Douglas Lloyd Campbell

Born May 27, 1895 - Died April 23, 1995

Douglas Lloyd Campbell was a Canadian politician.

Campbell, the son of John Howard and Mary Campbell, was born in Portage la Prairie May 27th, 1895. He attended elementary school at Flee Island, high school at the Portage Collegiate Institute, and university at Brandon College. Mr. Campbell took over the operation of the family farm in 1917. In December 1920, he married Gladys Crampton, and they raised seven children, three boys and four girls, who have all had distinguished careers, and are a credit to their parents.

In 1922, Campbell was elected to the Manitoba Legislature from the constituency of Lakeside, serving in this capacity until 1969. His 47 years of continuous service is the longest public service tenure in the British Empire. Campbell was appointed Minister of Agriculture in 1936 and 1942. He was given the additional portfolio of Manitoba Hydro, where he initiated a Rural Electrification Program making electricity available to every farm in Manitoba.

In 1948, Campbell was elected Premier, an office he held until 1958. During his tenure, he appointed John Bracken to study the liquor laws and regulations and to bring in recommendations. These radically changed and modernized laws were studied by other provinces and served as the basis for their own changes. He also established an independent Election Boundary Commission, a first such study in Canada that was copied by others.

On Campbell's retirement from politics, he was elected Director of the Portage la Prairie Mutual Insurance Co. and the Manitoba Hydro Commission.

Campbell had a great facility for remembering names and faces, and as a gifted orator was much in demand. His topics were wide ranging, and his talent of reciting popular poetry, and recalling a variety of his school selections, were outstanding abilities.

Campbell passed away on April 23rd, 1995 at the age of 99.

Campbell was a lifelong member of the Craft. He acted as WM of Assiniboine Lodge No.7 in Portage la Prairie in 1922, also he was an Honorary Member of St. John Lodge No.4 in Winnipeg, and an Honorary Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba. Brother Campbell, will long be remembered as someone who made many contributions to making Manitoba a better place in which to live. He was a Gentleman, a great Freemason, a great Statesman, a great Manitoban, and above all a great Canadian.

This article was submitted by Brother Stan Barclay, Right Worshipful. He is a member of St. John's Lodge No. 4 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

This article provided by Brother Eric C. Steele.