Alex Fraser (politician)
Encyclopedia
The Hon. Alexander Vaughan (Alex) Fraser (June 22, 1916 — May 9, 1989) was a Canadian
politician. Fraser began his career as a businessman in the central British Columbia
town of Quesnel
, located in the Cariboo
region.
Fraser came from a political family. His father, John, served in both the provincial legislature
and federal parliament. Fraser himself began his own political career in 1949, when he was elected as commissioner of Quesnel. In 1950, Fraser was elected reeve (later mayor
) of Quesnel, a position he would hold for the next twenty years. During that time, he served both as president of the Union of B.C. Municipalities and chair of the Cariboo Regional District
.
Fraser made the leap from local to provincial politics in 1969, successfully taking the Cariboo riding
for the British Columbia Social Credit Party
. He would hold the seat for the next twenty years, until throat cancer
forced him to resign a few months before his death.
Fraser was a prominent member of the cabinets of Premiers Bill Bennett
and Bill Vander Zalm
, serving as the province's Minister of Transportation and Highways a cumulative total of eleven years between 1975 and 1989.
The Alex Fraser Bridge
over the Fraser River
(the river named for the explorer, Simon Fraser
, and not the politician) is named in his honour. Part of Highway 91, the bridge links the municipalities of Richmond
and Delta
. The Alex Fraser Research Forest
was created in 1987, and named in his honour. The Research Forest is operated by the University of British Columbia Faculty of Forestry, and is located east of Williams Lake. A park in Quesnel is also named for him.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician. Fraser began his career as a businessman in the central British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
town of Quesnel
Quesnel, British Columbia
-Demographics:Quesnel had a population of 9,326 people in 2006, which was a decrease of 7.1% from the 2001 census count. The median household income in 2005 for Quesnel was $54,044, which is slightly above the British Columbia provincial average of $52,709....
, located in the Cariboo
Cariboo
The Cariboo is an intermontane region of British Columbia along a plateau stretching from the Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. The name is a reference to the woodland caribou that were once abundant in the region...
region.
Fraser came from a political family. His father, John, served in both the provincial legislature
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
and federal parliament. Fraser himself began his own political career in 1949, when he was elected as commissioner of Quesnel. In 1950, Fraser was elected reeve (later mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
) of Quesnel, a position he would hold for the next twenty years. During that time, he served both as president of the Union of B.C. Municipalities and chair of the Cariboo Regional District
Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia
The Cariboo Regional District spans the towns of Quesnel, Williams Lake, 100 Mile House, and Wells in the Central Interior of British Columbia.The Canada 2006 Census population was 62,190 persons living on a land area of 80,629.34 km²...
.
Fraser made the leap from local to provincial politics in 1969, successfully taking the Cariboo riding
Cariboo (provincial electoral district)
Cariboo was one of the twelve original electoral districts created when British Columbia became a Canadian province in 1871. Roughly corresponding to the old colonial electoral administrative district of the same name, it was a three-member riding until the 1894 election, when it was reduced...
for the British Columbia Social Credit Party
British Columbia Social Credit Party
The British Columbia Social Credit Party, whose members are known as Socreds, was the governing political party of British Columbia, Canada, for more than 30 years between the 1952 provincial election and the 1991 election...
. He would hold the seat for the next twenty years, until throat cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
forced him to resign a few months before his death.
Fraser was a prominent member of the cabinets of Premiers Bill Bennett
Bill Bennett
William Richards Bennett, PC, OBC , commonly known as Bill Bennett, was the 27th Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia 1975–1986. He is a son of the former Premier, W. A. C. Bennett. He was a 3rd cousin, twice removed, of R.B...
and Bill Vander Zalm
Bill Vander Zalm
Wilhelmus Nicholaas Theodore Marie "Bill" Vander Zalm is a politician and entrepreneur in British Columbia, Canada. He was the 28th Premier of British Columbia from 1986 to 1991.-Early life:...
, serving as the province's Minister of Transportation and Highways a cumulative total of eleven years between 1975 and 1989.
The Alex Fraser Bridge
Alex Fraser Bridge
The Alex Fraser Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge over the Fraser River and connects Richmond and New Westminster with North Delta in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. The bridge is named for Alex Fraser, a former B.C...
over the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
(the river named for the explorer, Simon Fraser
Simon Fraser (explorer)
Simon Fraser was a fur trader and an explorer who charted much of what is now the Canadian province of British Columbia. Fraser was employed by the Montreal-based North West Company. By 1805, he had been put in charge of all the company's operations west of the Rocky Mountains...
, and not the politician) is named in his honour. Part of Highway 91, the bridge links the municipalities of Richmond
Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
and Delta
Delta, British Columbia
Delta is a district municipality in British Columbia, and forms part of Metro Vancouver. Located south of Richmond, it is bordered by the Fraser River to the north, the United States to the south and the city of Surrey to the east...
. The Alex Fraser Research Forest
Alex Fraser Research Forest
The Alex Fraser Research Forest is 98.02km² of crown land in the Cariboo region of British Columbia, Canada. It is managed by the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia, to create opportunities for education, research and demonstration of sustainable forest management and to...
was created in 1987, and named in his honour. The Research Forest is operated by the University of British Columbia Faculty of Forestry, and is located east of Williams Lake. A park in Quesnel is also named for him.
External links
- http://www.livinglandscapes.bc.ca/upperfraserbasin/gertrude/family_legacy.htmlInformation from the Royal British Columbia MuseumRoyal British Columbia MuseumThe Royal British Columbia Museum is a natural history and human history museum in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, founded in 1886. The "Royal" title was approved by Queen Elizabeth II and bestowed by HRH Prince Philip in 1987, to coincide with a Royal tour that year...
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