George Clingan

Colonel George Clingan (March 28, 1868—1953) was a soldier and politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1914 to 1922, as a member of the Liberal Party.

Clingan was born in Dufferin County, Ontario, and educated in Orangeville. He received certification as a physician and surgeon, and also became a Major in the 12th Manitoba Dragoons. Clingan began his military career with the Dragoons in 1898, and saw military service overseas. In religion, he was a Methodist.

He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1914, defeating Conservative incumbent Harvey C. Simpson by eighty-five votes in the rural, southwestern riding of Virden. The Conservatives won this election, and Clingan served with his party in opposition.

In 1915, the Conservative government of Rodmond P. Roblin was forced to resign amid a corruption scandal. The Liberals formed government, and won a landslide majority in the provincial election of 1915. Clingan was re-elected in Virden with an increased majority, and served as a backbench supporter of Tobias C. Norris's government.

The Liberals were reduced to a minority government in the 1920 election, as Clingan defeated his Farmer opponent R.E. Knight by 291 votes. Two years later, in the 1922 election, he lost his seat to United Farmers of Manitoba candidate Robert Mooney by 677 votes. Mooney went on to hold the seat until his death in 1953.

References

* [http://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/members/bios_deceased.html#C George Clingan] short bio at Legislative Assembly of Manitoba