Lyle Wicks
Encyclopedia
Lyle Wicks was a British Columbia politician.
Born in Calgary, Wicks graduated from McLean High School in Haney, British Columbia, Canada
in 1930. He was one of the first employees of the BC Plywoods Company (now defunct), and in 1940 he joined the BC Electric Railway Co., where he worked as a streetcar operator within the Vancouver transit system.
He joined the Social Credit
movement in 1943 and became actively involved in its organisational efforts. From 1946 to 1948, Wicks was elected Vice-President of the Social Credit Association of Canada
, British Columbia Section. He also took on the position of Chairman of the Vancouver and District Social Credit Council in 1948.
In 1949 Lyle Wicks became the founding President of the British Columbia
Social Credit League. He was re-elected to this position until the time of his resignation in October 1952. As president, Wicks recruited W.A.C. Bennett
to the nascent party after Bennett bolted the British Columbia Conservative Party
to sit as an independent MLA in March 1951.
In the 1952 convention to elect the party's leader, both Wicks and Bennett were nominated for the party's leadership. Wicks and Bennett both withdrew in favour of Reverend Ernest George Hansell
, an Alberta Social Credit MP hand-picked by Alberta Premier Ernest Manning
to lead the British Columbia party. Following the June 1952 provincial election, which was unexpectedly won by Social Credit, Wicks called a new leadership convention at which only Social Credit MLAs
could vote thus ending the influence of the Alberta party. The leadership vote was won by Bennett.
Wicks was elected MLA
for the Dewdney constituency in the 1952 election; in August he was appointed Minister of Labour in Bennett's cabinet.
The first session of the Social Credit Party took place in 1953. In September 1956 Wicks was appointed Minister of Railways, a portfolio he held until March 1959, at which time he was appointed Minister of Commercial Transport. He also served as the acting Minister of Agriculture for several months in 1959. During his political career, he played an active role in the establishment of the Albion Ferry on the Fraser River, the development of Alouette Park, the establishment of the Maple Ridge and Mission Hospitals, the completion of the north shore highway connecting Agassiz to Hope, and in the construction of the Agassiz-Rosedale Bridge. He was made an Honorary Chief of the Kwakuitl Indian Nation in Harrison Hot Springs, BC in 1958. Wicks was defeated in the 1960 general election
by future British Columbia Premier Dave Barrett
.
From 1961 to 1973 he served as a member of the Board of the Public Utilities Commission
, which was abolished in 1973.
Lyle Wicks died in 2004.
The Lyle Wicks Papers, a collection of records documenting Wicks's political career, is housed at the Trinity Western University Archives.
Born in Calgary, Wicks graduated from McLean High School in Haney, British Columbia, 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...
in 1930. He was one of the first employees of the BC Plywoods Company (now defunct), and in 1940 he joined the BC Electric Railway Co., where he worked as a streetcar operator within the Vancouver transit system.
He joined the Social Credit
Social Credit
Social Credit is an economic philosophy developed by C. H. Douglas , a British engineer, who wrote a book by that name in 1924. Social Credit is described by Douglas as "the policy of a philosophy"; he called his philosophy "practical Christianity"...
movement in 1943 and became actively involved in its organisational efforts. From 1946 to 1948, Wicks was elected Vice-President of the Social Credit Association of Canada
Social Credit Party of Canada
The Social Credit Party of Canada was a conservative-populist political party in Canada that promoted social credit theories of monetary reform...
, British Columbia Section. He also took on the position of Chairman of the Vancouver and District Social Credit Council in 1948.
In 1949 Lyle Wicks became the founding President of the British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
Social Credit League. He was re-elected to this position until the time of his resignation in October 1952. As president, Wicks recruited W.A.C. Bennett
W.A.C. Bennett
William Andrew Cecil Bennett, PC, OC was the 25th Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia. With just over 20 years in office, Bennett was and remains the longest-serving premier in British Columbia history. He was usually referred to as W.A.C...
to the nascent party after Bennett bolted the British Columbia Conservative Party
British Columbia Conservative Party
The British Columbia Conservative Party is a political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected as the government in 1903, the party went into decline after 1933...
to sit as an independent MLA in March 1951.
In the 1952 convention to elect the party's leader, both Wicks and Bennett were nominated for the party's leadership. Wicks and Bennett both withdrew in favour of Reverend Ernest George Hansell
Ernest George Hansell
Rev. Ernest George Hansell was an ordained minister as well as a Canadian federal and provincial politician.-Federal politics:Hansell ran as a Social Credit candidate in the 1935 federal election...
, an Alberta Social Credit MP hand-picked by Alberta Premier Ernest Manning
Ernest Manning
Ernest Charles Manning, , a Canadian politician, was the eighth Premier of Alberta between 1943 and 1968 for the Social Credit Party of Alberta. He served longer than any premier in the province's history, and was the second longest serving provincial premier in Canadian history...
to lead the British Columbia party. Following the June 1952 provincial election, which was unexpectedly won by Social Credit, Wicks called a new leadership convention at which only Social Credit MLAs
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
could vote thus ending the influence of the Alberta party. The leadership vote was won by Bennett.
Wicks was elected MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
for the Dewdney constituency in the 1952 election; in August he was appointed Minister of Labour in Bennett's cabinet.
The first session of the Social Credit Party took place in 1953. In September 1956 Wicks was appointed Minister of Railways, a portfolio he held until March 1959, at which time he was appointed Minister of Commercial Transport. He also served as the acting Minister of Agriculture for several months in 1959. During his political career, he played an active role in the establishment of the Albion Ferry on the Fraser River, the development of Alouette Park, the establishment of the Maple Ridge and Mission Hospitals, the completion of the north shore highway connecting Agassiz to Hope, and in the construction of the Agassiz-Rosedale Bridge. He was made an Honorary Chief of the Kwakuitl Indian Nation in Harrison Hot Springs, BC in 1958. Wicks was defeated in the 1960 general election
British Columbia general election, 1960
The British Columbia general election of 1960 was the 26th general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on August 3, 1960, and held on September 12, 1960. The new legislature met...
by future British Columbia Premier Dave Barrett
Dave Barrett
David Barrett, OC , commonly known as Dave Barrett, is a retired politician and social worker in British Columbia, Canada...
.
From 1961 to 1973 he served as a member of the Board of the Public Utilities Commission
Public Utilities Commission
A Utilities commission, Utility Regulatory Commission , Public Utilities Commission or Public Service Commission is a governing body that regulates the rates and services of a public utility...
, which was abolished in 1973.
Lyle Wicks died in 2004.
The Lyle Wicks Papers, a collection of records documenting Wicks's political career, is housed at the Trinity Western University Archives.