Political Career
Hardie was elected to the Council of the Northwest Territories in the 1951 Northwest Territories general election as part of the first three elected members returned since 1905. He served the Mackenzie North constituency for three years until he vacated it to run for federal politics.
In the 1953 Canadian federal election he ran in the new Mackenzie River federal electoral district as the candidate of the Liberal Party of Canada. Hardie won that election in a close three way race taking just over half the popular vote. His win made him the first Member of Parliament from the Northwest Territories since 1904. He served as a back bench member of the governing Liberal caucus.
Hardie ran for his second term in office in the 1957 Canadian federal election. He rolled up a very large majority over his Progressive Conservative opponent Harold Parkes. The Progressive Conservatives formed a minority government and Hardie became a very strong member of the official opposition becoming a frequent thorn in the side of the Diefenbaker government.
The minority government lasted less than a year forcing the 1958 Canadian federal election. Despite a landslide win for the Progressive Conservatives, Hardie easily retained his seat in a two way race. The results of the Progressive Conservative landslide completely swept the Liberals with the exception of Hardie off the map west of Ontario.
Read more about this topic: Mervyn Arthur Hardie
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