James Douglas Henderson
James Douglas Henderson | |
---|---|
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | |
In office June 17, 1963 – August 30, 1971 | |
Preceded by | Ronald Ansley |
Constituency | Leduc |
In office August 30, 1971 – March 25, 1975 | |
Succeeded by | Dallas Schmidt |
Constituency | Wetaskiwin-Leduc |
Minister of Health | |
In office May 20, 1969 – September 10, 1971 | |
Premier | Harry Strom |
Preceded by | Joseph Ross |
Succeeded by | Neil Crawford |
Minister of the Environment | |
In office ? – September 10, 1971 | |
Premier | Harry Strom |
Succeeded by | William Yurko |
Personal details | |
Born |
[1] Okotoks, Alberta | January 2, 1927
Political party |
Social Credit Independent |
Occupation | politician |
James Douglas Henderson (born January 2, 1927) was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1963 to 1975 sitting as a member of the Social Credit caucus in both government and opposition and later as an Independent. During his time in office he served as a cabinet minister in the government of Harry Strom from 1969 to 1971.
Political career
Henderson ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1963 Alberta general election. He ran in a hotly contested race in the electoral district of Leduc against five other candidates. The election results were heavily divided with no candidate winning a clear majority. Henderson picked up the seat for the Social Credit party defeating incumbent Ronald Ansley who finished a distant third place and Edmonton councilor Ron Hayter who finished fifth.[2]
Henderson ran for a second term in the 1967 Alberta general election. He won a larger margin of victory to hold his seat, defeating three other candidates.[3]
Henderson was appointed as a Commissioner of Oaths on October 24, 1967.[4] He was appointed to the Executive Council of Alberta by Premier Harry Strom as Minister of Health and Minister of the Environment.
The 1971 boundary redistribution would see the Leduc electoral district abolished. Henderson ran in the new electoral district of Wetaskiwin-Leduc for the election held that year. Henderson won a hotly contested three way race. He held his seat by a narrow margin against Progressive Conservative candidate Emanuel Pyrcz.[5] However, the Social Credit government led by Harry Strom was defeated and Henderson and the remaining Social Credit MLAs moved to the Opposition benches. Strom returned to the backbench in 1972, and Henderson was named interim leader of the party and hence Leader of the Opposition.
Werner Schmidt became party leader in 1973 but did not have a seat in the legislature, so Henderson briefly continued as parliamentary leader and Leader of the Opposition for most of the year. However, he quit the party in September and sat as an Independent. Henderson retired at dissolution of the assembly in 1975.
References
- ↑ Normandin, P.G.; Normandin, A.L. (1975). Guide parlementaire canadien. P.G. Normandin. ISSN 0315-6168. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
- ↑ "Leduc results 1963". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
- ↑ "Leduc results 1967". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
- ↑ The Alberta Gazette (Vol 63 No 21 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1967. p. 2202.
- ↑ "Wetaskiwin-Leduc results 1971". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved December 13, 2009.