Einar Sigurjon Jonasson (17 June 1887 – 8 July 1935) was a politician in

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

, Canada. He served in the

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba () is the deliberative assembly of the Manitoba Legislature in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly at List of Manitoba genera ...

from 1932 to 1935, as a member of the

Manitoba Liberal Party The Manitoba Liberal Party () is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late 19th century, following the province's creation in 1870. History Origins and early development (to 1883) Originally, there were no off ...

. Jonasson was born in Mountain, North Dakota, the son of Einar Jonasson and Jonina Sigfusdottir, both Icelandic immigrants. His family moved to Canada in 1888, and he was educated at Vernon, British Columbia, and

Gimli, Manitoba Gimli is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community in the Rural Municipality of Gimli on the west side of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada. It is located 80 km north of the provincial capital Winnipeg. The community's first European settle ...

. He married Anna Tergersen. Jonasson served as clerk for Gimli from 1908 to 1920, as chair of the Gimli school board from 1918 to 1923 and as

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

of the Town of Gimli from 1924 to 1926. He also became the secretary-treasurer of the Rural Municipality of Gimli in 1911, and continued to hold this office into his career in the legislature., Jonasson first campaigned for the Manitoba legislature in the 1914 provincial election as a Manitoba Liberal in the Gimli constituency, and lost to

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

candidate Sveinn Thorvaldson by 584 votes. He was nominated again in the 1915 election, but withdrew before the vote. Jonasson campaigned a second time in the 1927 election, and lost to Ingimar Ingaldson of the Progressive Party by 225 votes. In 1932, the governing Progressives formed an electoral alliance with the Liberals. Although he supported the alliance at the provincial level, Jonasson nonetheless challenged Ingaldson to represent the Gimli constituency in the 1932 election. He was successful on his third attempt, defeating Ingaldson by 271 votes. Jonasson died in office in Gimli at the age of 48 after an extended illness.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jonasson, Einar 1887 births 1935 deaths Canadian people of Icelandic descent Manitoba Liberal Party MLAs American people of Icelandic descent American emigrants to Canada People from Pembina County, North Dakota People from Gimli, Manitoba 20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba