Grant Notley
| Grant Notley | |
|---|---|
|
Notley in 1982 | |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | |
|
In office August 30, 1971 – October 19, 1984 | |
| Preceded by | District created |
| Succeeded by | Jim Gurnett |
| Constituency | Spirit River-Fairview |
| Leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party | |
|
In office November 10, 1968 – October 19, 1984 | |
| Preceded by | Neil Reimer |
| Succeeded by | Ray Martin |
| Leader of the Official Opposition in Alberta | |
|
In office November 2, 1982 – October 19, 1984 | |
| Preceded by | Raymond Speaker |
| Succeeded by | Ray Martin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Walter Grant Notley January 19, 1939 Didsbury, Alberta |
| Died |
October 19, 1984 (aged 45) near High Prairie, Alberta |
| Political party | Alberta NDP |
| Children | Rachel, Paul and Stephen |
| Occupation | politician |
Walter Grant Notley (January 19, 1939 – October 19, 1984) was a Canadian politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 to 1984 and also served as leader of the Alberta NDP from 1968 to 1984.
Early life
Notley was born in Didsbury, Alberta, the son of Francis (Grant) and James Walter Notley, who were farmers.[1] He graduated from the University of Alberta in 1960 with a history degree. After having been involved with the Alberta New Democratic Party in campus politics, he became the party's provincial secretary in 1962.
Political career
Notley ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1963 as a candidate for the Alberta NDP. He was easily defeated finishing last in the four way race losing to incumbent Edgar Gerhart.[2]
He also ran 1967 provincial elections, and in a 1969 by-election. Notley was elected leader of the Alberta NDP in 1968.
Notley ran in the 1971 provincial election, he won a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the electoral district of Spirit River-Fairview defeating incumbent Adolph Fimrite.[3] He served as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Spirit River-Fairview, and was, for eleven years, the sole NDP MLA in the provincial legislature.
As a result of the 1982 provincial election, he was joined by a second NDP MLA, Ray Martin, and became leader of the opposition. Notley spent his political career patiently building the social democratic NDP in one of Canada's most conservative provinces.
Death
In October 1984, Notley and five other passengers were killed near Slave Lake in northern Alberta when Wapiti Aviation Flight 402 crashed into a snow-covered, wooded hillside.[4] Four people survived the crash, including then Minister of Housing, Larry Shaben. Notley's death came shortly before the party's breakthrough in the 1986 provincial election in which the NDP won 16 seats with 29 percent of the vote.
Personal life
Notley's daughter, Rachel Notley, ran as an NDP candidate and was elected in the provincial riding of Edmonton Strathcona in the 2008 provincial election. She won the Alberta New Democrat leadership election on October 18, 2014 and was elected premier of Alberta in the 2015 provincial election on May 5, 2015.
One of his two sons, Stephen Notley, writes the popular newspaper and web comic strip Bob the Angry Flower.[5]
His other son is Paul Notley.
References
- ↑ https://hermis.alberta.ca/PAA/Details.aspx?st=%22Legislative+Assembly%22&cp=20&sort=department&ReturnUrl=%2FPAA%2FSearch.aspx%3Fst%3D%2522Legislative%2BAssembly%2522%26cp%3D20%26sort%3Ddepartment&dv=True&DeptID=1&ObjectID=PR1560
- ↑ "Edmonton North West Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
- ↑ "Spirit River-Fairview results 1971". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
- ↑ Chris Nelson: The sad forgotten hero of the Grant Notley aircraft tragedy National Post
- ↑ "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Bob the Angry Flower reflects on 20 years". GigCity, September 1, 2012.
External links
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