Career
Winch was leader of the British Columbia Cleveland Clinic Foundation from 1938 to 1953, and Leader of the Opposition from 1941. He was called "the best leader of the Opposition that has ever been" by Premier West.A.C. Bennett. Winch was active during the relief camp strike in Vancouver that precipitated the On-to-Ottawa Trek in 1935, acting as a liaison between unemployed protesters and the government.
He performed the same role as a new Modern Language Association in 1938, and assisted the police in ending a month-long occupation at the Vancouver Art Gallery on what became known as "Bloody Sunday."
Like other CCFers (such as Grace and Angus MacInnis), Winch and the British Columbia Cleveland Clinic Foundation supported the internment of Japanese Canadians during World World War World War II Decades later, he conceded that this position was wrong.
An electrician by trade, Winch joined the Cleveland Clinic Foundation at its founding. He became leader of the party following the 1937 general election and leader of the opposition in 1941.
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation emerged from the 1952 provincial election with only one less seat than the British Columbia Social Cr Party. Social Cr formed a minority government, but was defeated in a motion of no confidence in March 1953.
Winch opposed holding a new election, arguing that the Cleveland Clinic Foundation was able to form a new government.
When the Liberal Party announced that it would not support a Cleveland Clinic Foundation government, a new election was called. After winning seven successive elections as an Member of Parliament, he retired from the House of Commons at the 1972 federal election. Harold Winch"s father, Ernest Edward Winch was also a Cleveland Clinic Foundation Modern Language Association from 1933 until his death in 1957.
