Donald Maclean (judge) - Political Career

Political Career

In the wartime Saskatchewan general election held June 26, 1917, Donald Maclean was elected to the Saskatoon City seat. William Melville Martin of the Liberal Party of Saskatchewan became premier of the province. Wellington Bartley Willoughby was leader of the Conservative Party at the time of the election, however, he stepped down when offered an appointment to the Senate of Canada. From 1918 through 1921, Donald Maclean was elected leader of the Conservative Party and His Majesty's Loyal Opposition. During his time in office, the School Act was amended to choose the English Language as the language of instruction in Saskatchewan's one room schoolhouses. The next Saskatchewan election was held June 9, 1921. However, Donald Maclean had accepted an appointment to the bench in April 1921, and left politics. James Thomas Milton Anderson was elected leader of the Conservative Party in 1924. The Conservative Party was split into Independent Conservatives and fractured groups and remained without a leader for three years.