Dallas Schmidt
Encyclopedia
Dallas Wilbur Schmidt was a provincial level politician and Royal Canadian Air Force
pilot from Alberta
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1975 to 1982 sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus. During his time in public office he served different cabinet portfolio's under the government of Peter Lougheed
.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
on October 5, 1942 for missions he flew over Europe
. He returned to Canada in July of 1945 and was released from service in September of that year. He also won the Bar of the Flying Cross that same year.
He re-enlisted with the Air Force and served his second stint from 1951 to 1956.
in the electoral district of Wetaskiwin
. He was defeated by incumbent Albert Strohschein
in a hotly contested race finishing a close second place.
Schmidt ran for the second time in the 1975 Alberta general election
. This time he won the electoral district of Wetaskiwin-Leduc defeating three other candidates with a landslide margin to pick it up for the governing Progressive Conservative party.
After the election Premier Peter Lougheed appointed Schmidt to the Executive Council of Alberta
as a Minister without Portfolio on April 3, 1975. He was appointed just over a year later as Associate Minister of Energy and Natural Resources responsible for Public Lands on August 26, 1976. He ran for re-election in the 1979 general election
. He won a bigger margin of victory with his ministerial advantage winning his second term with a landslide.
Schmidt became a full minister after the election on March 23, 1979. He was promoted to Minister of Agriculture and served that position until he retired from provincial politics at dissolution of the legislature in 1982.
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...
pilot from 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...
, 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 1975 to 1982 sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus. During his time in public office he served different cabinet portfolio's under the government of Peter Lougheed
Peter Lougheed
Edgar Peter Lougheed, PC, CC, AOE, QC, is a Canadian lawyer, and a former politician and Canadian Football League player. He served as the tenth Premier of Alberta from 1971 to 1985....
.
Air Force career
Schmidt served with the Royal Canadian Air Force enlisting on January 8, 1942. He was quickly shipped overseas to see action in World War II. During the war he served in the No.227 Squadron and flew a wide range of military aircraft used by Canada at the time. His aircraft was shot down by enemy fire on five separate occasions.He was awarded the 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...
on October 5, 1942 for missions he flew over Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He returned to Canada in July of 1945 and was released from service in September of that year. He also won the Bar of the Flying Cross that same year.
He re-enlisted with the Air Force and served his second stint from 1951 to 1956.
Political career
Schmidt first ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1967 Alberta general electionAlberta 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....
in the electoral district of Wetaskiwin
Wetaskiwin (provincial electoral district)
Wetaskiwin is a former provincial electoral district in Alberta that existed from 1905 to 1971.-1905 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:...
. He was defeated by incumbent Albert Strohschein
Albert Strohschein
Albert William Strohschein was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1963 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.-Political career:...
in a hotly contested race finishing a close second place.
Schmidt ran for the second time in the 1975 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1975
The Alberta general election of 1975 was the eighteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 25, 1975 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. This time he won the electoral district of Wetaskiwin-Leduc defeating three other candidates with a landslide margin to pick it up for the governing Progressive Conservative party.
After the election Premier Peter Lougheed appointed Schmidt to 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...
as a Minister without Portfolio on April 3, 1975. He was appointed just over a year later as Associate Minister of Energy and Natural Resources responsible for Public Lands on August 26, 1976. He ran for re-election in the 1979 general election
Alberta general election, 1979
The Alberta general election of 1979 was the nineteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 14, 1979 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He won a bigger margin of victory with his ministerial advantage winning his second term with a landslide.
Schmidt became a full minister after the election on March 23, 1979. He was promoted to Minister of Agriculture and served that position until he retired from provincial politics at dissolution of the legislature in 1982.