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John C. Dryden




Dryden was educated at the Manitoba Agricultural College , and worked as a farmer. He served for ten years on the municipal council of Ste. Agathe, and served overseas in World War I from 1915 to 1918 as a member of the Royal Canadian Engineers . Dryden received a military medal in 1941 .

He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1941 Provincial Election , defeating Liberal-Progressive candidate L.A. Slater in the rural constituency of Morris . Although elected as an independent, Dryden was a supporter of the Coalition Government led by Liberal-Progressive Premier John Bracken . He joined the Liberal-Progressive Party himself during the parliament which followed.

Dryden was appointed to Stuart Garson's cabinet on February 4 , 1944 as Minister Of Education . Returned without difficulty in the 1945 Election , he held this position until December 14 , 1948 , while he was promoted to Provincial Treasurer by Garson's replacement, Douglas Campbell.

Dryden was defeated in the 1949 Provincial Election by Harry Shewman , an independent candidate. He remained as a caretaker Provincial Treasurer until February 16 , 1950 , when he resigned his office. He did not seek a return to the legislature, and died two years later.