Ernest Charles Drury
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| Rank: | 8th |
| First Term: | November, 1919 - July, 1923 |
| Predecessor: | William Hearst |
| Successor: | George Howard Ferguson |
| Date of Birth: | January 22, 1878 |
| Place of Birth: | Crown Hill, Ontario |
| Profession: | Farmer |
| Political Party: | United Farmers of Ontario |
Ernest Charles Drury (January 22, 1878-February 17, 1968) was a farmer, politician and writer who served as Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1919 to 1923 as the head of a United Farmers of Ontario - Labour coalition government.
Drury was a cofounder of the UFO in 1913, but did not run in the 1919 election that returned farmer candidates as the largest bloc in the provincial legislature. Not having a leader, the UFO Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) asked Drury to lead them. The UFO's 49 MLAs joined with 11 Labour members to form a coalition government. It was the first of a wave of United Farmers governments that took power in several provinces and that founded the Progressive Party of Canada.
Drury's progressive government expanded Ontario Hydro, created the Province of Ontario Savings Office - a provincially owned bank that was designed to lend money to farmers at a lower rate, began the first major reforestation program in North America as well as initiating construction of the modern highway system. The government was also a strict enforcer of temperance measures.
The government under Drury tried to be a "people's government" rather than a "class government", but in so doing, alientated the base of its support, particularly farmers. The UFO government clashed with the UFO organization (led by James J. Morrison, throughout Drury's term).
Drury also alienated industrialists and many workers by battling with Sir Adam Beck and his plans for expansion of the province's hydro-electric system. Many labour leaders distrusted a government dominated by farmers, feeling that they could not understand the problems of urban workers. Drury's failure to establish fair wage provisions on government contracts and his commitment to free trade that threatened the livelihood of industrial workers aliented urban workers further.
The government was also much harmed by the Ontario Bond Scandal that would eventually see provincial treasurer Peter Smith jailed.
The government was opposed by all the major newspapers in the province, with the exception of the Toronto Star and, despite its attempt to broaden its base, was opposed by business.
The Drury government was defeated when it ran for re-election in the 1923 provincial election. Drury retired from politics, but ran later as a federal Liberal-Progressive candidate. Unlike many UFOers, he never joined either the Liberal Party of Canada or the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation.
In 1934, he was appointed sheriff and registrar of Simcoe County, a position he held until 1959, and wrote for magazines such as Maclean's.
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Preceded by: | Premier of Ontario 1919-1923 |
Succeeded by: |