Alfred Speakman

Alfred Speakman (August 24, 1880 – November 4, 1943) was a politician from Alberta, Canada.

Alfred Speakman
Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons
In office
1921–1935
Preceded byMichael Clark
Succeeded byEric Joseph Poole
ConstituencyRed Deer
Leader of the Official Opposition in Alberta
In office
January 29, 1942 – March 19, 1942
Preceded byJames H. Walker
Succeeded byJames Mahaffy
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office
March 21, 1940 – November 4, 1943
Preceded byAlfred Hooke
Succeeded byDavid Ure
ConstituencyRed Deer
Personal details
BornAugust 24, 1880
Dundee, Scotland
DiedNovember 4, 1943(1943-11-04) (aged 63)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Political partyUnited Farmers of Alberta (until 1935)
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (1935)
Independent Movement (1937-1943)
ResidenceRed Deer, Alberta

Early life

Speakman was born August 24, 1880 in Dundee, Scotland to James Speakman and Mary Hannah Farrar, and would immigrate to Canada in 1891. Speakman married Elva Pearl Soley with which he would have one daughter Mary Elva.[1]

Federal political career

Speakman was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1921 federal election in the district of Red Deer under the banner of the United Farmers of Alberta. He was re-elected in 1925, 1926 and 1930.

In the 1935 federal election he ran as a member of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation and finished a distant third to Social Credit candidate Eric Joseph Poole.

Provincial political career

Speakman was instrumental in the Unity Movement which united Alberta's opposition parties against the Social Credit government. On October 12, 1937 Speakman, as a long-serving Member of Parliament, brought delegates from the United Farmers, Conservatives, Liberals and some disillusioned Social Crediters to a conference in Red Deer that brought the Unity coalition together.[2]

Speakman ran as an independent in Red Deer in the 1940 Alberta general election and was elected with a comfortable vote margin after ballot transfers. Speakman served as an independent in the Unity caucus until his death in 1943.

Speakman served briefly as Leader of the Official Opposition in Alberta in 1942.[3]

Speakman would die suddenly in his home in Edmonton after suffering from poor health on November 4, 1943.[4]

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References
  1. Normandin, A. L., ed. (1943). The Canadian Parliamentary Guide. Ottawa: Mortimer Company Ltd. p. 380. ISSN 0315-6168. OCLC 893686591. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  2. "Speakman makes plea for unification of all political parties". Grand Prairie Herald. 2007-10-15. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  3. "Speakers Corner, Leaders of the Official Opposition, Alberta Hansard" (PDF). Alberta Legislative Assembly. 2006-03-21. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  4. "Alfred Speakman Red Deer M.L.A., Dies in Capital". Calgary Herald. November 4, 1943. p. 1. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
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