Fleming Blanchard McCurdy

Fleming Blanchard McCurdy, PC (February 17, 1875 – August 29, 1952) was a Canadian politician.

Fleming Blanchard McCurdy
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Shelburne and Queen's
In office 1911–1917
Preceded by	William Stevens Fielding
Succeeded by	William Stevens Fielding
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Colchester
In office 1917–1921
Preceded by	John Stanfield
Succeeded by	Harold Putnam
Personal details
Born	(1875-02-17)February 17, 1875 Old Barns, Nova Scotia
Died	August 29, 1952(1952-08-29) (aged 77)
Cabinet	Minister of Public Works (1920–1921)

Born in Old Barns, Nova Scotia, he was elected to the House of Commons of Canada for the Nova Scotia riding of Shelburne and Queen's in the 1911 election as a Conservative. He was re-elected in the 1917 election for the riding of Colchester as a supporter of Sir Robert Laird Borden's Unionist government.

In 1916, he was one of the first parliamentarians to be appointed a Parliamentary Secretary, when he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary of Militia and Defence for Sam Hughes. He was also the Parliamentary Secretary of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment. Upon his appointment to Borden's Cabinet in 1920 as Minister of Public Works he was required by the custom of the time to resign his seat and run in a by-election. By this point it was customary for Cabinet ministers running in by-elections to be acclaimed however, the newly formed United Farmers party contested the by-election with a United-Farmers/Labour candidate. McCurdy opted to face this challenge by running as a Nationalist Liberal rather than as a Conservative and was re-elected, though narrowly. It is possible he chose this banner as the Unionist Party had formally changed its name to the National Liberal and Conservative Party by this time or as a means of facing down the threat from a left-wing candidate. In any case, Blanchard ran the following year in the 1921 election as a Conservative and was defeated.

1917 Canadian federal election: Colchester
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Government (Unionist)	Fleming Blanchard McCurdy	acclaimed

By-election on 20 September 1920 On Mr. McCurdy being appointed Minister of Public Works, 13 July 1920
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Nationalist Liberal	Fleming Blanchard McCurdy	6,478
	United Farmers	Hugh Archibald Dickson	5,034

References

• Fleming Blanchard McCurdy – Parliament of Canada biography
• Debates of the Legislative Assembly