Vernor Smith
Encyclopedia
Vernor Winfield Smith was a politician in Alberta
, Canada
who served as the province's Minister of Railways and Telephones from 1921 until 1932. Born in 1864 in Prince Edward Island
, he moved to British Columbia
in 1883 where he worked for several railway companies as an accountant. In 1915 he moved to Camrose, Alberta
to become a farmer. The same year, he married Lily Bury, with whom he would have five children.
Smith contested the 1921 provincial election
in the riding of Camrose
for the United Farmers of Alberta
(UFA), where he received 56% of the vote and defeated incumbent Liberal
George P. Smith
. The UFA, which had never before run candidates in an election, won a surprise victory in 1921, and new premier Herbert Greenfield
appointed Smith to his cabinet as Minister of Railways and Telephones. In this capacity, Smith was responsible for dealing with a number of money-losing railways, including the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway
(ED&BC), that had fallen into the government's hands as a result of the collapse of the syndicates that had built them. He favoured government ownership of these railways, while Greenfield supported selling them to the Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR). Smith did not like the CPR, and in 1923 publicly accused it of dereliction of duty in relation to a contract it held to recondition the ED&BC; Greenfield apologized to the CPR in the legislature on behalf of the government, opening a rift between him and his minister. One independent member of the legislative assembly speculated that "if the farmer members of the House took a vote between Greenfield and Smith" on the issue, "they would certainly take Smith." Indeed, the issue was one of several leading the UFA to caucus to pressure Greenfield to resign in favour of his Attorney-General, John Edward Brownlee
, which he did in 1925.
Resolving the railways question was one of Brownlee's top priorities, and in early 1926 he and Smith travelled to Ottawa
, where they met with federal Minister of Railways Charles Avery Dunning
in an unsuccessful effort to persuade him that the federal government should take over the railways. Next they travelled to Montreal
, where they reached an agreement with the Royal Bank of Canada
(RBC) to acquire its shares in the ED&BC, originally valued at $2 million, for $1.3 million; this gave the government full ownership of the railway and the flexibility to sell, lease, or operate it without requiring the consent of the RBC. Still in Montreal, Brownlee and Smith made offers to sell the railway to both the CPR and the Canadian National Railway
(CNR). Neither was interested, and on returning to Edmonton
Smith repeated his recommendation for direct government operation of the railways. Brownlee proved more receptive to the idea than Greenfield had, and the government appointed John Callaghan—a business acquaintance of Smith's and a successful railway contractor—as Superintendent of Railways. Callaghan was successful in converting the railways to profit-making ventures, and in 1928 one of the smaller lines, the Lacombe and North Western, was sold to the CPR for $1.5 million. The following year, the CPR purchased all remaining lines for $25 million.
Vernor Smith was re-elected in the 1926
and 1930
elections, and remained Minister of Railways and Telephones. On July 19, 1932, Smith dropped dead at his Edmonton home while preparing to meet his family at his summer cottage at Pigeon Lake
. He had been suffering from angina pectoris for years and had succumbed to the condition.
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...
who served as the province's Minister of Railways and Telephones from 1921 until 1932. Born in 1864 in Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, he moved to 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...
in 1883 where he worked for several railway companies as an accountant. In 1915 he moved to Camrose, Alberta
Camrose, Alberta
Camrose is a city in central Alberta, Canada, amid some of the richest farmland in the prairies. It is a relatively small city which originally grew up along a railroad and now grows along Highway 13. Camrose is a scenic community with many parks, leading to its moniker "The Rose City"...
to become a farmer. The same year, he married Lily Bury, with whom he would have five children.
Smith contested the 1921 provincial 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....
in the riding of Camrose
Camrose (provincial electoral district)
-1944 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive...
for the United Farmers of Alberta
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...
(UFA), where he received 56% of the vote and defeated incumbent Liberal
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...
George P. Smith
George P. Smith
George Peter Smith was a politician and former Minister of the Crown from Alberta, Canada.-Political career:Smith first ran for election to the Alberta Legislature in the 1909 Alberta general election winning the new Camrose district with a comfortable plurality.Smith was re-elected in a landslide...
. The UFA, which had never before run candidates in an election, won a surprise victory in 1921, and new premier Herbert Greenfield
Herbert Greenfield
Herbert W. Greenfield was a Canadian politician who served as the fourth Premier of Alberta from 1921 until 1925. Born in Winchester, Hampshire, in England, he immigrated to Canada in his late twenties, settling first in Ontario and then in Alberta, where he farmed...
appointed Smith to his cabinet as Minister of Railways and Telephones. In this capacity, Smith was responsible for dealing with a number of money-losing railways, including the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway
Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway
The Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway was an early pioneer railway in northwestern Alberta, designed to open up the Peace River district....
(ED&BC), that had fallen into the government's hands as a result of the collapse of the syndicates that had built them. He favoured government ownership of these railways, while Greenfield supported selling them to the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CPR). Smith did not like the CPR, and in 1923 publicly accused it of dereliction of duty in relation to a contract it held to recondition the ED&BC; Greenfield apologized to the CPR in the legislature on behalf of the government, opening a rift between him and his minister. One independent member of the legislative assembly speculated that "if the farmer members of the House took a vote between Greenfield and Smith" on the issue, "they would certainly take Smith." Indeed, the issue was one of several leading the UFA to caucus to pressure Greenfield to resign in favour of his Attorney-General, John Edward Brownlee
John Edward Brownlee
John Edward Brownlee was the fifth Premier of Alberta, Canada, serving from 1925 until 1934. Born in Port Ryerse, Ontario, he studied history and political science at the University of Toronto's Victoria College before moving west to Calgary to become a lawyer...
, which he did in 1925.
Resolving the railways question was one of Brownlee's top priorities, and in early 1926 he and Smith travelled to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, where they met with federal Minister of Railways Charles Avery Dunning
Charles Avery Dunning
Charles Avery Dunning, PC was born in Croft, Leicestershire, England. During his career, he was a successful businessman, a Canadian politician , and a university chancellor.-Early life:...
in an unsuccessful effort to persuade him that the federal government should take over the railways. Next they travelled to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, where they reached an agreement with the Royal Bank of Canada
Royal Bank of Canada
The Royal Bank of Canada or RBC Financial Group is the largest financial institution in Canada, as measured by deposits, revenues, and market capitalization. The bank serves seventeen million clients and has 80,100 employees worldwide. The company corporate headquarters are located in Toronto,...
(RBC) to acquire its shares in the ED&BC, originally valued at $2 million, for $1.3 million; this gave the government full ownership of the railway and the flexibility to sell, lease, or operate it without requiring the consent of the RBC. Still in Montreal, Brownlee and Smith made offers to sell the railway to both the CPR and the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(CNR). Neither was interested, and on returning to 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...
Smith repeated his recommendation for direct government operation of the railways. Brownlee proved more receptive to the idea than Greenfield had, and the government appointed John Callaghan—a business acquaintance of Smith's and a successful railway contractor—as Superintendent of Railways. Callaghan was successful in converting the railways to profit-making ventures, and in 1928 one of the smaller lines, the Lacombe and North Western, was sold to the CPR for $1.5 million. The following year, the CPR purchased all remaining lines for $25 million.
Vernor Smith was re-elected in the 1926
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...
and 1930
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....
elections, and remained Minister of Railways and Telephones. On July 19, 1932, Smith dropped dead at his Edmonton home while preparing to meet his family at his summer cottage at Pigeon Lake
Pigeon Lake (Alberta)
Pigeon Lake is a large lake in central Alberta, Canada. It is a popular recreation lake, with some shores having sandy beaches and others having steeper banks that are less suitable to "beach activities". Pigeon Lake is located close to large communities such as Edmonton, Leduc and Wetaskiwin...
. He had been suffering from angina pectoris for years and had succumbed to the condition.
Electoral record
| 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.... results (Camrose Camrose (provincial electoral district) -1944 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 78.1% | |||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
United Farmers of Alberta 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... |
Vernor Smith | 3,137 | 58.07% |
Liberal 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... |
S. M. Westvick | 2,086 | 41.93% | |||||||||
| 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... results (Camrose Camrose (provincial electoral district) -1944 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 58.3% | |||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
United Farmers of Alberta 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... |
Vernor Smith | 2,872 | 71.96% |
Liberal 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... |
W. A. Cunningham | 567 | 14.21% |
Conservative | J. A. Code | 300 | 7.52% |
Liberal Progressive Liberal-Progressive Liberal-Progressive was a label used by a number of candidates in Canadian elections between 1926 and 1953. In federal and Ontario politics, there was no formal Liberal-Progressive party, but it was an alliance between two separate parties... |
A. D. Campbell | 252 | 6.31% | |
| 1921 by-election results (Camrose Camrose (provincial electoral district) -1944 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout N/A | |||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
United Farmers of Alberta 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... |
Vernor Smith | Acclaimed | ||||||||||||||
| 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.... results (Camrose Camrose (provincial electoral district) -1944 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 86.6% | |||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
United Farmers of Alberta 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... |
Vernor Smith | 3,040 | 55.97% |
Liberal 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... |
George P. Smith George P. Smith George Peter Smith was a politician and former Minister of the Crown from Alberta, Canada.-Political career:Smith first ran for election to the Alberta Legislature in the 1909 Alberta general election winning the new Camrose district with a comfortable plurality.Smith was re-elected in a landslide... |
2,391 | 44.03% | |||||||||