The High Park provincial electoral district was notable for its electors defeating the incumbent Premier, and their Member of Provincial Parliament, George Drew, in the 1948 provincial election. He lost his seat over the issue of temperance; even though his Conservatives were returned with a majority government.[3] The old City of West Toronto Junction had been an alcohol-free area since even before it was annexed by Toronto back in 1909, and those "dry-laws" were still current at the time of the 1948 election. So when Drew's government passed a new law that allowed "cocktail bars" to open in the province, his local constituents were not pleased, allowing the aptly named temperance candidate, "Temperance Bill" Temple of the Ontario Co-operative Commonwealth Federation to win.[4]
The provincial riding had a number of colourful Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) including Drew, and his successor William Horace Temple as well as the district's final representative, Doctor Morton Shulman. The district was abolished during the 1975 redistribution, placing most of it in the new High Park—Swansea district. As of 2024, the territory it represented belongs in the current Parkdale—High Park, York South—Weston and Davenport districts.
^"Campaign spending restricted, Legislature to gain 8 seats". The Toronto Star. Toronto. 1975-05-02. p. A3.
^Potter, Kent (1975-09-17). "Shadow of Sulman looms large in High Park". The Toronto Star. Toronto. p. A11.
^"Premier Loses in High Park, CCF Wins 11 City Area Seats". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. 1948-06-08. p. 1.
^McMonagle, Duncan (1987-06-26). "Spirited fight against alcohol still heady work for Temple". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. A2.
^"Toronto Ridings As They Are Now–How Ten Seats Are Distributed". The Toronto Daily Star. Toronto. 1914-06-12. p. 5.
^For a listing of each MPP's Queen's Park curriculum vitae see below:
For William Baird's Legislative Assembly information see "William Alexander Baird, MPP". Parliamentary History. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
For George Drew's Legislative Assembly information see "George Alexander Drew, MPP". Parliamentary History. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
For William Temple's Legislative Assembly information see "William Horace Temple, MPP". Parliamentary History. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
For Alfred Cowling's Legislative Assembly information see "Alfred Hozack Cowling, MPP". Parliamentary History. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
For Morton Shulman's Legislative Assembly information see "Morton Shulman, MPP". Parliamentary History. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-11.