| Alfred "Alf" John Hooke | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | |
| In office August 22, 1935 – March 21, 1940 |
|
| Preceded by | William Payne |
| Succeeded by | Alfred Speakman |
| Constituency | Red Deer |
| In office March 21, 1940 – August 30, 1971 |
|
| Preceded by | New District |
| Succeeded by | Helen Hunley |
| Constituency | Rocky Mountain House |
| Provincial Secretary | |
| In office June 1, 1943 – May 8, 1948 |
|
| Premier | Ernest Manning |
| Preceded by | Ernest Manning |
| Succeeded by | Clarence Gerhart |
| In office August 2, 1955 – September 1, 1959 |
|
| Preceded by | Clarence Gerhart |
| Succeeded by | Allen Patrick |
| Minister of Economic Affairs | |
| In office April 20, 1945 – August 2, 1955 |
|
| Premier | Ernest Manning |
| Preceded by | New Portfolio |
| Succeeded by | Allen Patrick |
| Minister of Public Works | |
| In office September 9, 1952 – August 2, 1955 |
|
| Preceded by | Duncan MacMillan |
| Succeeded by | James Hartley |
| Minister of Municipal Affairs | |
| In office August 2, 1955 – June 29, 1967 |
|
| Premier | Ernest Manning |
| Preceded by | Edgar Hinman |
| Succeeded by | Edgar Gerhart |
| Minister of Public Welfare | |
| In office June 29, 1967 – July 16, 1968 |
|
| Premier | Ernest Manning |
| Preceded by | Leonard Halmrast |
| Succeeded by | Raymond Speaker |
| Minister of Lands and Forests | |
| In office July 16, 1968 – December 12, 1968 |
|
| Premier | Ernest Manning |
| Preceded by | Henry Ruste |
| Succeeded by | Henry Ruste |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 25, 1905 Whitecroft, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom |
| Political party | Social Credit |
| Occupation | politician, teacher and author |
Alfred "Alf" John Hooke (February 25, 1905 – after 1971) was a teacher, provincial politician and author from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit party in government. During his time in office Hooke served numerous cabinet portfolio's in the government of Ernest Manning from 1943 to 1968.
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Alfred John Hooke was born on February 25, 1905 in Whitecroft, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. His family moved to the province of Alberta in Canada in 1913. Hooke began attending school after his arrival. At the age of 13 Hooke left school and joined the work force as a hired hand. He returned to school and completed his studies three years later.[1]
Hooke became a teacher in 1926 and kept that profession until he was elected as a provincial politician in 1935.[1]
Hooke joined the Social Credit movement in the very beginning becoming familiar with William Aberhart through his work as a school teacher and became involved with Aberhart as a speaker on the Social Credit theory.
Despite not wanting to at first and he was urged by people in the town of Rocky Mountain House to put his name up for the nomination in the Red Deer electoral district. He faced nine other candidates for the nomination and headed the polls on the first ballot where six were eliminated. The other four names went to the Social Credit advisory committee where he was chosen to run in the 1935 Alberta general election. Hook defeated incumbent MLA William Payne and three other candidates with a large majority to pick up the district for his party.[2]
The 1940 boundary redistribution created a separate electoral district for Rocky Mountain House. Hooke ran for a seat in the new district in the election held that year. He won a clear majority on the first ballot defeating two other candidates.[3]
Premier Ernest Manning appointed Hooke to his first cabinet portfolio as Provincial Secretary in his first cabinet on June 1, 1943. Hooke ran for a third term in the 1944 general election with ministerial advantage and won a landslide.[4]
Hooke would briefly hold two cabinet portfolios when Manning appointed him to be the Minister of Economic Affairs on April 20, 1945. He ran for his fourth term in the 1948 Alberta general election. He was returned to office with another large victory.[5] After the election Manning gave the Provincial Secretary position to Clarence Gerhart while Hooke kept the Economic Affairs portfolio.
Hooke ran for a fifth term and won easily in the 1952 Alberta general election.[6] After the election Hooke became Minister of Public Works.
Hooke stood for his sixth term in the 1955 Alberta general election.[7] He defeated two other candidates with a sold majority to return to office. Manning appointed Hooke back to being Provincial Secretary as well as Minister of Municipal Affairs.
The 1959 Alberta general election would see Hooke win his seventh term easily.[8] He would only serve a single portfolio after the ensuing cabinet shuffle. Hooke kept the Municipal Affairs portfolio while the Provincial Secretary position was given to Allen Patrick.
Hooke ran for his eight term in the 1963 Alberta general election. He was returned with another massive majority.[9]
In 1966 NDP MLA Garth Turcott leveled accusations of corruption and misusing public office for personal gain against Edgar Hinman and Hooke, the same accusations were being repeated by Neil Reimer the leader of the NDP at the time. The unproven accusations began attracting nationwide attention and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were called in to ensure the safety of Hooke and his family.
Hooke ran for re-election to his ninth term in the 1967 Alberta general election. Pundits at the time predicted Hooke had very little chance at re-election. He faced two other candidates in the race including Independent William Sinclair who had been picked by federal Social Credit leader Robert Thompson to run against Hooke. Hooke won the election with another massive majority.[10]
Manning returned Hooke to cabinet as Minister of Public Welfare to bring the department under control as it became the highest spending and the most spending department. He only served that portfolio for a year before becoming the Minister of Lands and Forests on July 16, 1968.
Hooke ran for leadership of the Social Credit party in the 1968 leadership race. He was defeated finishing last on the first ballot. The race was won by Harry Strom who did not invite Hooke back into cabinet. Hooke retired from provincial politics at dissolution of the legislature in 1971.
After leaving office in 1971 Hooke became a published author. He wrote the book 30+5 I Know, I was There in 1971 about his early life and his time served in the provincial government. In 1980 Hooke wrote “Looking Backward to Go Forward on economic activity in the 1930s and how the downfall of the economy is repeating itself in modern times.