Fred Groves

Education

Groves was educated at Daniel McIntyre College and the University of Manitoba.

Career

He worked as a chartered accountant before entering political life. He was also provincial secretary of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba during this period. He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1958 provincial election, defeating his Liberal-Progressive opponent by about 1,300 votes in the Winnipeg area riding of Saint Vital.

He was returned by comfortable margins in the general elections of 1959 and 1962, and was a backbench supporter of Dufferin Roblin"s government throughout his time in the legislature.

On one occasion, Groves voted against the Roblin government on an initiative to grant use of public school facilities and services to separate schools. Although many in the Personal Computer caucus opposed this measure, Groves was the only Personal Computer Modern Language Association to actually vote against lieutenant

Some caucus members saw this as disloyalty, and called for him to be expelled. Roblin did not act on this request.

The matter was settled after three months.

He complained of receiving "vicious, ignorant and crude, anonymous letters" from his opponents on the subject. Groves died in Winnipeg on his 71st birthday.

Views

During the controversy, Groves declared his opposition to providing "any aid directly or indirectly to parochial schools", and said that he would "defend the rights of the majority".

Quotations: "any aid directly or indirectly to parochial schools".

Membership

He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1958 to 1966. He served as a member of the Saint Vital council from 1951 to 1956, and became Chairman of Finance and Deputy Mayor in 1956.