Gordon Wright (politician)

Gordon Samuel Dales Wright
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office
May 8, 1986  October 18, 1990
Preceded by Julian Koziak
Succeeded by Barrie Chivers
Constituency Edmonton-Strathcona
Personal details
Born (1927-06-28)June 28, 1927
Died October 18, 1990(1990-10-18) (aged 63)
Political party Alberta NDP
Occupation lawyer, politician

Gordon Samuel Dales Wright (June 28, 1927 – October 18, 1990) was a lawyer who served as a Crown Prosecutor for the Attorney General's office. He was also former provincial politician and perennial candidate from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1986 until his death.

Political career

Wright was a long time NDP supporter. He first joined the Cooperative Commonwealth in the 1950s.[1] He ran for provincial office for the NDP for the first time in the 1967 Alberta general election in the electoral district of Edmonton North. Wright had a strong showing but was defeated finishing third out of fourth by incumbent Social Credit MLA Ethel Wilson.[2]

A year after his defeat he ran against Grant Notley in the 1968 NDP leadership election. He lost to Notely by a margin of 27 votes. He then became President of the party, and also later served numerous other positions on the provincial NDP executive.[1]

In the 1971 Alberta general election. Wright ran for his second time finishing third place in a field of three candidates in the Edmonton-Belmont electoral district. He finished behind Social Credit candidate Werner Schmidt and Progressive Conservative winner Bert Hohol.[3]

In the 1975 Alberta general election, Wright ran in Edmonton-Strathcona for the first time. He finished a strong second behind incumbent Julian Koziak.[4] He would run against Koziak for the second time in the 1979 Alberta general election this time doubling his popular vote but was unable to defeat him.[5] He would run against Koziak for a third time in the 1982 Alberta general election, Wright would gain another 2000 votes and come within 500 of defeating him in his closest election yet.[6]

After running five times unsuccessfully and three times in Edmonton-Strathcona, Wright was elected to the Alberta Legislature in the 1986 Alberta general election. He won the two way race and defeated incumbent Progressive Conservative MLA Julian Koziak. There were a total of six candidates running in the Edmonton-Strathcona electoral district but the other four candidates were not factors and trailed well behind in support.[7] Wright would win a his second and final term in the 1989 Alberta general election. All three candidates would have strong showings, Wright easily won the district by a comfortable margin.[8]

He died from Pancreatic Cancer on October 18, 1990.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 https://www.assembly.ab.ca/isys/LADDAR_files/docs/hansards/han/legislature_22/session_2/19901126_1430_01_han.pdf |chapter-url= missing title (help) (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. November 26, 1990. p. 2413.
  2. "Edmonton North results 1967". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  3. "Edmonton-Belmont results 1971". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  4. "Edmonton-Strathcona results 1975". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  5. "Edmonton-Strathcona results 1979". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  6. "Edmonton-Strathcona results 1982". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  7. "Edmonton-Strathcona results 1986". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  8. "Edmonton-Strathcona results 1989". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.

External links

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