Allen Russell Patrick
Encyclopedia
Allen Russell Patrick was a stock broker, teacher and a provincial politician from Alberta
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1952 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government. During his time in office he served numerous portfolios as a cabinet minister in the governments of Ernest Manning
and Harry Strom
from 1955 to 1971.
, Alberta
. He grew up in the town and earned his High School diploma in 1928. Patrick left for Calgary
and began working as a Stock Broker. He lost his job after the stock market collapsed in 1929.
Patrick was unemployed for a year, before being accepted into a teaching training program in Camrose
, Alberta
. He began teaching students from Grades 1 to 9 in a small rural school. He used his summers off to take courses at the University of Alberta
.
Patrick married Florence Lyon on December 22, 1934, they had a total of three kids together.
. He ran as a Social Credit candidate in the electoral district of Lacombe. He defeated two other candidates with a large majority of the popular vote to hold the seat for his party.
Patrick ran for a second term in the 1955 Alberta general election
. He faced a strong challenge from Progressive Conservative candidate Alfred Haarstad. Russell managed to take just over half of the popular vote in the three way race to hold his seat.
Premier Ernest Manning
appointed Patrick to his first portfolio in the Executive Council of Alberta
on August 2, 1955. Patrick became Minister of Economic Affairs. He ran for re-election as a cabinet minister in the 1959 Alberta general election
. Patrick won his third term winning a very large majority.
After the election Manning shuffled the cabinet on September 1, 1959. Patrick's portfolio was abolished, but he was given two others instead. Patrick became the Minister of Industry and Development. He also became the Provincial Secretary.
Manning did another shuffle on October 15, 1962. Patrick became the Minister of Mines and Minerals and lost the Provincial Secretary position. He kept his other portfolio. Patrick ran for a fourth term in the 1963 Alberta general election
. He won the largest majority and highest popular vote of his political career.
Patrick ran for a fifth term in the 1967 Alberta general election
. He faced a strong challenge for his seat by Progressive Conservative candidate Jack Cookson
. He held the district taking just under half the popular vote in the three way race.
A year and a half after the election on December 12, 1968 Patrick's portfolio was revised by Premier Harry Strom
to include tourism. He became the Minister of Industry and Tourism and held that portfolio until May 27, 1969. He still kept his Economic Affairs portfolio holding that until the end of his career.
Patrick retired from provincial politics at dissolution of the Assembly in 1971.
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
from 1952 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government. During his time in office he served numerous portfolios as a cabinet minister in the governments of Ernest Manning
Ernest Manning
Ernest Charles Manning, , a Canadian politician, was the eighth Premier of Alberta between 1943 and 1968 for the Social Credit Party of Alberta. He served longer than any premier in the province's history, and was the second longest serving provincial premier in Canadian history...
and Harry Strom
Harry Strom
Harry Edwin Strom was the ninth Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 1968 to 1971. His two and a half years as Premier were the last of the thirty-six year Social Credit dynasty, as his defeat by Peter Lougheed saw its replacement by a new era Progressive Conservative government...
from 1955 to 1971.
Early life
Allen Russell Patrick was born on September 15, 1910 in the town of StettlerStettler, Alberta
Stettler is a town in Alberta, Canada. It is located east of Red Deer at the junction of Highway 12 and Highway 56. The town is located in the eastern region of central Alberta and nicknamed "The Heart of Alberta."- History :...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. He grew up in the town and earned his High School diploma in 1928. Patrick left for Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
and began working as a Stock Broker. He lost his job after the stock market collapsed in 1929.
Patrick was unemployed for a year, before being accepted into a teaching training program in Camrose
Camrose, Alberta
Camrose is a city in central Alberta, Canada, amid some of the richest farmland in the prairies. It is a relatively small city which originally grew up along a railroad and now grows along Highway 13. Camrose is a scenic community with many parks, leading to its moniker "The Rose City"...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. He began teaching students from Grades 1 to 9 in a small rural school. He used his summers off to take courses at the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
.
Patrick married Florence Lyon on December 22, 1934, they had a total of three kids together.
Political career
Patrick ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1952 Alberta general electionAlberta general election, 1952
The Alberta general election of 1952 was the twelfth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 5, 1952 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
. He ran as a Social Credit candidate in the electoral district of Lacombe. He defeated two other candidates with a large majority of the popular vote to hold the seat for his party.
Patrick ran for a second term in the 1955 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1955
The Alberta general election of 1955 was the thirteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 29, 1955 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He faced a strong challenge from Progressive Conservative candidate Alfred Haarstad. Russell managed to take just over half of the popular vote in the three way race to hold his seat.
Premier Ernest Manning
Ernest Manning
Ernest Charles Manning, , a Canadian politician, was the eighth Premier of Alberta between 1943 and 1968 for the Social Credit Party of Alberta. He served longer than any premier in the province's history, and was the second longest serving provincial premier in Canadian history...
appointed Patrick to his first portfolio in the Executive Council of Alberta
Executive Council of Alberta
The Executive Council of Alberta is the cabinet of that Canadian province.Almost always made up of members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the Cabinet is similar in structure and role to the Cabinet of Canada while being smaller in size...
on August 2, 1955. Patrick became Minister of Economic Affairs. He ran for re-election as a cabinet minister in the 1959 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1959
The Alberta general election of 1959 was the fourteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 18, 1959 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
. Patrick won his third term winning a very large majority.
After the election Manning shuffled the cabinet on September 1, 1959. Patrick's portfolio was abolished, but he was given two others instead. Patrick became the Minister of Industry and Development. He also became the Provincial Secretary.
Manning did another shuffle on October 15, 1962. Patrick became the Minister of Mines and Minerals and lost the Provincial Secretary position. He kept his other portfolio. Patrick ran for a fourth term in the 1963 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1963
The Alberta general election of 1963 was the fifteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 17, 1963 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.The Social Credit Party, led by Ernest C...
. He won the largest majority and highest popular vote of his political career.
Patrick ran for a fifth term in the 1967 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1967
The Alberta general election of 1967 was the sixteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on May 23, 1967 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He faced a strong challenge for his seat by Progressive Conservative candidate Jack Cookson
Jack Cookson
John "Jack" William Cookson was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 to 1982 sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus...
. He held the district taking just under half the popular vote in the three way race.
A year and a half after the election on December 12, 1968 Patrick's portfolio was revised by Premier Harry Strom
Harry Strom
Harry Edwin Strom was the ninth Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 1968 to 1971. His two and a half years as Premier were the last of the thirty-six year Social Credit dynasty, as his defeat by Peter Lougheed saw its replacement by a new era Progressive Conservative government...
to include tourism. He became the Minister of Industry and Tourism and held that portfolio until May 27, 1969. He still kept his Economic Affairs portfolio holding that until the end of his career.
Patrick retired from provincial politics at dissolution of the Assembly in 1971.