The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1959, Side 36

34
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Winter 1959
ASMUNDUR LOPTSON RETIRES
FROM ACTIVE POLITICS
Asmundur Loptson, M.L.A.
At the convention on October 29, in
Saltcoats, Saskatchewan, held to nom-
inate a Liberal candidate for the Salt-
coats provincial constituency, it became
officially known that the sitting mem-
ber Asmundur (Minty) Loptson had
retired from active politics. He had
previously made it known that he
would not be a candidate.
The nomination was held in the
afternoon at which Mr. James E. Sned-
kep of Saltcoats was unanimously elect-
ed the Liberal standard bearer, but
the highlight of the day was the ban-
quet at 6:30 in the evening. Although
many other distinguished Liberals were
there, such as Rt. Hon. Jas. G. Gard-
iner, it was really a testimonial dinner
to Minty Loptson.
On behalf of the Liberals of the con-
stituency, Mr. D. A. McKenzie of Ester-
hazy presented Mr. and Mrs. Loptson-
with a chair and purse. In the course
of his remarks before making the pres-
entation Mr. McKenzie said: “Canada
and particularly Saskatchewan have
drawn their people from many lands
and from many islands, especially from
two islands, Britain, whose government
is often referred to as the ‘Mother of
Parliament’, then Iceland’s govern-
ment, which is ‘the Grandmother of
parliaments’.’’
Mr. McKenzie went on to say that
Mr. Loptson was dedicated to public
service. “In 1934”, he said, “he polled
the largest majority of any candidate
and was leader of the liberal party for
some time.”
Sam Wynn, the Editor of The York-
ton Enterprise, who received an honor-
ary L.L.D. degree from the University
of Saskatchewan, and is acknowledged
to be one of the best editorial writers in
the province, wrote a special and a
lengthy editorial on Mr. Loptson in
the issue of November 5, 1959. The
following are extracts from that edi-
torial.
“MINTY” the Will Rogers of Sask-
atchewan politics. HEAD
Asmundur Loptson, M.L.A., will
retire from active, personal participa-
tion in politics the day Lieutenant-