As Member of Parliament for Hamilton West, he was reelected three times from 1940.03.26 to 1950. He was first elected as the LiberalMember of Parliament for Hamilton West in 1940, with 55.9% of the vote in a two candidate race. Following his election, he was appointed as Minister of National Revenue (1940.07.08 - 1945.03.07). Near the end of his first term, he was also appointed as the acting and later permanent Minister of National Defence for Air (1945.03.08 - 1946.12.11).[2]
He served as Secretary of State (1948.11.15 - 1949.03.31) and (1946.12.12 - 1948.11.14). He was Minister for Mines and Resources (1949.04.01 - 1950.01.17).
Following his re-election with 40.2% of the vote (in a three-way, four-party race), he continued as Minister of National Defence for Air (1945.01.11 - 1945.03.07). He was made the Secretary of State for Canada (1948.11.15 - 1949.03.31) and (1946.12.12 - 1948.11.14). Just before the end of his second term, he was moved to the post of Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources (Canada) (1949.04.01 - 1950.01.17).[2]
He continued in this post after he was re-elected in 1949 (with 43.5% of the vote). He resigned from both cabinet and parliament upon his appointment as Puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Ontario.
He died in 1974.
4237 Dr. Adrian Preston & Peter Dennis (Edited) "Swords and Covenants" Rowman And Littlefield, London. Croom Helm. 1976.
H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "To Serve Canada: A History of the Royal Military College of Canada" 1997 Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969.
H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "Canada's RMC - A History of Royal Military College" Second Edition 1982
H16511 Dr. Richard Preston "R.M.C. and Kingston: The effect of imperial and military influences on a Canadian community" 1968
H1877 R. Guy C. Smith (editor) "As You Were! Ex-Cadets Remember". In 2 Volumes. Volume I: 1876–1918. Volume II: 1919–1984. Royal Military College. [Kingston]. The R.M.C. Club of Canada. 1984
1The department was eliminated in 1993 when the government was reorganized. The position of Secretary of State for Canada was not legally eliminated until 1996 when its remaining responsibilities were assigned to other cabinet positions and departments, particularly the newly created position of Minister of Canadian Heritage.