James Douglas Henderson

James Douglas Henderson (January 2, 1927 – June 29, 2020) was a politician from Alberta, Canada.[1] He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1963 to 1975, first as a member of the Social Credit Party and later as an independent. He served as a cabinet minister in the government of Harry Strom from 1969 to 1971.

For people with a similar name, see James Henderson.

James Douglas Henderson
Leader of the Official Opposition in Alberta
In office
February 15, 1973 – August 21, 1973
Preceded byHarry Strom
Succeeded byRobert Curtis Clark
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office
June 17, 1963 – August 30, 1971
Preceded byRonald Ansley
ConstituencyLeduc
In office
August 30, 1971 – March 25, 1975
Succeeded byDallas Schmidt
ConstituencyWetaskiwin-Leduc
Minister of Health
In office
May 20, 1969 – September 10, 1971
PremierHarry Strom
Preceded byJ. Donovan Ross
Succeeded byNeil Crawford
Minister of the Environment
In office
April 1, 1971 – September 10, 1971
PremierHarry Strom
Succeeded byWilliam Yurko
Personal details
Born(1927-01-02)January 2, 1927
Okotoks, Alberta, Canada
DiedJune 29, 2020(2020-06-29) (aged 93)
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Political partySocial Credit
Independent
Occupationpolitician

Political career

Henderson was born in Okotoks, Alberta.[2] He first ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1963 general election as the Social Credit candidate in the electoral district of Leduc. He defeated five other candidates, including incumbent Ronald Ansley, an independent Social Crediter, and Edmonton councillor Ron Hayter, a Liberal.[3]

In the 1967 general election Henderson defeated three other candidates by a larger margin of victory than in 1963.[4]

Henderson was appointed a Commissioner of Oaths on October 24, 1967.[5] He was appointed Minister of Health and Minister of the Environment by Premier Harry Strom.

In 1971, redistribution resulted in the abolition of the electoral district of Leduc, and Henderson ran in the new electoral district of Wetaskiwin-Leduc in the election held that year. Henderson won the seat by a narrow margin over Progressive Conservative candidate Emanuel Pyrcz.[6] The Social Credit government was defeated, and Henderson and the remaining Social Credit MLAs moved to the Opposition benches. Strom resigned the party's leadership in 1972, and Henderson was named interim leader of the party and thus became Leader of the Opposition.

Werner Schmidt became party leader in 1973 but did not have a seat in the legislature, so Henderson continued as parliamentary leader and Leader of the Opposition for most of the year. However, he quit the party in September and sat as an independent. He retired at dissolution of the assembly in 1975.

References
  1. "Remembering the life of James Henderson 1927 - 2020".
  2. Normandin, P.G.; Normandin, A.L. (1975). "Guide parlementaire canadien". The Canadian Parliamentary Guide = Guide Parlementaire Canadien. P.G. Normandin. ISSN 0315-6168. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  3. "Leduc results 1963". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
  4. "Leduc results 1967". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
  5. The Alberta Gazette (Vol 63 No 21 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1967. p. 2202.
  6. "Wetaskiwin-Leduc results 1971". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
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