Leslie Egerton Blackwell | |
|---|---|
| Ontario MPP | |
| In office 1943–1951 | |
| Preceded by | Harold James Kirby |
| Succeeded by | William James Dunlop |
| Constituency | Eglinton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1897-11-09)November 9, 1897 Lindsay, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | October 20, 1959(1959-10-20) (aged 61) Toronto,Ontario |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Spouse | Jacqueline Sinclair |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Military service | |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | 204th Battalion, CEF |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Cambrai |
Leslie Egerton Blackwell (9 November 1897 – 20 October 1959) was aCanadian politician, soldier, lawyer, and land developer.
He was born inLindsay, Ontario in 1897,[1][2] but moved toToronto when he was young. He grew up and was educated in theParkdale area of Toronto.[3] He joined the Canada Army as a private in 1916, during the First World War. His unit, the204th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry, was commanded by future Ontario Attorney General, Lieutenant-ColonelWilliam Price.[3] He was severely injured in the war, losing a leg during theBattle of Cambrai in 1918.[4] He came back to Canada and eventually graduated from theUniversity of Toronto andOsgoode Hall law school.[4]
During the1937 Ontario general election Blackwell was a candidate in Toronto'sEglinton electoral district; where he came in second on election night.[4] He ran again in Eglinton, and was elected to theLegislative Assembly of Ontario in the1943 election that broughtGeorge Drew'sProgressive Conservative Party of Ontario to power with aminority government. Blackwell was immediately put into Drew'scabinet asAttorney General.[3]
After Drew's departure from provincial politics, Blackwell was a candidate to replace him in the 1949Conservative leadership election, placing second toLeslie Frost.[3] He did not join Frost's cabinet and served his remaining time as a backbencher in the legislature, and did not run in the 1951 election.[3]
| Ontario provincial government ofGeorge A. Drew | ||
| Cabinet post (1) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Eric Cross | Attorney General 1943-1949 | Dana Porter |
He went back to his private law practice and became involved in land development. He was working on theThorncliffe Park housing development, in Toronto, when he was hospitalized in early October 1959.[4] He finally succumbed to complications due to pneumonia on 20 October 1959.[3]