Archie Matheson
Encyclopedia
Archibald Malcolm Matheson was a Canadian politician who represented Vegreville
in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1921 until 1935. He was elected in the 1921 election
and re-elected in 1926
and 1930
as a member of the United Farmers of Alberta
(UFA), which was the governing party of his entire time in office.
Despite this, Matheson frequently opposed government policy. In January 1923 he objected to Herbert Greenfield
's government's continued support of prohibition
, remarking "This government has acted as philosopher, guide, and God to the people long enough." In 1926, he expressed frustration with the John Brownlee
government's delay in providing a new police station for his riding, going so far as to threaten to raise the matter in the legislature. In February 1928, he led the opposition to Brownlee's proposal to exempt lawyers and trust companies wishing to act as real estate
agents from the new $1,000 bond required of others wishing to do so. Matheson proposed eliminating this exemption and raising the amount of the bond to $5,000. He was partially successful: the bond remained at $1,000 and trust companies remained exempt, but lawyers were barred from the real estate business all together. Matheson was also an active opponent of the Sexual Sterilization Act of Alberta
, and attempted to adjourn debate before it came to a vote. When he failed, he absented himself from the final vote as a sign of protest. He was a vocal advocate for farmers and in the 1930s proposed unsuccessfully that the government declare a moratorium on the collection of debts from them.
His aggressive approach to the government sometimes paid off, as in his lobbying for the construction of a courthouse in Vegreville. In 1929 Vegreville was designated as a judicial subdistrict, which entitled it to court offices, a deputy sheriff, and a clerk of court. The following year it was awarded a full courthouse.
Matheson sought re-election in the 1935 election
, but finished a distant third, joining every UFA candidate in the province in defeat, as William Aberhart
's new Social Credit League
achieved a large majority.
Vegreville (provincial electoral district)
Vegreville was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1993.-1957 liquor plebiscite:...
in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
from 1921 until 1935. He was elected in the 1921 election
Alberta general election, 1921
The Alberta general election of 1921 was the fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on July 18, 1921 to elect members to the 5th Alberta Legislative Assembly....
and re-elected in 1926
Alberta general election, 1926
The Alberta general election of 1926 was the sixth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 28, 1926 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The writs of election were issued on May 10, 1926 allowing for an election period of 40 days.After Herbert...
and 1930
Alberta general election, 1930
The Alberta general election of 1930 was the seventh general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 19, 1930 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
as a member of the United Farmers of Alberta
United Farmers of Alberta
The United Farmers of Alberta is an association of Alberta farmers that has served many different roles throughout its history as a lobby group, a political party, and as a farm-supply retail chain. Since 1934 it has primarily been an agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary...
(UFA), which was the governing party of his entire time in office.
Despite this, Matheson frequently opposed government policy. In January 1923 he objected to Herbert Greenfield
Herbert Greenfield
Herbert W. Greenfield was a Canadian politician who served as the fourth Premier of Alberta from 1921 until 1925. Born in Winchester, Hampshire, in England, he immigrated to Canada in his late twenties, settling first in Ontario and then in Alberta, where he farmed...
's government's continued support of prohibition
Prohibition in Canada
The temperance movement reached its height in Canada in the 1920s, when outside imports were cut off by provincial referendums. As legislation prohibiting consumption of alcohol was repealed, it was typically replaced with regulation restricting the sale of alcohol to minors and imposing excise...
, remarking "This government has acted as philosopher, guide, and God to the people long enough." In 1926, he expressed frustration with the John Brownlee
John Edward Brownlee
John Edward Brownlee was the fifth Premier of Alberta, Canada, serving from 1925 until 1934. Born in Port Ryerse, Ontario, he studied history and political science at the University of Toronto's Victoria College before moving west to Calgary to become a lawyer...
government's delay in providing a new police station for his riding, going so far as to threaten to raise the matter in the legislature. In February 1928, he led the opposition to Brownlee's proposal to exempt lawyers and trust companies wishing to act as real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
agents from the new $1,000 bond required of others wishing to do so. Matheson proposed eliminating this exemption and raising the amount of the bond to $5,000. He was partially successful: the bond remained at $1,000 and trust companies remained exempt, but lawyers were barred from the real estate business all together. Matheson was also an active opponent of the Sexual Sterilization Act of Alberta
Sexual Sterilization Act of Alberta
In 1928, the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada, enacted the Sexual Sterilization Act. The Act, drafted to protect the gene pool, allowed for sterilization of mentally disabled persons in order to prevent the transmission of undesirable traits to offspring.At that time, eugenicists argued that...
, and attempted to adjourn debate before it came to a vote. When he failed, he absented himself from the final vote as a sign of protest. He was a vocal advocate for farmers and in the 1930s proposed unsuccessfully that the government declare a moratorium on the collection of debts from them.
His aggressive approach to the government sometimes paid off, as in his lobbying for the construction of a courthouse in Vegreville. In 1929 Vegreville was designated as a judicial subdistrict, which entitled it to court offices, a deputy sheriff, and a clerk of court. The following year it was awarded a full courthouse.
Matheson sought re-election in the 1935 election
Alberta general election, 1935
The Alberta general election of 1935 was the eighth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 22, 1935 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
, but finished a distant third, joining every UFA candidate in the province in defeat, as William Aberhart
William Aberhart
William Aberhart , also known as Bible Bill for his outspoken Baptist views, was a Canadian politician and the seventh Premier of Alberta between 1935 and 1943. The Social Credit party believed the reason for the depression was that people did not have enough money to spend, so the government...
's new Social Credit League
Social Credit Party of Alberta
The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values....
achieved a large majority.
Electoral record
| 1935 Alberta general election Alberta general election, 1935 The Alberta general election of 1935 was the eighth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 22, 1935 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.... results (Vegreville Vegreville (provincial electoral district) Vegreville was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1993.-1957 liquor plebiscite:... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 82.5% | |||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Second count |
Social Credit Social Credit Party of Alberta The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values.... |
James McPherson | 3,047 | 59.60% |
Liberal Alberta Liberal Party The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time... |
Charles Gordon | 2,065 | 40.40% | ||||||||||||
| First count |
Social Credit Social Credit Party of Alberta The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values.... |
James McPherson | 2,817 | 50.29% |
Liberal Alberta Liberal Party The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time... |
Charles Gordon | 1,681 | 30.01% |
United Farmers of Alberta United Farmers of Alberta The United Farmers of Alberta is an association of Alberta farmers that has served many different roles throughout its history as a lobby group, a political party, and as a farm-supply retail chain. Since 1934 it has primarily been an agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary... |
Archie Matheson | 995 | 17.76% |
Conservative Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta... |
M. H. Penish | 109 | 1.95% | ||||
| 1930 Alberta general election Alberta general election, 1930 The Alberta general election of 1930 was the seventh general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 19, 1930 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.... results (Vegreville Vegreville (provincial electoral district) Vegreville was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1993.-1957 liquor plebiscite:... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 72.9% | |||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
United Farmers of Alberta United Farmers of Alberta The United Farmers of Alberta is an association of Alberta farmers that has served many different roles throughout its history as a lobby group, a political party, and as a farm-supply retail chain. Since 1934 it has primarily been an agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary... |
Archie Matheson | 2,364 | 57.36% |
Liberal Alberta Liberal Party The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time... |
Harry A. White | 1,757 | 42.64% | |||||||||
| 1926 Alberta general election Alberta general election, 1926 The Alberta general election of 1926 was the sixth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 28, 1926 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The writs of election were issued on May 10, 1926 allowing for an election period of 40 days.After Herbert... results (Vegreville Vegreville (provincial electoral district) Vegreville was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1993.-1957 liquor plebiscite:... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 71.1% | |||||||||||||||||||
| Second count |
United Farmers of Alberta United Farmers of Alberta The United Farmers of Alberta is an association of Alberta farmers that has served many different roles throughout its history as a lobby group, a political party, and as a farm-supply retail chain. Since 1934 it has primarily been an agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary... |
Archie Matheson | 2,217 | 56.57% |
Liberal Alberta Liberal Party The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time... |
J. D. Hannan | 1,702 | 43.43% | ||||||||||||
| First count |
United Farmers of Alberta United Farmers of Alberta The United Farmers of Alberta is an association of Alberta farmers that has served many different roles throughout its history as a lobby group, a political party, and as a farm-supply retail chain. Since 1934 it has primarily been an agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary... |
Archie Matheson | 1,986 | 45.09% |
Liberal Alberta Liberal Party The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time... |
J. D. Hannan | 1,395 | 31.67% |
Conservative Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta... |
A. W. Fraser | 687 | 15.60% |
Independent United Farmers of Alberta Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
P. Bahry | 337 | 7.65% | ||||
| 1921 Alberta general election Alberta general election, 1921 The Alberta general election of 1921 was the fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on July 18, 1921 to elect members to the 5th Alberta Legislative Assembly.... results (Vegreville Vegreville (provincial electoral district) Vegreville was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1993.-1957 liquor plebiscite:... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 98.0% | |||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
United Farmers of Alberta United Farmers of Alberta The United Farmers of Alberta is an association of Alberta farmers that has served many different roles throughout its history as a lobby group, a political party, and as a farm-supply retail chain. Since 1934 it has primarily been an agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary... |
Archie Matheson | 3,047 | 69.69% |
Liberal Alberta Liberal Party The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time... |
Joseph S. McCallum Joseph S. McCallum Joseph Seely McCallum was a politician from Alberta, Canada.McCallum was first elected to the Alberta Legislature in the 1913 Alberta general election. He defeated independent candidate Peter Savarich by a wide and comfortable margin to earn his first term in office... |
1,325 | 30.31% | |||||||||