Edward Charles Whelan

Edward Charles (Ed) Whelan (August 6, 1919 – December 11, 2007)^[1] was a political figure in Saskatchewan, Canada. He represented Regina City from 1960 to 1964, Regina North from 1964 to 1967 and Regina North West from 1967 to 1979 in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan as a Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and then New Democratic Party (NDP) member.

He was born in Amherstburg, Ontario,^[1] the son of Charles Bernard Whelan and Frances Kelly,^[2] and was educated in local schools and at the Toronto Technical School. Whelan took over the operation of the family farm following the death of his father. Later, he worked as a machinist in automobile plants in Windsor. Whelan moved to Saskatchewan in 1943 and took up farming there. In 1948, he married Pemrose Henry. Whelan served in the provincial cabinet as Minister of Mineral Resources and as Minister of Consumer Affairs.^[1]

With his wife, he published a book on the life of Tommy Douglas, Touched by Tommy.^[3]

His brother Eugene served in the Canadian House of Commons,^[4] became a Cabinet minister and Senator.

Electoral record

Regina City (4 members)

Saskatchewan general election, 1960
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Charles Cromwell Williams	23,425
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Allan Emrys Blakeney	22,382
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Marjorie Alexandra Cooper	22,205
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Edward Charles Whelan	21,806
	Liberal	Frederick William Johnson	16,662
	Liberal	Leslie Charles Sherman	16,316
	Liberal	James Gillis Collins	15,578
	Liberal	Mavis Jeanne Adams	14,589
	Progressive Conservative	John Leishman	7,944
	Social Credit	Henry Austin Hunt	7,652
	Social Credit	Bert Louis Iannone	7,206
	Progressive Conservative	Murdoch Alexander MacPherson	7,194
	Social Credit	G. Lindsay Bower	7,103
	Social Credit	William G. Gamlin	7,058
	Progressive Conservative	Donald Bowman	6,358
	Progressive Conservative	Walter Schmidt	5,175
	Independent	Leslie Hibbs	698
	Independent	Herbert Kenneth Cooper	624
	Communist	William Charles Beeching	315

Regina North

Saskatchewan general election, 1964
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Edward Charles Whelan	4,722	54.54
	Liberal	Ron Atchison	3,867	44.67
	Communist	Norman Brudy	68	0.79
Total valid votes			8,657	100.0

Regina North West

Saskatchewan general election, 1967
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	New Democratic	Edward Charles Whelan	5,364	52.33
	Liberal	Frank Kleefeld	3,728	36.37
	Progressive Conservative	George Tkach	1,011	9.86
	Social Credit	H. Kenneth Cooper	147	1.44
Total valid votes			10,250	100.0

Saskatchewan general election, 1971
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	New Democratic	Edward Charles Whelan	8,805	64.27	+11.94
	Liberal	David H. Sheard	4,848	35.39	-0.98
	Communist	Fred J. Schofield	48	0.34
Total valid votes			13,699	100.0

Saskatchewan general election, 1975
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	New Democratic	Edward Charles Whelan	3,174	42.13	-22.14
	Liberal	David Bouchard	2,333	30.97	-4.42
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Sveinson	2,027	26.90
Total valid votes			7,534	100.0

Saskatchewan general election, 1978
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	New Democratic	Edward Charles Whelan	5,575	54.87	+12.74
	Progressive Conservative	Philip Lundeen	3,142	30.93	+4.03
	Liberal	J. Culliton Poston	1,443	14.20	-16.77
Total valid votes			10,160	100.0

References

1. "Hansard" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. March 10, 2008. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
2. Normandin, Pierre G (1963). Canadian Parliamentary Guide.
3. Ed Whelan; Pemrose Whelan (1990). Touched By Tommy : Stories of Hope and Humour About Canada's Most Loved Political Leader, T.C. Douglas. Regina: Whelan Publications. p. 138. ISBN 0-9694622-0-4.
4. "Whelan homestead moving to Heritage Village". Windsor Star. July 5, 2008. Retrieved 2012-07-07.