Gus MacFarlane

Gus MacFarlane
Member of the Canadian Parliamentfor Hamilton Mountain
In office1974–1979
Preceded byDuncan Beattie
Succeeded byDuncan Beattie
Personal details
Born(1925-02-19)February 19, 1925
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
DiedFebruary 22, 1991(1991-02-22) (aged 66)
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
PartyLiberal
Alma materMcGill University
Coaching career
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1950Verdun Pats
1951–1952Verdun Shamcats
1953–1956Verdun HS (PQ)
1957–1970Mount Allison
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1963–1971Mount Allison

Angus "Gus" MacFarlane (February 19, 1925 – February 22, 1991) was a Canadian politician the LiberalMP for Hamilton Mountain from 1974 to 1979. He served as Chief Government Whip from 1977 to 1978. Prior to entering politics, MacFarlane was an coach and administrator, most notably at Mount Allison University.

Early life

MacFarlane was born in Montreal, Quebec on February 19, 1925 to Scottish immigrants Duncan and Katherine (McChristies) MacFarlane. He served as a flying officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. He graduated from McGill University and worked as a teacher in Verdun, Quebec from 1950 to 1957.[1]

Athletics

In 1950, MacFarlane led the Verdun Pats to Quebec Rugby Football Union junior title. The following season, five of Verdun's junior teams merged to form the Verdun Shamcats and MacFarlane was chosen to serve as coach of the new team.[2] He left the Shamcats in 1953 to become a teacher and coach at Verdun High School.[3]

In 1957, MacFarlane became the head football and basketball coach at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. He recruited a number of football players from Montreal.[4] His teams were competitive despited the school's small size. One of his players, Rick Black, was the first player from a Maritime university to be selected in the Canadian college draft.[5] In 1963, he became the school's director of physical education and athletics.[1] In 1969, he was named manager of the Canada men's national basketball team.[6] He resigned both jobs in 1971 to become the resource assistant at the Administrative Center for Sport and Recreation in Ottawa.[7] In this role, MacFarlane assisted amateur sports organization with fundrasing.[8]

Politics

From 1968 to 1970, MacFarlane was president of the Westmorland—Kent Liberal Association. In 1972, he moved to Hamilton, Ontario to become the dean of men at McMaster University. He became involved with the Liberal Party in that city and served on the Hamilton Liberal Association's policy committee.[1]

In 1974, MacFarlane ran for the House of Commons of Canada in the Hamilton Mountain riding. He beat Progressive Conservative incumbent Duncan Beattie 22,253 votes to 17,922.[9] On January 21, 1977, he was appointed chief government whip in the House of Commons by Prime MinisterPierre Trudeau.[10] He was replaced by Cliff McIsaac in October 1978 and reassisgned to the role of parliamentary secretary to Minister of State (Federal-Provincial Relations) Marc Lalonde.[11]

MacFarlane was defeated for reelection to the House of Commons in 1979, losing to Beattie 21,348 votes to 17,334.[12] He ran again in the 1980 Canadian federal election and finished third behind NDP candidate Ian Deans and Beattie.[13]

Later life

In 1980, MacFarlane was appointed to the War Veterans Allowance Board.[14] He spent his later years working with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Charlottetown. He died there on February 22, 1991.[15]

References

  1. ^ abcWho's Who in Canada. International Press. 1973. pp. 659–660. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  2. ^Gray, Bill (4 August 1951). "Tomorrow's Stars". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  3. ^"Ewart Jones Named Coach of Sham-Cats in Junior Q.R.F.U."The Montreal Gazette. 24 June 1953. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  4. ^"Several School All-Stars Leave For Mt. Allison". The Montreal Gazette. 13 September 1957. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  5. ^"Gus MacFarlane was coach, MP". The Montreal Gazette. 28 February 1991.
  6. ^"World of sports in brief". The Phoenix. 10 January 1969. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  7. ^"New assistant at sport centre". Ottawa Citizen. 25 March 1971. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  8. ^Ferguson, Bob (29 March 1971). "MacFarlane a ways and means man". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  9. ^"1974 Federal Election". Canadian Elections Database. University of Calgary. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  10. ^"...in the news". The Montreal Gazette. 22 January 1977. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  11. ^"People in News". The Phoenix. 6 October 1978. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  12. ^"1979 Federal Election". Canadian Elections Database. University of Calgary. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  13. ^"1980 Federal Election". Canadian Elections Database. University of Calgary. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  14. ^"Ex-MPs get Ottawa jobs". The Globe and Mail. 4 December 1980.
  15. ^"Angus MacFarlane, 66, active in sports, politics". Kitchener - Waterloo Record. 28 February 1991.
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