12 Facts About Ellen Fairclough

Fairclough was born Ellen Louks Cook on January 28,1905, in Hamilton, Ontario, to Norman Ellsworth and Nellie Bell Cook.

Ellen Fairclough served as a member of the executive for the Girl Guides of Canada prior to her election as a Member of Parliament.

Ellen Fairclough first ran for federal office as a Progressive Conservative in the 1949 federal election, in which she was defeated by incumbent Liberal MP Colin Gibson in Hamilton West.

When Gibson was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ontario the following year Ellen Fairclough ran in and won the resulting by-election.

Ellen Fairclough introduced a more liberal policy on refugees, and increased the number of immigrants allowed into Canada.

Ellen Fairclough was named as Acting Prime Minister of Canada from February 19 to 20,1958; she was the first woman ever given the duty.

Toward the end of her term in office, Ellen Fairclough sought an appointment to the Senate of Canada, but was not appointed.

Ellen Fairclough was defeated in the 1963 election by Liberal Joseph Macaluso.

Ellen Fairclough was defeated in her bid for re-election in the 1963 election.

Ellen Fairclough subsequently worked for the Hamilton Trust and Savings Corporation as a senior executive, as well as being chairperson of Hamilton Hydro.

At the Progressive Conservative leadership election, 1993, Ellen Fairclough was a supporter of Kim Campbell, and gave the speech to formally nominate Campbell on the convention floor.

Ellen Fairclough died at St Joseph's Villa, a nursing home in Dundas, Ontario, on November 13,2004.