)July 21, 1905 Sydney, Nova Scotia
Died	May 15, 1977(1977-05-15) (aged 71)
Political party	Liberal
Profession	Editor, publisher

George Roy McWilliam (July 21, 1905 – May 15, 1977) was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons for the constituency of Northumberland—Miramichi in New Brunswick from 1949 until 1968. He was a resident of Newcastle, New Brunswick for most of his life, where he was the publisher and editor of the North Shore Leader, a local weekly newspaper.

Early life

McWilliam was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Political career

McWilliam was a Liberal and served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Postmaster-General from 1963 to 1964 and to the Minister of Public Works from 1964 to 1965.

McWilliam served as MP through the middle of a long period of Liberal ascendancy in the Miramichi Valley. The coalition that sustained the Liberal Party was centered on the Irish vote, especially from the town of Chatham where they formed the majority, buttressed by the votes of the Irish minority in Newcastle, and the smaller Irish villages like St. Margarets, Barnaby River and Sevogle. Added to this were the votes of the French-speaking Acadians of Neguac, Rogersville, Beaverbrook and Baie-Sainte-Anne and surrounding areas. The majority of Protestants voted Progressive Conservative, but there were always a minority who supported the Liberals.

Although Catholics generally supported the Liberal Party, the Irish Catholic clergy did not generally involve themselves in politics.

Personal life

Roy McWilliam's sister was the noted Miramichi historian Edith McAllister.

Electoral record

1953 Canadian federal election: Northumberland
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	George Roy McWilliam	10,666	64.33	+8.70
	Progressive Conservative	George Somers	5,107	30.80	-8.66
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Paul Lordon	808	4.87	+2.97
Total valid votes			16,581	100.00

1949 Canadian federal election: Northumberland
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	George Roy McWilliam	9,840	55.63	-6.66
	Progressive Conservative	Benjamin Cleland	6,980	39.46	+1.75
	Independent	Elmer MacKinnon	533	3.01	Ø
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Paul Hansen	336	1.90	Ø
Total valid votes			17,689	100.00

External links

• George Roy McWilliam – Parliament of Canada biography