Arthur Wray

Last updated
Arthur Henry Wray
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office
July 8, 1944 –August 5, 1952
Preceded by Frank Laut
Succeeded by Lee Leavitt
Constituency Banff-Cochrane
Personal details
Born September 13, 1906
Port Colborne, Ontario
Died December 1, 1993(1993-12-01) (aged 87)
Political party Social Credit
Independent Social Credit
Occupation politician

Arthur Henry Wray (September 13, 1906 – December 1, 1993) was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1944 to 1952. He first sat with the governing Social Credit caucus and then as an Independent in 1946 after he was expelled.

Alberta Province of Canada

Alberta is a western province of Canada. With an estimated population of 4,067,175 as of 2016 census, it is Canada's fourth most populous province and the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces. Its area is about 660,000 square kilometres (250,000 sq mi). Alberta and its neighbour Saskatchewan were districts of the Northwest Territories until they were established as provinces on September 1, 1905. The premier has been Rachel Notley since May 2015.

Canada Country in North America

Canada is a country in the northern part of North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometres, making it the world's second-largest country by total area. Canada's southern border with the United States is the world's longest bi-national land border. Its capital is Ottawa, and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. As a whole, Canada is sparsely populated, the majority of its land area being dominated by forest and tundra. Consequently, its population is highly urbanized, with over 80 percent of its inhabitants concentrated in large and medium-sized cities, many near the southern border. Canada's climate varies widely across its vast area, ranging from arctic weather in the north, to hot summers in the southern regions, with four distinct seasons.

Legislative Assembly of Alberta Single house of Legislature of Alberta

The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton. The Legislative Assembly consists of 87 members, elected first past the post from single-member electoral districts.

Contents

Political career

Wray ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1944 Alberta general election as a Social Credit candidate. He won the electoral district of Banff-Cochrane in a tight race defeating Independent incumbent Frank Laut. Wray was trailing in second place on the first count. The second choice preferences of Co-operative Commonwealth candidate D. MacGregor put Wray ahead of Laut and gave him a slim majority to pick up the district for his party. [1]

Banff-Cochrane

Banff-Cochrane is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. This riding is home to the town of Banff and the popular tourist destination Banff National Park, environmental issues tend to dominate here.

Frank Laut was a farmer and a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1944 sitting as an Independent.

The winter of 1946 would bring a series of terrific snow storms to the town of Cochrane, Alberta. The storms paralyzed the town and the areas to north, causing school children to miss 63 out of 114 school days. [2] Wray lobbied Public Work's minister William Fallow to begin clearing the provincial main and secondary highways that became impassable outside of the town. Fallow refused to give any priority to Cochrane and said the government does not clear secondary highways. [3] He dismissed a delegation from the town including Wray who went to Edmonton to meet with the minister. [2]

Cochrane, Alberta Town in Alberta, Canada

Cochrane is a town in the Canadian province of Alberta. The town is located 18 km (11 mi) west of the Calgary city limits along Highway 1A. With a population of 26,320 in 2017, Cochrane is the second largest town in Alberta and one of the fastest growing communities in Canada. It is part of Calgary's census metropolitan area and a member community of the Calgary Regional Partnership (CRP). The town is surrounded by Rocky View County.

William Fallow Canadian politician

William Allen Fallow was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to his death in 1948, sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government. From September 3, 1935 to his death, he served as the Minister of Public Works in the Aberhart/Manning governments. He died at an Edmonton hospital, still in office, after a stroke on May 3, 1948.

Wray lost the battle with the cabinet to clear the roads. He continued to be a Social Credit government supporter but tensions between him and his caucus and the ministry began to rise. This came to a head in February 1947 when the Assembly moved and voted on a motion forcing Wray to cross the floor to the opposition benches. Speaker Peter Dawson forced Wray to move by not recognizing him as a speaker in the debate because he wasn't at his desk which was now on the opposition side. Wray took his desk in protest but failed in his bid to return to the government side of the house. He was forced to move a second time when the Army, Navy, Airforce caucus objected to Wray sitting with them. He was moved to the other end of the opposition benches to sit with Veterans' and Active Force MLA William J. Williams.

Peter Dawson (politician) Canadian politician

Peter Dawson was a Canadian minister and politician who served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to his death in 1963 as a member of the Social Credit Party. He served twenty-six years as Speaker of the Assembly.

The Veterans' and Active Force was a one-man political party that was represented in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada, from 1944 to 1948. It was led by William J. Williams.

Wray would run for re-election in the 1948 Alberta general election as an Independent Social Credit candidate. He would face Laut and former Cochrane MLA William King. The election was hotly contested with Wray finishing second on the first ballot. The elimination of King gave Wray enough second choice votes to finish ahead of Laut and hold his district. [4]

Cochrane was a provincial electoral district in southern Alberta, Canada. The district was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1926 under the First Past the Post voting system and under Single Transferable Vote from 1926 to 1940.

William Robert King Canadian politician

William Robert King was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1940 affiliated with the Social Credit caucus for the electoral district of Cochrane.

Wray would run for a third term in the 1952 Alberta general election. He would be easily defeated by Social Credit candidate Lee Leavitt finishing a very distant third place. [5]

Lorne Lee Leavitt was a teacher and a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1952 to 1955 and a second stint from 1963 to 1971 sitting both times with the governing Social Credit caucus.

Wray would run once more for a seat as an Independent candidate in the Calgary electoral district in the 1955 Alberta general election. He would be not be much of a contender finishing very distant in the field of candidates. [6]

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References

  1. ↑ "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Given Bum's Rush". Vol. XXXIX No. 59. The Lethbridge Herald. February 20, 1944. p. 3.
  3. ↑ "Keeping Main Roads Open Chief Concern". Vol XXXIX No. 39. The Lethbridge Herald. January 28, 1946. p. 1.
  4. ↑ "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Calgary Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
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