CCF entered Manitoba's government in late 1940. Farmer was the first member of a social democratic party in Canada to receive a cabinet portfolio and was sworn in as Minister of Labour on 4 November. By any measurement, the CCF's tenure in government was a disaster for the party. While the Conservatives were fully integrated into the management of the province, Social Credit and the CCF were marginalized. Bracken forced Farmer's labour legislation to face free votes in the legislature, which soon took the form of party votes, with the CCF invariably on the losing side. The Manitoba CCF was demoralized in the election of 1941. Keeping an earlier pledge, it contested only ten ridings and fell from seven to three members. Support for the CCF rose nationally throughout 1942, and there was a growing desire among many in the Manitoba party to leave the coalition. Farmer resigned from cabinet in December 1942, and the CCF formally left the government the following year. Farmer continued as party leader through the election of 1945. The campaign was a disappointment to the party; although it received more votes than the governing Liberal-Progressives (35% to 33%), it won only ten seats in the legislature. Farmer resigned as party leader in June 1947 and was replaced the following year by E.A. Hansford. Farmer did not contest the election of 1949 and died on January 16, 1951. References 1878 births 1951 deaths Politicians from Cardiff Welsh emigrants to Canada Manitoba CCF/NDP leaders Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation MLAs 20th-century Canadian politicians Mayors of Winnipeg Members of the Executive Council of Manitoba Independent Labour Party (Manitoba, 1920) MLAs