Gordon Wright (politician)
Encyclopedia
Gordon Samuel Dales Wright ( - October 18, 1990) was a lawyer who served as a Crown Prosecutor for the Attorney Generals office. He was also former provincial politician and perennial candidate from Alberta
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1986 until his death.
supporter. He first joined the Cooperative Commonwealth in the 1950s. He ran for provincial office for the NDP for the first time in the 1967 Alberta general election
in the electoral district of Edmonton North. Wright had a strong showing but was defeated finishing third out of fourth by incumbent Social Credit MLA Ethel Wilson
.
A year after his defeat he ran against Grant Notley
in the 1968 NDP leadership election. He lost to Notely by a margin of 27 votes. He then became President of the party, and also later served numerous other positions on the provincial NDP executive.
In the 1971 Alberta general election
. Wright ran for his second time finising third place in a field of three candidates in the Edmonton-Belmont electoral district. He finished behind Social Credit
candidate Werner Schmidt
and Progressive Conservative winner Bert Hohol
.
In the 1975 Alberta general election
, Wright ran in Edmonton-Strathcona
for the first time. He finished a strong second behind incumbent Julian Koziak
. He would run against Koziak for the second time in the 1979 Alberta general election
this time doubling his popular vote but was unable to defeat him. He would run against Koziak for a third time in the 1982 Alberta general election
, Wright would gain anther 2000 votes and come within 500 of defeating him in his closest election yet.
After running five times unsuccessfully and three times in Edmonton-Strathcona, Wright was elected to the Alberta Legislature in the 1986 Alberta general election
. He won the two way race and defeated incumbent Progressive Conservative
MLA Julian Koziak
. There were a total of six candidates running in the Edmonton-Strathcona
electoral district but the other four candidates were not factors and trailed well behind in support. Wright would win a his second and final term in the 1989 Alberta general election
. All three candidates would have strong showings, Wright easily won the district by a comfortable margin.
He died from Pancreatic Cancer on October 18, 1990.
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 1986 until his death.
Political career
Wright was a long time NDPAlberta 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...
supporter. He first joined the Cooperative Commonwealth in the 1950s. He ran for provincial office for the NDP for the first time 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....
in the electoral district of Edmonton North. Wright had a strong showing but was defeated finishing third out of fourth by incumbent Social Credit MLA Ethel Wilson
Ethel Sylvia Wilson
Ethel Sylvia Wilson was a seamstress, labour activist and a municipal and provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. She served as a member of Edmonton City Council from 1952 to 1966 and as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1959 to 1971...
.
A year after his defeat he ran against Grant Notley
Grant Notley
Walter Grant Notley was a provincial politician in Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 to 1984 and also served as leader of the Alberta NDP from 1968 to 1984....
in the 1968 NDP leadership election. He lost to Notely by a margin of 27 votes. He then became President of the party, and also later served numerous other positions on the provincial NDP executive.
In the 1971 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1971
The Alberta general election of 1971 was the seventeenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 30, 1971 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. Wright ran for his second time finising third place in a field of three candidates in the Edmonton-Belmont electoral district. He finished behind 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....
candidate Werner Schmidt
Werner Schmidt
Werner Schmidt is a former Canadian politician. A teacher and school principal.-Political career:Schmidt was vice-president of Lethbridge Community College when he was chosen to succeed Harry Strom as leader of the Alberta Social Credit Party following the defeat of Strom's government in 1971...
and Progressive Conservative winner Bert Hohol
Bert Hohol
Albert "Bert" Edward Hohol was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 to 1979 sitting in the governing Progressive Conservative caucus...
.
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....
, Wright ran in Edmonton-Strathcona
Edmonton-Strathcona (provincial electoral district)
Edmonton-Strathcona is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. It shares the same name as the federal electoral district of Edmonton—Strathcona....
for the first time. He finished a strong second behind incumbent Julian Koziak
Julian Koziak
Julian Koziak is a former provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 until 1986.-Political career:...
. He would run against Koziak for the second time in the 1979 Alberta 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....
this time doubling his popular vote but was unable to defeat him. He would run against Koziak for a third time in the 1982 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1982
The Alberta general election of 1982 was the twentieth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 2, 1982 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
, Wright would gain anther 2000 votes and come within 500 of defeating him in his closest election yet.
After running five times unsuccessfully and three times in Edmonton-Strathcona, Wright was elected to the Alberta Legislature in the 1986 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1986
The Alberta general election of 1986 was the twenty-first general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on May 8, 1986 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He won the two way race and defeated incumbent 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...
MLA Julian Koziak
Julian Koziak
Julian Koziak is a former provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 until 1986.-Political career:...
. There were a total of six candidates running in the Edmonton-Strathcona
Edmonton-Strathcona (provincial electoral district)
Edmonton-Strathcona is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. It shares the same name as the federal electoral district of Edmonton—Strathcona....
electoral district but the other four candidates were not factors and trailed well behind in support. Wright would win a his second and final term in the 1989 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1989
The Alberta general election of 1989 was the twenty-second general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 20, 1989 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. All three candidates would have strong showings, Wright easily won the district by a comfortable margin.
He died from Pancreatic Cancer on October 18, 1990.