Arthur Ryan Smith
Encyclopedia
Captain Arthur "Art" Ryan Smith Jr., OC
, AOE
, DFC
(May 16, 1919 – June 30, 2008) was an oilfield worker, fighter pilot, executive business man, magazine editor, he also worked in public relations as an advertising executive and was a Canadian politician on the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government.
, Alberta
on May 16, 1919 to parents Arthur LeRoy Smith
and Sara Isobel Ryan. Smith grew up in Calgary, and later in British Columbia
. He got his first job as an oil field worker at the age of 16 in Turner Valley, Alberta
and spent 4 years working in the oil patch.
At the outbreak of World War II
Smith enlisted in the Canadian Forces
. He became a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force
and flew 34 combat missions on Lancaster bombers. He was awarded Distinguished Flying Cross
for his military service. When Smith returned home from the war he went back to working in the oil patch. He worked his way up from Roughneck to Assistant of the President at the Anglo-American Oil Company. In 1952 he became editor for the publication Petroleum Exploration Digest.
Smith soon became interested in a political career and he ran for Calgary city council in 1953.
Smith would return to City council after retiring from federal politics in 1963. He would run for the Alderman position in 1965 winning election and hold his seat until 1967.
provincial electoral district in the 1955 Alberta general election
. He finished first in the vote counts winning on the first ballot transfer. He held his seat in the provincial legislature until he resigned in 1957 to run for federal politics.
Smith is still active behind the scenes with the provincial Progressive Conservatives
, he recently endorsed candidate Mark Norris in the 2006 leadership election.
in the 1957 federal election
. He would defeating 3 other candidates and winning by a 10,000 vote plurality over second place candidate Donald McKay. Parliament would dissolve a year later in the 1958 federal election
and he would run for re-election winning a plurality of about 23,000 votes in front of the nearest candidate. Smith would run for his third and final term in office in the 1962 federal election
. His margin of victory was significantly reduced, but he still won his district in a landslide. Smith retired from federal politics a year later in 1963 at the dissolution of the house. During his time as a Member of Parliament, he served as a Delegate to the United Nations
.
Smiths' father, Arthur LeRoy Smith
served as Member of Parliament for Calgary West
from 1945 to 1951.
’s Lancaster Memorial Fund a success. This saw Lancaster FM-136, purchased from Crown Assets Disposal Corporation by Lynn Garrison, displayed at McCall Field, Calgary as a memorial to those who had trained under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Smith had won his Distinguished Flying Cross while flying Lancasters during World War II. He served as an executive on numerous companies, public boards, and volunteered in youth sports programs. In 1988 he was appointed Chief of Protocol for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary.
in 1988 and current holds the rank of Officer since 2003. That same year he was also given an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Calgary
. He was later awarded the Alberta Order of Excellence
and in 1997 he became Honorary Colonel of the 416 Tactical Fighter Squadron.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, AOE
Alberta Order of Excellence
The Alberta Order of Excellence is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Alberta. Instituted in 1979 when Lieutenant Governor Frank C...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(May 16, 1919 – June 30, 2008) was an oilfield worker, fighter pilot, executive business man, magazine editor, he also worked in public relations as an advertising executive and was a Canadian politician on the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government.
Early life
Arthur Ryan Smith was born in CalgaryCalgary
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...
, 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...
on May 16, 1919 to parents Arthur LeRoy Smith
Arthur LeRoy Smith
Arthur LeRoy Smith Sr. was a barrister, inventor and a Canadian federal politician. He was born in Regina, Northwest Territories....
and Sara Isobel Ryan. Smith grew up in Calgary, and later in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. He got his first job as an oil field worker at the age of 16 in Turner Valley, Alberta
Turner Valley, Alberta
Turner Valley is a town in Alberta, Canada. It is located southwest of Calgary.Situated on Highway 22 , the town was once the centre of an oil and natural gas boom. For 30 years, the Turner Valley Oilfields was a major supplier of oil and gas and the largest producer in the British Empire, but is...
and spent 4 years working in the oil patch.
At the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Smith enlisted in the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
. He became a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
and flew 34 combat missions on Lancaster bombers. He was awarded Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
for his military service. When Smith returned home from the war he went back to working in the oil patch. He worked his way up from Roughneck to Assistant of the President at the Anglo-American Oil Company. In 1952 he became editor for the publication Petroleum Exploration Digest.
Smith soon became interested in a political career and he ran for Calgary city council in 1953.
Municipal politics
Smith began his political career by running for Calgary city council for the post of Alderman in 1953, He won his first term in office and served until 1955 when he decided to run for a seat in the provincial legislature.Smith would return to City council after retiring from federal politics in 1963. He would run for the Alderman position in 1965 winning election and hold his seat until 1967.
Provincial politics
Smith ran as a candidate in the CalgaryCalgary (provincial electoral district)
Calgary was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada that existed from 1905 to 1913 and was recreated from 1921 to 1959. The district returned from one to six members to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta...
provincial electoral district 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 finished first in the vote counts winning on the first ballot transfer. He held his seat in the provincial legislature until he resigned in 1957 to run for federal politics.
Smith is still active behind the scenes with the provincial Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
, he recently endorsed candidate Mark Norris in the 2006 leadership election.
Federal politics
Smith ran for a seat in the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1957 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1957
The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to select the 265 members of the House of Commons of Canada. In one of the great upsets in Canadian political history, the Progressive Conservative Party , led by John Diefenbaker, brought an end to 22 years of Liberal rule, as the...
. He would defeating 3 other candidates and winning by a 10,000 vote plurality over second place candidate Donald McKay. Parliament would dissolve a year later in the 1958 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1958
The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the 23rd election...
and he would run for re-election winning a plurality of about 23,000 votes in front of the nearest candidate. Smith would run for his third and final term in office in the 1962 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1962
The Canadian federal election of 1962 was held on June 18, 1962 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 25th Parliament of Canada...
. His margin of victory was significantly reduced, but he still won his district in a landslide. Smith retired from federal politics a year later in 1963 at the dissolution of the house. During his time as a Member of Parliament, he served as a Delegate to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
Smiths' father, Arthur LeRoy Smith
Arthur LeRoy Smith
Arthur LeRoy Smith Sr. was a barrister, inventor and a Canadian federal politician. He was born in Regina, Northwest Territories....
served as Member of Parliament for Calgary West
Calgary West
Calgary West is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1917 to 1953, and since 1979. It is located in the western part of the City of Calgary....
from 1945 to 1951.
Late life
Smith became an influential business man after his career in public office.In 1961 he and Milt Harradence used their political influence with Prime John Diefenbaker to make Lynn GarrisonLynn Garrison
Lynn Garrison is a Canadian pilot and political adviser. He was an RCAF fighter pilot from the 403 City of Calgary Squadron, commercial pilot, film producer, director and mercenary...
’s Lancaster Memorial Fund a success. This saw Lancaster FM-136, purchased from Crown Assets Disposal Corporation by Lynn Garrison, displayed at McCall Field, Calgary as a memorial to those who had trained under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Smith had won his Distinguished Flying Cross while flying Lancasters during World War II. He served as an executive on numerous companies, public boards, and volunteered in youth sports programs. In 1988 he was appointed Chief of Protocol for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary.
Awards
Smith has been awarded numerous honors in distinctions over the course of his life. He became a member of the Order of CanadaOrder of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in 1988 and current holds the rank of Officer since 2003. That same year he was also given an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
. He was later awarded the Alberta Order of Excellence
Alberta Order of Excellence
The Alberta Order of Excellence is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Alberta. Instituted in 1979 when Lieutenant Governor Frank C...
and in 1997 he became Honorary Colonel of the 416 Tactical Fighter Squadron.