Gordon Edward Taylor (20 July 1910 – 26 July 2003) was a Canadian politician, businessman and teacher from Drumheller, Alberta. He served as an elected official for 48 years at both the provincial and federal levels, and never lost an election. Taylor was born in Calgary.[1][2]
Taylor was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1940 provincial election representing Drumheller for Social Credit Party and continued to sit in the legislature for 39 years. He survived the 1971 defeat of the Social Credit government and remained in the legislature until 1979, making him the last parliamentary survivor of the Aberhart government. Taylor was Social Credit's whip from 1943 to 1950. From 1951 to 1971, he served as Minister of Highways in the governments of Ernest Manning and Harry Strom. During his tenure, 8,401 kilometers of highways were paved, and Highway 2 between Calgary and Edmonton was planned.[3] He was also minister of telephones from 1950 to 1959. While a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) during World War II, he also served with the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Taylor ran twice for the party leadership, coming in second to Strom in the 1968 leadership election to replace Manning and coming in third in the 1973 leadership race.
As an opposition MLA in the 1970s, Taylor broke with Social Credit over his support for the Lougheed government's plan to provide gasoline to farmers, a measure the Social Credit party opposed. Taylor also felt the Social Credit caucus was "moving to the left" and was supporting the federal Liberals. As a result, in 1975, Taylor left the Social Credit caucus and sat as an Independent Social Credit MLA supporting Peter Lougheed. He was re-elected as such in the 1975 provincial election. He continued to support the Lougheed government during his last term in the legislature, planned to cross the floor to join the Progressive Conservatives on the last day before the legislature was dissolved in 1979, and then run as a Progressive Conservative in the 1979 provincial election.[4]
Federal political careeredit
Early in 1979, Taylor was approached to run for the House of Commons of Canada as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the 1979 federal election in Bow River, which included Drumheller. He challenged incumbent Tory MP Stanley Schumacher for the PC nomination—the real contest in this strongly conservative riding. Schumacher had refused to step aside for party leader Joe Clark, whose riding was being merged with Schumacher's as a result of redistribution. After Clark decided to run in another riding, Taylor defeated Schumacher for the party nomination, and then in the federal election when Schumacher stood as an independent candidate. Taylor remained in parliament until he retired at the 1988 federal election.
Taylor became known for hosting an annual hockey game between the Members of Parliament and the House of Commons Pages.
Referencesedit
^Stingel, Janine (2000). Social Discredit: Anti-Semitism, Social Credit, and the Jewish Response. ISBN9780773520103.
^"Drumheller heroes: Gordon Taylor leaves lasting legacy". 30 November 2001.
^. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2006.
^Nancy Pawelek, "Interview: Gordon Taylor, MLA", Canadian Parliamentary Review, vol 8, no 3 (1985).
gordon, taylor, politician, gordon, edward, taylor, july, 1910, july, 2003, canadian, politician, businessman, teacher, from, drumheller, alberta, served, elected, official, years, both, provincial, federal, levels, never, lost, election, taylor, born, calgary. Gordon Edward Taylor 20 July 1910 26 July 2003 was a Canadian politician businessman and teacher from Drumheller Alberta He served as an elected official for 48 years at both the provincial and federal levels and never lost an election Taylor was born in Calgary 1 2 Gordon TaylorMember of Parliamentfor Bow RiverIn office 22 May 1979 20 November 1988Preceded byRiding re createdSucceeded byRiding dissolvedMember of the Legislative Assembly of AlbertaIn office 21 March 1940 25 March 1975Preceded byHerbert IngreySucceeded byLewis ClarkConstituencyDrumheller 1940 63 71 79 Drumheller Gleichen 1963 1971 Personal detailsBornGordon Edward Taylor 1910 07 20 20 July 1910Calgary Alberta CanadaDied26 July 2003 2003 07 26 aged 93 Drumheller Alberta CanadaPolitical partyProgressive Conservative federal Social Credit provincialIndependent provincial Contents 1 Provincial political career 2 Federal political career 3 References 4 External linksProvincial political career editTaylor was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1940 provincial election representing Drumheller for Social Credit Party and continued to sit in the legislature for 39 years He survived the 1971 defeat of the Social Credit government and remained in the legislature until 1979 making him the last parliamentary survivor of the Aberhart government Taylor was Social Credit s whip from 1943 to 1950 From 1951 to 1971 he served as Minister of Highways in the governments of Ernest Manning and Harry Strom During his tenure 8 401 kilometers of highways were paved and Highway 2 between Calgary and Edmonton was planned 3 He was also minister of telephones from 1950 to 1959 While a Member of the Legislative Assembly MLA during World War II he also served with the Royal Canadian Air Force Taylor ran twice for the party leadership coming in second to Strom in the 1968 leadership election to replace Manning and coming in third in the 1973 leadership race As an opposition MLA in the 1970s Taylor broke with Social Credit over his support for the Lougheed government s plan to provide gasoline to farmers a measure the Social Credit party opposed Taylor also felt the Social Credit caucus was moving to the left and was supporting the federal Liberals As a result in 1975 Taylor left the Social Credit caucus and sat as an Independent Social Credit MLA supporting Peter Lougheed He was re elected as such in the 1975 provincial election He continued to support the Lougheed government during his last term in the legislature planned to cross the floor to join the Progressive Conservatives on the last day before the legislature was dissolved in 1979 and then run as a Progressive Conservative in the 1979 provincial election 4 Federal political career editEarly in 1979 Taylor was approached to run for the House of Commons of Canada as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the 1979 federal election in Bow River which included Drumheller He challenged incumbent Tory MP Stanley Schumacher for the PC nomination the real contest in this strongly conservative riding Schumacher had refused to step aside for party leader Joe Clark whose riding was being merged with Schumacher s as a result of redistribution After Clark decided to run in another riding Taylor defeated Schumacher for the party nomination and then in the federal election when Schumacher stood as an independent candidate Taylor remained in parliament until he retired at the 1988 federal election Taylor became known for hosting an annual hockey game between the Members of Parliament and the House of Commons Pages References edit Stingel Janine 2000 Social Discredit Anti Semitism Social Credit and the Jewish Response ISBN 9780773520103 Drumheller heroes Gordon Taylor leaves lasting legacy 30 November 2001 The Alberta 100 Archived from the original on 3 March 2016 Retrieved 11 July 2006 Nancy Pawelek Interview Gordon Taylor MLA Canadian Parliamentary Review vol 8 no 3 1985 External links editLegislative Assembly of Alberta Members Listing Gordon Taylor Parliament of Canada biography Legislative Assembly of Alberta Preceded byHerbert Ingrey MLA Drumheller1940 1963 Succeeded byLewis Clark MLA Drumheller Gleichen1963 1971 MLA Drumheller1971 1979 Parliament of Canada Preceded byEldon Woolliams Member of Parliament Bow River1979 1988 District abolished Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gordon Taylor politician amp oldid 1210678205, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
