David Best (politician)

David Alexander Best (November 21, 1880^[1] in Derry, Ireland^[2] – February 1, 1949^[3]) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1941 to 1945 as an anti-coalition Conservative.^[1]

Born in Derry, the son of David Best and Martha Peden,^[3] Best was educated at Foyle College, worked for the British civil service and then moved to Canada in 1911. He worked as an accountant and printing salesman, and was elected as the reeve of St. James, Manitoba in 1938.^[2] In 1907, he married Rachel Watterson.^[3]

Best was elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1941.^[1] Prior to this election, the Conservative Party of Manitoba entered a coalition government led by the Liberal Progressive Party and also including the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation and Social Credit.^[4] A number of Conservatives opposed joining the coalition, and ran for the legislature against their party's position.

Best was one of three anti-coalition Conservatives elected to the legislature in 1941. He defeated CCF incumbent James Aiken in Assiniboia^[1] by 274 votes, and served as an opposition member for the parliament that followed.

In 1943, the Conservative Party changed its name to the Progressive Conservative Party. Best ran in the 1945 provincial election as an official Progressive Conservative candidate, but lost to CCF candidate Ernest Draffin^[1] by 170 votes.

He died at home in Winnipeg at the age of 68.^[3]

References

1. . Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014.
2. "Under The Golden Boy, Manitoba's M.L.A.'s". Winnipeg Evening Tribune. 18 March 1943. p. 13. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
3. "David Alexander Best (1880-1949)". Manitoba Historical Society. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
4. Adams, Christopher (2008). Politics in Manitoba: Parties, Leaders, and Voters. University of Manitoba Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-0887553554. Retrieved 18 April 2013.