Bud Olson
| The Honourable Bud Olson PC, AOE | |
|---|---|
| 14th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta | |
| In office 17 April 1996 – 10 February 2000 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor General | Roméo LeBlanc Adrienne Clarkson |
| Premier | Ralph Klein |
| Preceded by | Gordon Towers |
| Succeeded by | Lois Hole |
| Minister of Agriculture | |
| In office 6 July 1968 – 26 November 1972 | |
| Prime Minister | Pierre Trudeau |
| Preceded by | John James Greene |
| Succeeded by | Eugene Whelan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 6, 1925 Iddesleigh, Alberta |
| Died | February 14, 2002 (aged 76) Medicine Hat, Alberta |
| Political party | Social Credit –> Liberal |
Horace Andrew (Bud) Olson, PC, AOE (October 6, 1925 – February 14, 2002) was a Canadian businessman, politician, and the 14th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. He also served as a Canadian Member of Parliament, Senator, Minister of Agriculture, and Minister of Economic and Regional Development. He was also a farmer and rancher, and president and operating officer of Farmer's Stockmen's Supplies in Medicine Hat and Lethbridge, Alberta.
Early life
Born in Iddesleigh, Alberta on October 6, 1925. On January 27, 1947, he married Marion Lucille McLachlan. They had four children: Sharon Lee, Andrea Lucille, Juanita Carol and Horace Andrew Jr.
Federal politics
Bud Olson was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1957 election as a Social Credit Member of Parliament (MP) from Medicine Hat. He was defeated in the Diefenbaker sweep of 1958, but re-elected in 1962, 1963 and 1965.
With the Social Credit Party's English Canadian wing rapidly disintegrating, Olson crossed the floor in 1967 to join the Liberal Party. Olson supported Pierre Trudeau's successful candidacy for the Liberal leadership in 1968, and became minister of agriculture in the first Trudeau government. Olson served in that position until he lost his seat in the 1972 general election. He was one of only four Liberal MPs elected from Alberta in 1968 - all of whom were defeated in 1972 due to Trudeau's increasing unpopularity in Western Canada, particularly Alberta.
Olson was unsuccessful in his attempt to return to Parliament in 1974, and in 1977, Trudeau appointed him to the Canadian Senate. Olson served as leader of the opposition in the Senate in 1979, and returned to Cabinet when the Trudeau Liberals returned to power in 1980.
He served as Minister of Economic and Regional Development from 1980 to 1984, as well as Leader of the Government in the Senate. As one of Trudeau's most powerful ministers, he chaired the cabinet committee on economic development from 1980 to 1983. He was also the minister responsible for the Northern Pipeline Agency from 1980 to 1984,and the government leader in the Senate from 1982 to 1984. It was also Olson's job to promote the government's unpopular National Energy Program in Alberta.
Late life
Olson resigned from the Senate when he was appointed Alberta's 14th Lieutenant-Governor in April 1996. He served in that position until 2000.
Bud Olson died in Medicine Hat in 2002.
References
External links
| 22nd Ministry – Second cabinet of Pierre Trudeau | ||
| Cabinet Post (1) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Ray Perrault | Leader of the Government in the Senate 1982–1984 |
Allan MacEachen |
| Parliament of Canada | ||
| Preceded by William Duncan Wylie |
Member of Parliament Medicine Hat 1957-1958 |
Succeeded by Edwin William Brunsden |
| Preceded by Edwin William Brunsden |
Member of Parliament Medicine Hat 1962-1972 |
Succeeded by Bert Hargrave |
| Preceded by James Gladstone |
Senator Alberta 1977-1996 |
Succeeded by Douglas Roche |
| ||||||||
.svg.png){kind=small}