Editing Ross Thatcher

{{Short description|9th Premier of Saskatchewan (1964–1971)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-suffix    = 
| image               = Wilbert Ross Thatcher, 1953.jpg
| office1             = 9th [[Premier of Saskatchewan]]
| term_start1         = May 22, 1964
| term_end1           = June 30, 1971
| predecessor1        = [[Woodrow S. Lloyd]]
| successor1          = [[Allan Blakeney]]
| monarch1            = [[Elizabeth II]]
| lieutenant_governor1 = [[Robert Leith Hanbidge|Robert Hanbidge]]<br />[[Stephen Worobetz]]
| constituency_MP2    = [[Moose Jaw (electoral district)|Moose Jaw]]
| parliament2         = Canadian
| predecessor2        = [[John Gordon Ross]]
| successor2          = ''District abolished''
| term_start2         = June 11, 1945
| term_end2           = August 10, 1953
| constituency_MP3    = [[Moose Jaw—Lake Centre]]
| parliament3         = Canadian
| predecessor3        = ''District created''
| successor3          = [[Louis Harrington Lewry]]
| term_start3         = August 10, 1953
| term_end3           = June 10, 1957
| office4             = Member of the [[Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan]] for [[Morse (provincial electoral district)|Morse]]
| term_start4         = June 8, 1960
| term_end4           = July 22, 1971
| predecessor4        = [[James William Gibson|Jim Gibson]]
| successor4          = [[Jack Wiebe]]
| office5             = [[Leader of the Opposition (Saskatchewan)]]
| term_start5         = June 8, 1960
| term_end5           = May 22, 1964
| predecessor5        = [[Alexander Hamilton McDonald|Alexander H. McDonald]]
| successor5          = [[Woodrow Lloyd]]
| birth_name          = Wilbert Ross Thatcher
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|1917|05|14}}
| birth_place         = [[Neville, Saskatchewan]]
| death_date          = {{death date and age|1971|07|22|1917|05|24}}
| death_place         = [[Regina, Saskatchewan]]
| party               = {{ubl|[[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation|CCF]] (1942&ndash;1955)|Independent (1955&ndash;1957)|[[Liberal Party of Saskatchewan|Liberal]] (1957&ndash;1971)}}
| spouse              = {{marriage|Peggie<!-- Thatcher-->|1938<!--|1971|end=his death-->}}
| children            = [[Colin Thatcher]]
| honorific_prefix    = [[The Honourable]]
| honorific_suffix    = PC
}}
'''Wilbert Ross Thatcher''', {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|PC}} (May 24, 1917 – July 22, 1971) was a Canadian politician who served as the ninth [[premier of Saskatchewan]] from 1964 to 1971. Thatcher began his career as a member of the [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]] in 1942, elected first to [[Moose Jaw]] City Council and then in 1945 as a [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|Member of Parliament]] representing [[Moose Jaw]]. In 1959, Thatcher made the switch both to [[Saskatchewan]] provincial politics and to the provincial [[Liberal Party of Saskatchewan|Liberal Party]], which he led through four provincial elections, winning majority governments in 1964 and 1967. Following his defeat in the 1971 provincial election, Thatcher retired from politics and died shortly afterwards.

==Early life and career==
Born in [[Neville, Saskatchewan]], Thatcher was a Moose Jaw-based businessman, who developed an interest in politics shortly after the birth of his son, [[Colin Thatcher]].<ref name="obit">{{Cite news |date=1971-07-24 |title=W. Ross Thatcher, Ex-Premier Of Saskatchewan, 54, Is Dead |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/07/24/archives/w-ross-thatcher-expremier-of-saskatchewan-54-is-dead.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420133441/https://www.nytimes.com/1971/07/24/archives/w-ross-thatcher-expremier-of-saskatchewan-54-is-dead.html |archive-date=2019-04-20 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Thatcher's father had built a chain of [[hardware stores]] across the province, which Thatcher helped to manage.<ref name="esask">{{Cite web |last=Quiring |first=Brett |title=Thatcher, Wilbert Ross (1917–71) |url=http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/thatcher_wilbert_ross_1917-71.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227025215/http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/thatcher_wilbert_ross_1917-71.jsp |archive-date=2019-12-27 |access-date=2008-03-16 |website=Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan}}</ref>

Thatcher graduated from high school at age fifteen, and attended [[Queen's University at Kingston|Queen's University]], in [[Kingston, Ontario]], where he earned a commerce degree at age eighteen.<ref name=esask/> Immediately following graduation, Thatcher became executive assistant to the vice-president of [[Canada Packers]] in [[Toronto]], but returned to Saskatchewan to run the family business after his father had become ill in the late 1930s.<ref name="esask" /> By this time, the family business included outlets in [[Regina, Saskatchewan|Regina]] and [[Saskatoon]] as well as the original Moose Jaw store. Thatcher employed his siblings to assist him.<ref name="Deny">Garrett Wilson and Lesley Wilson, ''Deny, Deny, Deny: The Rise and Fall of Colin Thatcher'' (Toronto:  Lorimer, 1985).</ref>

In the late 1950s, Thatcher transitioned away from hardware and into farming and cattle ranching in the Moose Jaw area. He employed his son Colin as a full-time manager of his agricultural businesses, starting in 1962.<ref name="Deny" />

==Political career==
===CCF and Member of Parliament (1942–57)===
Thatcher's politics were heavily influenced by the [[Great Depression]], after which he believed that private business alone could not stimulate economic development on the prairies. Thatcher consequently joined the socialist Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and was elected to Moose Jaw City Council on a labour-reform slate in 1942. In the [[1945 Canadian federal election]], Thatcher was elected to [[Parliament of Canada|Parliament]] representing [[Moose Jaw (electoral district)|Moose Jaw]].<ref name=esask/>

Thatcher grew increasingly uncomfortable in the CCF. Despite the party itself moderating its socialist foundations and embracing a mixed-economy model, Thatcher consistently found himself on the pro-business right wing of the party caucus.<ref name=esask/> He gradually shifted away from the party, and became known for publicly breaking ranks with the CCF on policy issues.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Eisler |first=Dale |title=Rumours of Glory: Saskatchewan & the Thatcher Years |publisher=Hurtig Publishers |year=1987 |isbn=0-88830-311-4 |location=Edmonton |pages=12–13 |language=en-CA}}</ref> In 1955, Thatcher finally left the CCF over the issue of [[corporate taxation]].<ref name="esask" /> When he left the caucus, Thatcher pronounced that he was "opposed to Socialism and all it stands for".<ref name="obit" /> He sat as an Independent [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|MP]] for the rest of the term, before running unsuccessfully for the federal [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]] in the [[1957 Canadian federal election|1957]] and [[1958 Canadian federal election|1958]] elections; he lost both times to the CCF's [[Hazen Argue]].<ref name=esask/>

===Mossbank debate and provincial politics (1957–64)===
During the 1957 federal campaign, Thatcher attacked the [[Saskatchewan CCF]] government's affinity for [[crown corporations]], describing them as a dismal failure.<ref name="ce">{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=David E. |date=2008-02-18 |title=Wilbert Ross Thatcher |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/wilbert-ross-thatcher |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419225247/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/wilbert-ross-thatcher/ |archive-date=2016-04-19 |access-date=2021-10-09 |website=The Canadian Encyclopedia |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Thatcher |first=Ross |date=1967-01-01 |title=Socialism in Saskatchewan |url=https://fee.org/articles/socialism-in-saskatchewan/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Foundation for Economic Education |language=en}}</ref> In response, [[Premier of Saskatchewan|Saskatchewan Premier]] [[Tommy Douglas]] challenged Thatcher to a debate, which ultimately took place in the town of [[Mossbank, Saskatchewan|Mossbank]] and was broadcast by television and radio across the province.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Political History — The Debate of the Century |url=https://mossbank.ca/history/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601215351/https://mossbank.ca/history/ |archive-date=2023-06-01 |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=Town of Mossbank}}</ref> The debate was widely regarded as a draw. However, the Liberals were buoyed by Thatcher holding his own against Douglas, who was renowned for his oratory. The debate established Thatcher as the province's principal CCF antagonist and free enterprise standard-bearer, and gave Liberals hope that they might challenge for government against the popular CCF.<ref name="ce" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Eisler |title=Rumours of Glory |pages=31 |language=en-CA}}</ref>

After his defeats at the federal level, Thatcher was courted by the Saskatchewan Liberal Party and became its leader in 1959, defeating three rivals—[[James Wilfrid Gardiner|Wilf Gardiner]], [[Frank Foley (politician)|Frank Foley]], and Alex Cameron—in a contested leadership election.<ref name="ce" /> While some in the party resented Thatcher's quick ascension to the leadership over long-time Liberals, his victory also created excitement among the party ranks.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Eisler |title=Rumours of Glory |pages=56–57 |language=en-CA}}</ref> Thatcher led the party into the [[1960 Saskatchewan general election|1960 provincial election]], which was fought principally over the issue of [[Medicare (Canada)|Medicare]], with the CCF planning to implement the first universal healthcare plan in Canada.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Medicare: A People's Issue — 1960–1962 |url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/14753/20201021223835/http://digital.scaa.sk.ca/gallery/medicare/en_intro2.php |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=Saskatchewan Council for Archives and Archivists}}</ref> The Liberals campaigned against Medicare, finding that they could not make a significant dent in the Saskatchewan CCF's large majority.<ref name="esask" /> Thatcher himself was elected to the [[Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan|Legislative Assembly]] from the rural southern riding of [[Morse (provincial electoral district)|Morse]].

The Liberals had gained momentum, however, and the anti-CCF opposition coalesced around them. This was particularly evident during the 1962 [[Saskatchewan doctors' strike]], which attempted to derail the implementation of Medicare and hurt the CCF's popularity.<ref name=":0" /> In addition, Douglas, premier since 1944, stepped down in November 1961 after he was elected leader of the nascent federal [[New Democratic Party]]. The Liberals won a string of [[by-elections]] over the following three years in the lead up to the next general election.<ref>"The Life and Political Times of Tommy Douglas", by Walter Stewart, 2003</ref>

===Premier of Saskatchewan (1964–71)===
Ahead of the [[1964 Saskatchewan general election|1964 provincial election]], the Liberals campaigned on growing economic development in the province; Thatcher also wooed [[Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan|Progressive Conservative]] voters and worked to limit competition between free-enterprise candidates.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Waiser |first=Bill |url=https://archive.org/details/saskatchewannewh0000wais |title=Saskatchewan: A New History |publisher=Fifth House |year=2005 |isbn=9781894856492 |location=Calgary |pages=390 |language=en-CA |url-access=registration}}</ref> Thatcher's Liberals went on to win a narrow victory that ended 20 years of CCF-NDP government.<ref name=esask/><ref name=ccf>The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation became the New Democratic Party of Canada in 1961. The Saskatchewan CCF used CCF-NDP as a transitional name before it became the Saskatchewan NDP in 1967</ref> The popular vote was a virtual tie between the Liberals and the CCF; however, the distribution of the Liberals' votes and a sharp decline in [[Social Credit Party of Saskatchewan|Social Credit]] support allowed the Liberals to win a six-seat majority, making Thatcher the province's sixth Liberal premier and ninth overall.

Thatcher's government sold several crown corporations and declared the province "open for business" by encouraging private investment in the [[potash]] and other industries.<ref name=esask/> His approach to potash led to a rapid expansion of the industry in the latter half of the 1960s—the industry grew so rapidly that Thatcher eventually opted to negotiate a minimum price and production cap with American producers to avoid prices collapsing from oversupply.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Waiser |title=Saskatchewan |pages=401 |language=en-CA}}</ref> Thatcher was known to boast that potash would become for Saskatchewan what oil was for neighbouring [[Alberta]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Eisler |first=Dale |title=From Left to Right: Saskatchewan's Political and Economic Transformation |publisher=University of Regina Press |year=2022 |isbn=9780889778672 |location=Regina |pages=136 |language=en-CA}}</ref> On economic issues, Thatcher's government was [[classical liberalism|classically liberal]], and was well to the right of the federal Liberals. Thatcher often clashed with the federal Liberal governments of [[Lester Pearson]] and [[Pierre Trudeau]] over agricultural policy, social welfare policies—which the federal party supported and Thatcher opposed—and constitutional reform, as well as the federal Liberals' attempts to form a federal political organization in the province separate from the provincial party.<ref name="esask" /><ref name="ce" />

Thatcher also focused on downsizing the province's robust civil service.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Eisler |title=Rumours of Glory |pages=143 |language=en-CA}}</ref> During Thatcher's tenure, veteran Saskatchewan civil servants were known to move to other provinces or to the federal civil service—which at the time was expanding the federal welfare state—and these migrants became known in government circles as the "Saskatchewan Mafia".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marchildon |first=Gregory P. |title=Saskatchewan Mafia |url=https://www.esask.uregina.ca/entry/saskatchewan_mafia.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706200309/https://www.esask.uregina.ca/entry/saskatchewan_mafia.html |archive-date=2017-07-06 |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pasolli |first=Lisa |date=2009 |title=Bureaucratizing the Atlantic Revolution: The 'Saskatchewan Mafia' in the New Brunswick Civil Service, 1960-1970 |url=https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/Acadiensis/article/view/12473 |journal=[[Acadiensis]] |volume=38 |issue=1 |via=University of New Brunswick}}</ref> Thatcher himself became renowned for being a "ruthless" leader that "ruled the Liberal caucus with an iron fist" and ran what came to be seen as a "one-man government".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Waiser |title=Saskatchewan |pages=391–400 |language=en-CA}}</ref>

Thatcher's Liberals were re-elected with a slightly-increased majority in a snap election called in [[1967 Saskatchewan general election|1967]]. Thatcher then surprised observers by introducing an [[austerity]] program, which cut government services, increased taxes, and introduced medicare user fees. The provincial economy, which was still heavily resource-based, experienced a downturn, and reduced government investment hurt both the potash and agriculture industries, while oil and uranium production dropped as well.<ref name=":1" /> Thatcher's administration became increasingly unpopular as a result.<ref name=esask/> Thatcher pitched the next election, which took place in [[1971 Saskatchewan general election|June 1971]], as a stark choice between capitalism and socialism, promising for his part to continue running government like a business.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Eisler |title=Rumours of Glory |pages=265–66 |language=en-CA}}</ref> For their part, the NDP campaigned on increasing public ownership of resources and state-led development.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Eisler |title=From Left to Right |pages=78 |language=en-CA}}</ref> Although the Liberal vote share remained steady, they were defeated by [[Allan Blakeney]]'s NDP, who were helped by an increased voter turnout and the collapse of the Progressive Conservative vote.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Waiser |title=Saskatchewan |pages=403 |language=en-CA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Eisler |title=From Left to Right |pages=80–81 |language=en-CA}}</ref> [[David Steuart]], Thatcher's top cabinet minister who would succeed him as Liberal leader later that year, quipped after the loss that, "If there was someone or some group that we hadn't alienated by the election of 1971, it was because we hadn't met them yet."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Quoted in Waiser |title=Saskatchewan |pages=403 |language=en-CA}}</ref>

In the aftermath of the election, Thatcher announced to the party that he intended to resign as Liberal leader, placing a one-year limit on the search for a successor.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Eisler |title=Rumours of Glory |pages=268–70 |language=en-CA}}</ref>

==Death==
In July 1971, only weeks after his election defeat, Thatcher died at his home in [[Regina, Saskatchewan|Regina]], apparently as a result of complications from diabetes and a heart condition.<ref name = obit/> His death shocked the Saskatchewan public, and [[JoAnn Thatcher]], then-wife of the former premier's son [[Colin Thatcher]], later claimed she suspected the death was a suicide. However, it was an open secret that Thatcher had largely refused to deal with his [[diabetes]]. A former aide told reporters that Thatcher's health had been so run down that his death from natural causes surprised few insiders.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}}

==Family==
Thatcher's widow, Peggie Thatcher, was persuaded to run for the federal Liberals in the [[1972 Canadian federal election|1972 federal election]], but came third in the [[Regina East]] riding.<ref>[http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Sites/LOP/HFER/hfer.asp?Language=E&Search=Cresdetail&Election=1697 History of Federal Ridings], Regina East, accessed March 16, 2008</ref>

===Colin Thatcher===
In the [[1975 Saskatchewan general election|1975 provincial election]], [[Colin Thatcher]] was elected in [[Thunder Creek (1975–2016 electoral district)|Thunder Creek]], a new constituency that contained parts of the riding that his father had represented. Although he was first elected as a Liberal, he later [[Crossing the floor|crossed the floor]] to the Progressive Conservatives before joining government after the PCs won the [[1982 Saskatchewan general election|1982 provincial election]]. Thatcher resigned in January 1983 following a brief stint as a cabinet minister in the PC government; his ex-wife JoAnn Wilson was found murdered days later, and in 1984 Thatcher was charged with murder for her death. He was convicted of first degree murder by the jury in the [[Court of Queen's Bench for Saskatchewan|Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench]] and sentenced to life in prison for 25 years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2006-11-30 |title=Colin Thatcher Timeline |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/thatcher_colin/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924101538/https://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/thatcher_colin/ |archive-date=2017-09-24 |access-date=2024-10-05 |work=[[CBC News]]}}</ref> His appeals to the [[Saskatchewan Court of Appeal]] and the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] were dismissed.<ref>[https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/216/index.do ''R v Thatcher'', [1987<nowiki>]</nowiki> 1 SCR 652.]</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Brezinski |first=Caitlin |date=2022-10-30 |title=Who is Colin Thatcher? Here's what you need to know about his 1984 murder conviction |url=https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/who-is-colin-thatcher-here-s-what-you-need-to-know-about-his-1984-murder-conviction-1.6131398 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030190817/https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/who-is-colin-thatcher-here-s-what-you-need-to-know-about-his-1984-murder-conviction-1.6131398 |archive-date=2022-10-30 |access-date=2023-11-18 |work=CTV News Saskatoon}}</ref>

==Electoral history==
Thatcher ranks eighth out of the fifteen Saskatchewan premiers for [[List of premiers of Saskatchewan by time in office|time in office]] at {{age in years and days|22 may 1964|30 jun 1971}}.<ref name = list>[http://saskarchives.com/sites/default/files/pdf/2018_premiers.pdf Saskatchewan Archives:  List of Saskatchewan Premiers.]</ref> He was the sixth and last Liberal premier of the province. Thatcher led the Liberal Party in four provincial elections, in [[Saskatchewan general election, 1960|1960]], [[Saskatchewan general election, 1964|1964]], [[Saskatchewan general election, 1967|1967]] and [[Saskatchewan general election, 1971|1971]];<ref name="SK-elections">[https://saskarchives.com/sites/default/files/pdf/2019_elections_results_by_electoral_division.pdf Saskatchewan Archives:  Election Results by Electoral Division.]</ref> he was defeated in his first election in 1960—he was [[List of Saskatchewan Leaders of the Opposition|Leader of the Opposition]] from 1960 to 1964<ref>[http://saskarchives.com/sites/default/files/pdf/2018_leaders_of_opposition.pdf Leaders of the Official Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.]</ref>—but won the next two elections in 1964 and 1967 with majority governments. Following his defeat in the general election of 1971, he was succeeded as Premier by [[Allan Blakeney]], leader of the [[Saskatchewan New Democratic Party|New Democratic Party]] (NDP).

=== Provincial elections ===

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|+Electoral history of Liberal Party under Ross Thatcher
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:#eaecf0;" | Year
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="background:#eaecf0;" | Party
! colspan="3" style="background:#eaecf0;" | Votes
! colspan="2" |Seats
! rowspan="2" |Position
|-
! style="background:#eaecf0;" | Total
! style="background:#eaecf0;" | %
! style="background:#eaecf0;" | {{tooltip|2=Change in percentage value since previous election|±%}}
!Total
!±
|-
![[1960 Saskatchewan general election|1960]]
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}};"|
| rowspan="5" | [[Liberal Party of Saskatchewan|Liberal]]
|221,932
|32.7%
| +21.4%
|{{Composition bar compact|17|55|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}
| +3
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|-
![[1964 Saskatchewan general election|1964]]
|269,402
|40.4%
| +7.7%
|{{Composition bar compact|32|59|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}
| +15
|{{yes2|Majority government}}
|-
![[1967 Saskatchewan general election|1967]]
|193,871
|45.6%
| +5.2%
|{{Composition bar compact|35|59|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}
| +3
|{{yes2|Majority government}}
|-
![[1971 Saskatchewan general election|1971]]
|193,864
|42.8%
|−2.8%
|{{Composition bar compact|15|60|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}
|−20
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|-
! colspan="10" style="background:#eaecf0;" |
|}

'''Constituency elections'''<br>
'''E''' Elected<br>
'''X''' Incumbent
{| class="wikitable"
|+ [[1971 Saskatchewan general election|General Election, June 23, 1971]]: [[Morse (electoral district)|Morse]]
|-
!colspan="2"|Party !! Candidate !! Popular Vote!! % 
|-
{{Canadian party colour|SK|Liberal|row-name}}
| '''E''' '''X''' Ross Thatcher || align=center|3,502 || align=center|55.72%
|- 
{{Canadian party colour|SK|NDP|row}}
| [[Saskatchewan New Democratic Party|New Democratic Party]] || Paul Warren Beach ||align=center|2,783 || align=center|44.28%
|-
! colspan=3|Total !! 6,285 !! 100.00%
|-
| align="center" colspan=5|'''Source:''' Saskatchewan Archives — Election Results by Electoral Division — Morse<ref name=SK-elections/>
|- 
|}

{| class="wikitable" 
|+ [[1967 Saskatchewan general election|General Election, October 11, 1967]]:  [[Morse (electoral district)|Morse]]
|-
!colspan="2"|Party !! Candidate !! Popular Vote!! % 
|-
{{Canadian party colour|SK|Liberal|row-name}}
| '''E''' '''X''' Ross Thatcher || align=center|3,396 || align=center|52.34%
|- 
{{Canadian party colour|SK|NDP|row}}
| [[Saskatchewan New Democratic Party|New Democratic Party]] ||  Louis H. Lewry ||align=center|2,398 || align=center|36.96%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|SK|PC|row-name}}
|  Earl Cooper ||align=center|694 || align=center|10.70%
|-
! colspan=3|Total !! 6,488 !! 100.00%
|-
| align="center" colspan=5|'''Source:''' Saskatchewan Archives — Election Results by Electoral Division — Morse<ref name=SK-elections/>
|- 
|}

{| class="wikitable" 
|+ [[1964 Saskatchewan general election|General Election, April 22, 1964]]:  [[Morse (electoral district)|Morse]]
|-
!colspan="2"|Party !! Candidate !! Popular Vote!! % 
|-
{{Canadian party colour|SK|Liberal|row-name}}
| '''E''' '''X''' Ross Thatcher || align=center|3,188 || align=center|51.92%
|- 
{{Canadian party colour|SK|CCF|row}}
| [[Saskatchewan New Democratic Party#Co-operative Commonwealth Federation .28Saskatchewan Section.29|Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]] ||  Paul Warren Beach ||align=center|2,952 || align=center|48.08%
|-
! colspan=3|Total !! 6,140 !! 100.00%
|-
| align="center" colspan=5|'''Source:''' Saskatchewan Archives — Election Results by Electoral Division — Morse<ref name=SK-elections/>
|- 
|}

{| class="wikitable" 
|+ [[1960 Saskatchewan general election|General Election, June 8, 1960]]:  [[Morse (electoral district)|Morse]]
|-
!colspan="2"|Party !! Candidate !! Popular Vote!! % 
|-
{{Canadian party colour|SK|Liberal|row-name}}
| '''E''' Ross Thatcher || align=center|2,791 || align=center|42.29%
|- 
{{Canadian party colour|SK|CCF|row}}
| [[Saskatchewan New Democratic Party#Co-operative Commonwealth Federation .28Saskatchewan Section.29|Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]] ||  Robert Davis ||align=center|2,629 || align=center|39.83%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|SK|Social Credit|row-name}}
| Peter Harder || align=center|657 || align=center|9.95%
|- 
{{Canadian party colour|SK|PC|row-name}}
| George Gurney || align=center|523 || align=center|7.92%
|- 
! colspan=3|Total !! 6,600 !! 99.99%<sup>1</sup>
|-
| align="center" colspan=5|'''Source:''' Saskatchewan Archives — Election Results by Electoral Division - Morse<ref name=SK-elections/>
|- 
|}
<sup>1</sup> Rounding error

===Federal elections===

Thatcher stood for election to the House of Common five times, in three different Saskatchewan ridings. He was elected three times and defeated twice. He first stood for election as a member of the CCF, and was elected three times, in 1945, 1949, and 1953. Part way through his third term as a Member of Parliament, he left the CCF and sat as an independent, from 1955 to 1957. He then ran as a Liberal in the general elections of 1957 and 1958, but was defeated both times.<ref name="LoP-Thatcher">[https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Profile?personId=9967 Library of Parliament - Parlinfo:  The Hon. Wilbert Ross Thatcher, PC, MP]</ref>

'''E''' Elected<br>
'''X''' Incumbent
{| class="wikitable" 
|+ [[Canadian federal election, 1958|Federal Election, 1958]]: [[Assiniboia (federal electoral district)|Assiniboia]]
|-
!colspan="2"|Party !! Candidate !! Popular Vote !! % 
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|CCF|row}} 
| [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]] || '''E''' '''X''' Hazen Robert Argue ||align=center|9,104 ||align=center|42.08%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC|row-name}}
| W.J. Ferguson ||align=center|6,360 ||align=center|29.39%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|row-name}}
| Ross Thatcher ||align=center|6,173 ||align=center|28.53%
|-
! colspan=3|Total !! 21,637 !! 100.00%
|-
| align="center" colspan=5|'''Source:''' Library of Parliament — Assiniboia<ref name=LoP-Thatcher/>
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" 
|+ [[Canadian federal election, 1957|Federal Election, 1957]]: [[Assiniboia (federal electoral district)|Assiniboia]]
|-
!colspan="2"|Party !! Candidate !! Popular Vote !! % 
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|CCF|row}} 
| [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]] || '''E''' '''X''' [[Hazen Robert Argue]] ||align=center|10,389 ||align=center|47.04%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|row-name}}
| Ross Thatcher ||align=center|8,862 ||align=center|40.13%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC|row-name}}
| W.J. Ferguson ||align=center|1,931 ||align=center|8.74%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Social Credit|row-name}}
| Anthony Batza ||align=center|903 ||align=center|4.09%
|-
! colspan=3|Total !! 22,085 !! 100.00%
|-
| align="center" colspan=5|'''Source:''' Library of Parliament — Assiniboia<ref name=LoP-Thatcher/>
|- 
|}

{| class="wikitable" 
|+ [[Canadian federal election, 1953|Federal Election, 1953]]: [[Moose Jaw—Lake Centre]]
|-
!colspan="2"|Party !! Candidate !! Popular Vote !! % 
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|CCF|row}} 
| [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]]<sup>1</sup> || '''E'''  Ross Thatcher ||align=center|12,436 ||align=center|52.41%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|row-name}}
| James Lawrence Gemmell ||align=center|6,021 ||align=center|25.37%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC|row-name}}
| James Ernest Pascoe ||align=center|4,480 ||align=center|18.88%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|SK|Labour-Progressive|row-name}}
| Frederick Nelson Clarke ||align=center|792 ||align=center|3.34%
|-
! colspan=3|Total !! 23,729 !! 100.0%
|-
| align="center" colspan=5|'''Source:''' Library of Parliament &ndash;   Moose Jaw—Lake Centre<ref name=LoP-Thatcher/>
|- 
|}

<sup>1</sup> Elected as a member of the CCF, but left the CFF caucus in 1955 and sat as an independent for the rest of the term.

{| class="wikitable" 
|+ [[Canadian federal election, 1949|Federal Election, 1949]]: Moose Jaw
|-
!colspan="2"|Party !! Candidate !! Popular Vote !! % 
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|CCF|row}} 
| [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]] || '''E''' '''X''' Ross Thatcher ||align=center|10,026 ||align=center|48.17%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|row-name}}
| Edward Langdon Pudden ||align=center|7,444 ||align=center|35.76%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC|row-name}}
| Leila Elsie Smiley ||align=center|3,344 ||align=center|16.07%
|-
! colspan=3|Total !! 20,814 !! 100.00%
|-
| align="center" colspan=5|'''Source:''' Library of Parliament &ndash; Moose Jaw<ref name=LoP-Thatcher/>
|- 
|}

{| class="wikitable" 
|+ [[Canadian federal election, 1945|Federal Election, 1945]]: [[Moose Jaw (electoral district)|Moose Jaw]]
|-
!colspan="2"|Party !! Candidate !! Popular Vote !! % 
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|CCF|row}} 
| [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]] || '''E''' Ross Thatcher ||align=center|9,831 ||align=center|49.03%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|row-name}}
| '''X''' John Gordon Ross ||align=center|5,862 ||align=center|29.24%
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC|row-name}}
| Frederick James Gilmour ||align=center|4,358 ||align=center|21.73%
|-
! colspan=3|Total !! 20,051 !! 100.00%
|-
| align="center" colspan=5|'''Source:'''  Library of Parliament &ndash; Moose Jaw<ref name=LoP-Thatcher/>
|- 
|}

== See also ==

* [[List of premiers of Saskatchewan]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{SKPremiers}}
{{Saskatchewan Liberal Party leaders}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thatcher, Wilbert Ross}}
[[Category:1917 births]]
[[Category:1971 deaths]]
[[Category:Premiers of Saskatchewan]]
[[Category:Leaders of the opposition of Saskatchewan]]
[[Category:Queen's University at Kingston alumni]]
[[Category:Co-operative Commonwealth Federation MPs]]
[[Category:Independent MPs in the Canadian House of Commons]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 1957 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 1958 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Saskatchewan Liberal Party MLAs]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Saskatchewan]]
[[Category:Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada]]
[[Category:Members of the United Church of Canada]]
[[Category:People from Moose Jaw]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Canada candidates for the Canadian House of Commons]]
[[Category:Leaders of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan]]