Michael Maccagno
Encyclopedia
Michael "Mike" Maccagno (July 15, 1914 - November 25, 2000) 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. He twice lead the Alberta Liberal Party
and became the first, and so far only, Italian-Canadian to lead a major political party in Canada.
as a candidate for the Alberta Liberals
in the electoral district of Lac La Biche
. He ran in a straight fight against incumbent Harry Lobay
and ended up winning the district by a margin of less than 100 votes.
He would run for a second term in office in the 1959 provincial election
. He faced two other candidates and despite losing some of his popular vote he was able to retain his seat. Maccagno was the only Liberal to win a seat in that election.
Maccagno would run for a third term in the 1963 Alberta general election
. He would keep his seat in a hotly contested race against four other candidates. The vote among the challenging candidates was heavily divided, while Maccagno managed to slightly increase his.
Liberal leader Dave Hunter
resigned after failing to win his seat. Maccagno became interim leader of the Alberta Liberals as well as Leader of the Official Opposition Leader. He became the first Italian Canadian to become head of a major political party in Canada. In 1966 Calgary Alderman Adrian Berry was chosen as Liberal leader, but resigned shortly after leaving Maccagno to resume the leadership.
Maccagno lead his party into the 1967 Alberta general election
. Province wide the party lost over 8% of its popular vote from the last election. It did however pickup a new seat. The Liberals became the third party after the Progressive Conservatives
under Peter Lougheed
surged in the Assembly with six seats. In his district Maccagno faced Lobay again and another candidate. He managed to increase his popular vote from 1963 and was re-elected easily.
Maccagno resigned his seat in the Alberta legislature on May 27, 1968 to run for a seat to the Canadian House of Commons
. He ran for the federal Liberals
in the electoral district of Athabasca
in the 1968 federal election
. He ran in a hotly contested race against two other candidates but was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Paul Yewchuk
, finishing second losing by about 1,200 votes. After the election he was subsequently appointed to the National Parole Board.
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 1955 until he resigned in 1968. He twice lead the Alberta Liberal Party
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...
and became the first, and so far only, Italian-Canadian to lead a major political party in Canada.
Political career
Maccagno ran for a seat to the Alberta legislature in the 1955 provincial electionAlberta 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....
as a candidate for the Alberta Liberals
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...
in the electoral district of 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:...
. He ran in a straight fight against incumbent Harry Lobay
Harry Lobay
Harry Lobay was a politician from Alberta, Canada.Harry was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1948 Alberta general election for the riding of Beaver River on a comfortable margin after ballot transfer...
and ended up winning the district by a margin of less than 100 votes.
He would run for a second term in office in the 1959 provincial 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...
. He faced two other candidates and despite losing some of his popular vote he was able to retain his seat. Maccagno was the only Liberal to win a seat in that election.
Maccagno would run for a third term in the 1963 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1963
The Alberta general election of 1963 was the fifteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 17, 1963 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.The Social Credit Party, led by Ernest C...
. He would keep his seat in a hotly contested race against four other candidates. The vote among the challenging candidates was heavily divided, while Maccagno managed to slightly increase his.
Liberal leader Dave Hunter
Dave Hunter (politician)
David Bruce "Dave" Hunter was an Alberta politician. He served as a mayor and as leader of the Alberta Liberal Party from 1962 to 1964.-Political career:...
resigned after failing to win his seat. Maccagno became interim leader of the Alberta Liberals as well as Leader of the Official Opposition Leader. He became the first Italian Canadian to become head of a major political party in Canada. In 1966 Calgary Alderman Adrian Berry was chosen as Liberal leader, but resigned shortly after leaving Maccagno to resume the leadership.
Maccagno lead his party into 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....
. Province wide the party lost over 8% of its popular vote from the last election. It did however pickup a new seat. The Liberals became the third party after the Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
under Peter Lougheed
Peter Lougheed
Edgar Peter Lougheed, PC, CC, AOE, QC, is a Canadian lawyer, and a former politician and Canadian Football League player. He served as the tenth Premier of Alberta from 1971 to 1985....
surged in the Assembly with six seats. In his district Maccagno faced Lobay again and another candidate. He managed to increase his popular vote from 1963 and was re-elected easily.
Maccagno resigned his seat in the Alberta legislature on May 27, 1968 to run for a seat to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian 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...
. He ran 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...
in the electoral district of Athabasca
Fort McMurray—Athabasca
Fort McMurray—Athabasca is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968...
in the 1968 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1968
The Canadian federal election of 1968 was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 28th Parliament of Canada...
. He ran in a hotly contested race against two other candidates but was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Paul Yewchuk
Paul Yewchuk
Paul Yewchuk was a Progressive Conservative party member of the Canadian House of Commons. He was a surgeon and physician by career....
, finishing second losing by about 1,200 votes. After the election he was subsequently appointed to the National Parole Board.