James Harper Prowse
Encyclopedia
James Harper Prowse Jr. (November 3, 1913 – September 27, 1976), was a serviceman, provincial and federal politician, barrister and solicitor from Canada
. Prowse served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1945 to 1959 sitting as an Independent and a Liberal in opposition. He led the Liberal provincially party from 1948 to 1958 and later served as a Senator for the province of Alberta from 1966 until his death in 1976.
on November 3, 1913. He took his post secondary education at the University of Alberta
.
in 1940. He served five years overseas during World War II obtaining the rank of Captain. Prowse served most of the war in the Italian theater. He was wounded twice during combat. His Army career ended after he was elected to the Alberta Legislature in the 1945 Service vote.
in the electoral district of Taber
.
Prowse ran for a seat to the legislature for the first time in the 1945 Service man vote
that was the last stage of the general election held that year. Prowse ran as a candidate in the Army vote. He won the polls with 17% of the popular vote over 21 other candidates on February 5, 1945. The vote was non-partisan so Prowse sat as an Independent in the legislature.
After winning election and returning to Edmonton Prowse became a journalist for the Edmonton Bulletin
. Prowse crossed the floor to the Liberals after announcing his intention to run for leadership of the party on April 10, 1947. He defended his decision by saying The Political Situation has reached a point where there is no longer any advantage to be gained by reaming neutral.
Prowse was elected as leader of the party at the Liberals annual convention on June 26, 1947. He won the required majority on the first ballot. The convention was well attended with 476 delegates from around the province voting. He defeated two other candidates Jonathan Wheatly and Joseph Tremblay.
The Serviceman seats were abolished due to the end of World War II
. Prowse decided to contest a seat in the Edmonton
electoral district for the 1948 Alberta general election
. He won taking the fourth place seat out of five in the district. Province wide Prowse led the Liberal party to two seats including his and took 17% of the popular vote.
Prowse ran for a third term in office in the 1952 Alberta general election
. He won the second place seat in Edmonton. Province wide Prowse led the Liberals to four seats and increased the popular vote to 22%.
Prowse led the Liberal party into his final term as leader in the 1955 Alberta general election
. The Liberals made a big breakthrough winning 15 seats in the province and taking 31% of the popular vote. Prowse once again kept his seat in Edmonton winning the second place seat.
Prowse stepped down as leader of the provincial Liberal party in 1958 and did not run for another term in office at dissolution of the assembly in 1959. He moved to the municipal arena making a bid for Mayor of Edmonton
in the 1959 Edmonton municipal election
. He finished a close second in the four way race losing to Elmer Roper
.
for the first time in the 1962 federal election
in the electoral district of Edmonton West
as a candidate for the federal Liberals
. He finished a close second out of four candidates losing to incumbent Marcel Lambert
and finishing ahead of former Member of Parliament Orvis Kennedy
.
The minority parliament was dissolved less than a year later precipitating the need for the 1963 federal election
. Prowse ran for his second time in a near rerun of the first race. Both Lamber and Prowse increased their popular votes, but Prowse still finished a close second.
Prowse was appointed to the Canadian Senate
on the advice of Prime Minister Lester Pearson
in 1967 where he represented Edmonton until his death on September 27, 1976.
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...
. Prowse 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 1945 to 1959 sitting as an Independent and a Liberal in opposition. He led the Liberal provincially party from 1948 to 1958 and later served as a Senator for the province of Alberta from 1966 until his death in 1976.
Early life
James Harper Prowse Jr. was born in Taber, AlbertaAlberta
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 November 3, 1913. He took his post secondary education 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...
.
World War II
Prowse enlisted in the Royal Canadian ArmyCanadian Forces Land Force Command
The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
in 1940. He served five years overseas during World War II obtaining the rank of Captain. Prowse served most of the war in the Italian theater. He was wounded twice during combat. His Army career ended after he was elected to the Alberta Legislature in the 1945 Service vote.
Provincial politics
Prowse was introduced to politics at a young age when his father James Harper Prowse Sr. ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1926 Alberta general electionAlberta general election, 1926
The Alberta general election of 1926 was the sixth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 28, 1926 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The writs of election were issued on May 10, 1926 allowing for an election period of 40 days.After Herbert...
in the electoral district of Taber
Taber (provincial electoral district)
Taber was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.-1957 liquor plebiscite:...
.
Prowse ran for a seat to the legislature for the first time in the 1945 Service man vote
Alberta general election, 1944
The Alberta general election of 1944 was the tenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. The Assembly was dissolved on July 8, 1944 and the vote for was held on August 8, 1944 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
that was the last stage of the general election held that year. Prowse ran as a candidate in the Army vote. He won the polls with 17% of the popular vote over 21 other candidates on February 5, 1945. The vote was non-partisan so Prowse sat as an Independent in the legislature.
After winning election and returning to Edmonton Prowse became a journalist for the Edmonton Bulletin
Edmonton Bulletin
The Edmonton Bulletin was a newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta published from 1880 until January 20, 1951. It was founded by Frank Oliver, a politician and future minister in the Canadian Government....
. Prowse crossed the floor to the Liberals after announcing his intention to run for leadership of the party on April 10, 1947. He defended his decision by saying The Political Situation has reached a point where there is no longer any advantage to be gained by reaming neutral.
Prowse was elected as leader of the party at the Liberals annual convention on June 26, 1947. He won the required majority on the first ballot. The convention was well attended with 476 delegates from around the province voting. He defeated two other candidates Jonathan Wheatly and Joseph Tremblay.
The Serviceman seats were abolished due to the end 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...
. Prowse decided to contest a seat in the Edmonton
Edmonton (provincial electoral district)
Edmonton provincial electoral district existed in two incarnations from 1905 - 1909 and again from 1921 - 1955. The district was created when Alberta first became a province....
electoral district for the 1948 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1948
The Alberta general election of 1948 was the eleventh general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 17, 1948 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He won taking the fourth place seat out of five in the district. Province wide Prowse led the Liberal party to two seats including his and took 17% of the popular vote.
Prowse ran for a third term in office in the 1952 Alberta general election
Alberta 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 won the second place seat in Edmonton. Province wide Prowse led the Liberals to four seats and increased the popular vote to 22%.
Prowse led the Liberal party into his final term as leader 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....
. The Liberals made a big breakthrough winning 15 seats in the province and taking 31% of the popular vote. Prowse once again kept his seat in Edmonton winning the second place seat.
Prowse stepped down as leader of the provincial Liberal party in 1958 and did not run for another term in office at dissolution of the assembly in 1959. He moved to the municipal arena making a bid for Mayor of Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
in the 1959 Edmonton municipal election
Edmonton municipal election, 1959
The 1959 municipal election was held October 14, 1959 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards...
. He finished a close second in the four way race losing to Elmer Roper
Elmer Ernest Roper
Elmer Ernest Roper was a politician in Alberta, Canada. He served as leader of the Alberta Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, the mayor of Edmonton, and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He was also a candidate for the Canadian House of Commons.-Early life:Roper was born in...
.
Federal politics
Prowse ran for a seat to 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...
for the first time 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...
in the electoral district of Edmonton West
Edmonton West
Edmonton West was a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1917 to 1988 and from 1997 to 2004.-Demographics:-History and geography:...
as a candidate for the federal Liberals
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
. He finished a close second out of four candidates losing to incumbent Marcel Lambert
Marcel Lambert
Marcel Joseph Aimé Lambert, was a Canadian politician and Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons .Lambert was born in Edmonton to a French-Canadian father and a Belgian mother...
and finishing ahead of former Member of Parliament Orvis Kennedy
Orvis A. Kennedy
Orvis A. Kennedy was an executive, manager, organizer, salesman and a Canadian federal politician....
.
The minority parliament was dissolved less than a year later precipitating the need for the 1963 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1963
The Canadian federal election of 1963 was held on April 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 26th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of the minority Progressive Conservative government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.-Overview:During the Tories' last year in...
. Prowse ran for his second time in a near rerun of the first race. Both Lamber and Prowse increased their popular votes, but Prowse still finished a close second.
Prowse was appointed to the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
on the advice of Prime Minister Lester Pearson
Lester B. Pearson
Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis...
in 1967 where he represented Edmonton until his death on September 27, 1976.