Edgar Gerhart

Edgar Henry Gerhart
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office
August 5, 1952  June 18, 1959
Serving with Ernest Manning, Abe Miller, John Page, James Prowse, Elmer Roper, Joseph Ross and Harold Tanner (1952-1959)
Preceded by Clayton Adams and Lou Heard
Succeeded by District Abolished
Constituency Edmonton
In office
June 18, 1959  June 18, 1959
Preceded by New District
Succeeded by District Abolished
Constituency Edmonton North West
Minister of Municipal Affairs
In office
June 29, 1967  July 16, 1968
Premier Ernest Manning
Preceded by Alfred Hooke
Succeeded by Harry Strom
In office
December 12, 1968  May 27, 1969
Premier Harry Strom
Preceded by Harry Strom
Succeeded by Fred Colborne
Attorney General
In office
December 10, 1968  September 10, 1971
Premier Harry Strom
Preceded by Ernest Manning
Succeeded by Merv Leitch
Personal details
Born December 18, 1923
Drumheller, Alberta
Died May 25, 1992
Political party Social Credit
Spouse(s) Margaret Tiffin
Occupation lawyer judge and politician

Edgar Henry Gerhart (December 18, 1923 May 25, 1992) was a lawyer judge and provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1952 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government. During his time in office he served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Ernest Manning and Harry Strom from 1967 to 1971.

Early life

Edgar Henry Gerhart was born on December 18, 1923 in the town of Drumheller, Alberta. His father was Clarence Gerhart. He married his wife Margaret Tiffin on March 4, 1944 at Calgary.[1]

Political career

Gerhart ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1952 Alberta general election. He won a seat as a Social Credit candidate in the electoral district of Edmonton taking the fifth place seat.[2]

Gerhart ran for a second term in office in the 1955 Alberta general election. He was re-elected winning the final seat in the district.[3]

The Edmonton electoral district was broken up into single member riding's in the 1959 Boundary Redistribution. Gerhart ran for re-election in the new electoral district of Edmonton North West. He faced a hotly contested race for the new seat and was nearly defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Ned Feehan. Gerhart won the four way race with about 40% of the popular vote.[4]

A year later Gerhart ran for a seat as Alderman in the 1960 Edmonton election without resigning his provincial seat. He was defeated finishing 12th out of 15 candidates.[5]

Gerhart ran for a fourth term in office in the 1963 Alberta general election. He faced Feehan for the second time as well as future MLA Grant Notley in the four way race. The opposition vote collapsed while Gerhart's vote held he retained his seat easily.[6]

Gerhart stood for a fifth term in the 1967 Alberta general election. He faced a hotly contested five way race and almost lost his seat to Progressive Conservative candidate Paul Norris. He managed to hang on with a plurality of about 400 votes.[7]

Premier Ernest Manning appointed Gerhart to the Executive Council of Alberta on June 29, 1967. His first cabinet portfolio was Municipal Affairs. He served that until July 16, 1968 when he left to run for leadership of the Social Credit Party.

Gerhart would finish fifth out of six in the 1968 leadership election. He would not run on the second ballot. The winner of the election Harry Strom appointed Gerhart to serve as Attorney General on December 10, 1968. Two days later he would also get the Municipal Affairs portfolio back. He would hold that portfolio until May 27, 1969.

The 1971 boundary redistribution would see Edmonton North West abolished. Gerhart ran for a sixth term in office in the election held that year in the new electoral district of Edmonton-Calder but was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Tom Chambers.[8]

References

  1. "Stonehouse and Related Families". John Cardinal. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
  2. "Edmonton Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  3. "Edmonton Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  4. "Edmonton North West Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  5. "Election Results 1945 - 2007". City of Edmonton. p. 36. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  6. "Edmonton North West Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  7. "Edmonton North West Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  8. "Edmonton-Calder Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.

External links

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