Part of Highway 10 named for former premier Bracken

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/07/2016 (3547 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As of today, 195 kilometers of Highway 10, from the U.S. border to Riding Mountain National Park, will officially be recognized as the John Bracken Highway in honour of Manitoba’s longest-serving premier.

The Ontario-born agronomist made an unlikely politician, having gone to school at the Ontario Agricultural College and the University of Illinois before teaching at the University of Saskatchewan. In 1920, after 10 years there, he became the president of the Manitoba Agricultural College and moved eastward once again.

It was only then that Bracken was recruited by the United Farmers of Manitoba in 1922. At first he expressed reluctance at accepting a position, but eventually agreed to stand as UFM’s leader and premier-designate, launching the beginning of his 26-year political career.

With a victory in a deferred election in The Pas constituency, Bracken succeeded Liberal Tobias Norris to become Manitoba’s 11th premier.

“I guess that’s kind of a different approach, you know. Most people go to the Parliament Buildings and work their way up and things like that, not just show up at the door,” chuckled Bracken’s grandson, Michael, who will be standing in the former premier’s place during the naming ceremony today.

“After two or three times they tried to talk him into being premier, which he didn’t really want to … I guess my grandmother sort of said, ‘John, if these men need you, you should go,’” Michael explained.

Michael was born three years after his grandfather retired from federal politics but 18 years before his passing in 1969, and remembers the former premier taking him to visit the parliament buildings.

It seemed that although John Bracken’s accession into the political realm was undesired, it went unhindered by any disinterest.

He served under the Progressive Party of Manitoba until 1943 — halfway into his 21st year at the province’s helm — when he was elected as leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party.

Bracken became known in several ways. Often, his political reign is described as “cautious” or “careful.” He oversaw the government that created a provincial income tax, and introduced a pension for seniors over the age of 70.

An alliance between Bracken’s Progressives and the provincial Liberals resulted in their merging, and he again led a coalition in 1940.

At the federal level, Bracken and the Progressives lost the 1945 election, but won the Neepawa seat. He remained the leader of the Opposition and of the Conservative Party until his resignation in 1948.

Evidence of his influence is seen today by Bracken’s family, who, spread throughout Canada and the U.S., is still recognized for their last name.

On a ski trip and out of money, Michael Bracken recalled asking a drug store owner to cash a cheque for him. Upon learning Michael was John’s grandson, the owner said, “Well, you could write any amount of money you want, even the whole building.”

“He had that much trust in our family, you know, not even my grandfather, to do that — I didn’t buy the building, by the way,” Michael said.

Family from Winnipeg, Manotick, Ont., and Cincinnati, Ohio, will join Michael for the ceremony this morning.

Minister Cliff Cullen will be representing the Government of Manitoba.

» aantoneshyn@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @AAntoneshyn