Edwin Hansford

Who was Edwin Hansford?

Edwin A. Hansford was a politician in Manitoba, Canada, and served as leader of that province's Co-operative Commonwealth Federation between 1948 and 1952.

Hansford was born in the Annapolis Valley region of Nova Scotia. He served overseas in World War I for four-and-a-half years, and subsequently worked for Canadian National Railways.

Hansford ran as a candidate of the Independent Labour Party in the federal riding of St. Boniface, in the 1930 federal election, but was defeated. Five years later, he was again defeated as a candidate of the CCF. Hansford was more successful in municipal politics — he became a St. Boniface alderman in 1932, and served until 1945.

Hansford was also a member of the provincial CCF executive, although his first attempt to enter provincial politics was unsuccessful. The CCF had joined Premier John Bracken's coalition ministry in 1940, but was subsequently marginalized by the Liberal-Conservative alliance that dominated the government. Demoralized, the party won only three seats members in the 1941 election. Running in provincial St. Boniface riding, Hansford was defeated by almost 1000 votes.