Galen Norris
Encyclopedia
Galen Clark Norris was a provincial level politician from Alberta
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1959 to 1971.
, Alberta
just west of Stettler
.
. On election night Norris won a healthy majority of 61.79 percent of the popular vote cast. He easily held the district for the governing Social Credit party.
Norris took his seat for the first time to sit with the Social Credit caucus on February 15, 1957 during the third session of the 13th Legislative Assembly
. He was appointed to sit on a total of five standing committee's in his first term in office. Norris was appointed as the Chairman for the Standing Committee for Law Amendments. He also served as a regular member of the Standing Committee for Municipal Law; Public Accounts; Privileges and Elections; and Railways, Telephones and Irrigation. Norris did not move and bills or motions in the third session, but he did second the motion to move the speech from the throne.
Norris participated in ? recorded votes during his first term in office. He recorded his first vote on February 19, 1957 voting to defeat a Liberal motion introduced by Lac La Biche
MLA Michael Maccagno
, calling for the Social Credit government to study ways to give Alberta adequate Air Ambulance service in the province. A week later Norris voted in favor of an almost unanimous motion introduced by Olds
MLA Frederick Niddrie
to call on the Parliament of Canada
to repeal section 12 of the Indian Act
. A few days later Norris would vote against to defeat a motion introduced by Liberal MLA from Vermilion Russell Whitson
to have the government cover the cost for farmers of halving calves vaccinated against Brucellosis
.
The most contentious vote of Norris' first term in the Assembly came on March 12, 1957 in order to adopt a motion to create the 1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite. The vote was hotly contested with a number of Social Credit MLAs breaking the party line to vote in favor of it. Norris voted against holding the plebiscite, but the vote was won 28 to 27. Norris voted on the only bill during the session to have a recorded vote. Bill 95 introduced by Cardston
MLA Edgar Hinman
. The bill gave royalty payments to Alberta citizens from oil and gas revenues and was strongly opposed by the opposition parties. Norris voted in favor of this bill. He also voted against a motion to record Assembly proceedings by Hansard
and voted to keep a prohibition on farmers using tax free purple gas to drive farm vehicles on roadways.
At the beginning of the 4th session, Norris was appointed to serve on a special committee to appoint members to regular committee's.
Norris ran for a second term in office in the 1959 general election. He won his second term with a large majority this time against four other candidates. He defeated second place Gordon Taylor of the Progressive Conservatives. The Liberals which finished second in the by-election, dropped to third place under future MLA Henry Kroeger. Norris would see his popular vote increase with the higher voter turnout, but his overall percentage was almost unchanged.
Norris was re-appointed to all his previous committee postings in the 14th Legislative Assembly.
Norris was defeated by Jack Robertson, while attempting to run for a fifth term in office. He made another attempt to win re-election by running in a by-election held on February 14, 1972. He was defeated by Graham Harle
.
Norris died on August 10, 2001.
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 1959 to 1971.
Early life
Galen Clark Noris was born on November 7, 1915. He resided in the small town of ErskineErskine, Alberta
Erskine is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within the County of Stettler No. 6. It is located approximately west of Stettler, south of Rochon Sands and east of Red Deer...
, 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...
just west of Stettler
Stettler, 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 :...
.
| November 16, 1956 by-election results | font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout Unknown | |||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
Social Credit Social Credit Party of Alberta The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values.... |
Galen Norris | 2,744 | 61.79% |
Liberal Alberta Liberal Party The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time... |
Murray Rairdan | 1,677 | 38.21% | |
| Total | 4,421 | 100% | ||||||||||
| Rejected, Spoiled and Declined | Unknown | |||||||||||
First term
Norris was first elected to serve in the Alberta Legislature in a by-election held in the Stettler provincial electoral district on November 16, 1956. The by-election was caused by the death of former Social Credit MLA John E. Clark. Norris ran against a single opponent, Murray Rairdan representing the provincial LiberalsAlberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
. On election night Norris won a healthy majority of 61.79 percent of the popular vote cast. He easily held the district for the governing Social Credit party.
Norris took his seat for the first time to sit with the Social Credit caucus on February 15, 1957 during the third session of the 13th Legislative Assembly
13th Alberta Legislative Assembly
The 12th Alberta Legislative Assembly lasted from 1955 to 1959. The Social Credit government led by Premier Ernest Manning won a 6th term in office with a reduced majority...
. He was appointed to sit on a total of five standing committee's in his first term in office. Norris was appointed as the Chairman for the Standing Committee for Law Amendments. He also served as a regular member of the Standing Committee for Municipal Law; Public Accounts; Privileges and Elections; and Railways, Telephones and Irrigation. Norris did not move and bills or motions in the third session, but he did second the motion to move the speech from the throne.
Norris participated in ? recorded votes during his first term in office. He recorded his first vote on February 19, 1957 voting to defeat a Liberal motion introduced by Lac La Biche
Lac La Biche (provincial electoral district)
Lac La Biche was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1952 to 1971.-1957 liquor plebiscite:...
MLA Michael Maccagno
Michael Maccagno
Michael "Mike" Maccagno was an provincial level politician from Alberta Canada. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1955 until he resigned in 1968...
, calling for the Social Credit government to study ways to give Alberta adequate Air Ambulance service in the province. A week later Norris voted in favor of an almost unanimous motion introduced by Olds
Olds (provincial electoral district)
Olds was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1963. The district was combined with the Didsbury electoral district to form Olds-Didsbury...
MLA Frederick Niddrie
Frederick Niddrie
Frederick James Niddrie was a farmer provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and sat with the governing Social Credit caucus representing the electoral district of Olds from 1950 until his death in 1958.-Early life:Niddrie was...
to call on the Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
to repeal section 12 of the Indian Act
Indian Act
The Indian Act , R.S., 1951, c. I-5, is a Canadian statute that concerns registered Indians, their bands, and the system of Indian reserves...
. A few days later Norris would vote against to defeat a motion introduced by Liberal MLA from Vermilion Russell Whitson
Russell Whitson
Russell James Whitson was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1955 to 1959 sitting with the Liberal caucus in opposition.-Political career:...
to have the government cover the cost for farmers of halving calves vaccinated against Brucellosis
Brucellosis
Brucellosis, also called Bang's disease, Crimean fever, Gibraltar fever, Malta fever, Maltese fever, Mediterranean fever, rock fever, or undulant fever, is a highly contagious zoonosis caused by ingestion of unsterilized milk or meat from infected animals or close contact with their secretions...
.
The most contentious vote of Norris' first term in the Assembly came on March 12, 1957 in order to adopt a motion to create the 1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite. The vote was hotly contested with a number of Social Credit MLAs breaking the party line to vote in favor of it. Norris voted against holding the plebiscite, but the vote was won 28 to 27. Norris voted on the only bill during the session to have a recorded vote. Bill 95 introduced by Cardston
Cardston (provincial electoral district)
Cardston was a provincial electoral district in southern Alberta, Canada.The riding was created in when Alberta first became a province in 1905.The riding has always occupied the most southern portion of the province along the Canada / United States border...
MLA Edgar Hinman
Edgar Hinman
Edgar Wynder "Ted" Hinman was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1952 to 1967 and again from 1971 to 1975 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in both government and opposition...
. The bill gave royalty payments to Alberta citizens from oil and gas revenues and was strongly opposed by the opposition parties. Norris voted in favor of this bill. He also voted against a motion to record Assembly proceedings by Hansard
Hansard
Hansard is the name of the printed transcripts of parliamentary debates in the Westminster system of government. It is named after Thomas Curson Hansard, an early printer and publisher of these transcripts.-Origins:...
and voted to keep a prohibition on farmers using tax free purple gas to drive farm vehicles on roadways.
At the beginning of the 4th session, Norris was appointed to serve on a special committee to appoint members to regular committee's.
Second term
| 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... results |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout Unknown | |||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
Social Credit | Galen Norris | 3,150 | 61.06% |
Progressive Conservative Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta... |
Gordon Taylor | 991 | 19.21% |
Liberal | Henry Kroeger Henry Kroeger Henry Kroeger was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1975 until his death in 1987... |
721 | 13.98% |
Cooperative Commonwealth Alberta New Democratic Party The Alberta New Democratic Party or Alberta NDP is a social-democratic political party in Alberta, Canada, which was originally founded as the Alberta section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... |
Alice Ness | 297 | 5.75% | |
| Total | 5,159 | 100% | ||||||||||||||||||
| Rejected, Spoiled and Declined | Unknown | |||||||||||||||||||
Norris ran for a second term in office in the 1959 general election. He won his second term with a large majority this time against four other candidates. He defeated second place Gordon Taylor of the Progressive Conservatives. The Liberals which finished second in the by-election, dropped to third place under future MLA Henry Kroeger. Norris would see his popular vote increase with the higher voter turnout, but his overall percentage was almost unchanged.
Norris was re-appointed to all his previous committee postings in the 14th Legislative Assembly.
Fourth term
On October 24, 1967, Norris was appointed as a Commissioner of Oaths for the Province of Alberta.Norris was defeated by Jack Robertson, while attempting to run for a fifth term in office. He made another attempt to win re-election by running in a by-election held on February 14, 1972. He was defeated by Graham Harle
Graham Harle
Graham Lisle Harle was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from February 14, 1972 to 1986 sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus...
.
Norris died on August 10, 2001.
| Table of Contents | Committee Summary Time Line | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committee Chairman | Regular member | Committee not created | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Committee Name | 13th Assembly | 14th Assembly | 15th Assembly | 16th Assembly | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | 4th | 5th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |||||||
| Standing Committee on Agriculture, Colonization, Immigration and Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Standing Committee on Public Affairs, Agriculture and Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Standing Committee on Law Amendments | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Standing Committee on Municipal Law | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Standing Committee on Municipal Law and Law Amendments | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Standing Committee on Law, Law Amendments and Regulation | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Standing Committee on Public Accounts | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Standing Committee on Railways, Telephones and Irrigation | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Special Committee to Appoint Members to Compose Select Standing Committees of the Assembly | |||||||||||||||||||||||