Lorne Proudfoot
Encyclopedia
Lorne Proudfoot was a farmer, teacher and a provincial politician from Alberta
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1921 to 1935 sitting with the United Farmers
caucus in government.
, Ontario
. He came out west in 1903, and attended normal school in Regina
, Saskatchewan
. He later moved to Alberta and began his teaching career at a rural school near the towns of Carstairs and Didsbury. He moved to Chinook
, Alberta
in 1909 and began farming. He married his wife Hilda Mary Roberts in 1917.
in the electoral district of Acadia. The group Proudfoot was a part of known formally as the Independent Political Association, Constituency of Acadia was affiliated with the Alberta Non-Partisan League
. He finished a distant third place losing to incumbent John McColl
.
Proudfoot ran for his second time in the 1921 Alberta general election
as a candidate for the United Farmers of Alberta. He won the two-person race with a landslide majority to pick up the district for his party.
Proudfoot ran for a second term in office in the 1926 Alberta general election
. He faced two other candidates. Despite losing a large portion of his popular vote from 1921 he still won the district with a solid majority.
Proudfoot ran for his third term in office in the 1930 Alberta general election
. He won the two way race easily over an Independent candidate.
Proudfoot ran for his fourth term in office in the 1935 Alberta general election
. He was defeated in the three way race finishing a distant second losing to Social Credit candidate Norman James.
He also continued to have active political involvement. He continued to work in organizations to elect independent candidates in 1940, 1944, and 1963. Though no candidates were successful, the Independent Electors of the Acadia-Coronation Constituency almost managed to get former Speaker of the Legislature George Johnston re-elected in the 1940 general election
.
Proudfoot served on numerous local municipal boards, usually related to education and agriculture. He was always an advocate of the "principles of cooperation" and worked hard to maintain the economic viability of the small village of Chinook. His experiences in politics gave him greater knowledge of legal and financial matters than most of his neighbors. He served as secretary-treasurer of the Chinook Consolidated School District during the entire period of its existence, 1916-1961. He was secretary-treasurer of the Village of Chinook from 1943 to 1968. He died in 1977.
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 1921 to 1935 sitting with the United Farmers
United Farmers of Alberta
The United Farmers of Alberta is an association of Alberta farmers that has served many different roles throughout its history as a lobby group, a political party, and as a farm-supply retail chain. Since 1934 it has primarily been an agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary...
caucus in government.
Early life
Lorne Proudfoot was born in 1880 on a farm outside of Vankleek HillVankleek Hill, Ontario
Vankleek Hill is a community in Champlain township in eastern Ontario, situated south of Hawkesbury on Highway 34.This agricultural based community became a thriving community in the 1890s and still retains many of the buildings and structures which were present then...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. He came out west in 1903, and attended normal school in Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. He later moved to Alberta and began his teaching career at a rural school near the towns of Carstairs and Didsbury. He moved to Chinook
Chinook, Alberta
Chinook is a hamlet in southern Alberta, Canada within Special Area No. 3. It is located on Highway 9 approximately northeast of Brooks.- References :...
, 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...
in 1909 and began farming. He married his wife Hilda Mary Roberts in 1917.
Political career
Proudfoot ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature as an Independent candidate in the 1917 Alberta general electionAlberta general election, 1917
The Alberta general election of 1917 was the fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, held on 7 June 1917 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
in the electoral district of Acadia. The group Proudfoot was a part of known formally as the Independent Political Association, Constituency of Acadia was affiliated with the Alberta Non-Partisan League
Alberta Non-Partisan League
The Alberta Non-Partisan League was a minor provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. The league changed its name to the Non-Partisan Political League of Canada: Alberta Branch in 1917 as it prepared to move into federal politics...
. He finished a distant third place losing to incumbent John McColl
John McColl (politician)
John Arthur McColl was a politician from Alberta, Canada.McColl was elected to the Alberta legislature for the first time in the 1913 Alberta general election. He would defeat Conservative candidate W.D...
.
Proudfoot ran for his second time in the 1921 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1921
The Alberta general election of 1921 was the fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on July 18, 1921 to elect members to the 5th Alberta Legislative Assembly....
as a candidate for the United Farmers of Alberta. He won the two-person race with a landslide majority to pick up the district for his party.
Proudfoot ran for a second term in office in the 1926 Alberta general election
Alberta 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...
. He faced two other candidates. Despite losing a large portion of his popular vote from 1921 he still won the district with a solid majority.
Proudfoot ran for his third term in office in the 1930 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1930
The Alberta general election of 1930 was the seventh general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 19, 1930 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He won the two way race easily over an Independent candidate.
Proudfoot ran for his fourth term in office in the 1935 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1935
The Alberta general election of 1935 was the eighth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 22, 1935 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He was defeated in the three way race finishing a distant second losing to Social Credit candidate Norman James.
Late life
After his defeat from office Proudfoot continued to farm, specializing in raising sheep. Like many of his neighbors in the arid southeastern Alberta region, he came close to bankruptcy during the 1930s. He eventually expanded his farming operation to 18,000 acres by the time of his retirement in 1962.He also continued to have active political involvement. He continued to work in organizations to elect independent candidates in 1940, 1944, and 1963. Though no candidates were successful, the Independent Electors of the Acadia-Coronation Constituency almost managed to get former Speaker of the Legislature George Johnston re-elected in the 1940 general election
Alberta general election, 1940
The Alberta general election of 1940 was the ninth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, was held on March 21, 1940 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
.
Proudfoot served on numerous local municipal boards, usually related to education and agriculture. He was always an advocate of the "principles of cooperation" and worked hard to maintain the economic viability of the small village of Chinook. His experiences in politics gave him greater knowledge of legal and financial matters than most of his neighbors. He served as secretary-treasurer of the Chinook Consolidated School District during the entire period of its existence, 1916-1961. He was secretary-treasurer of the Village of Chinook from 1943 to 1968. He died in 1977.