Bill Sveinson
Encyclopedia
William Martin "Bill" Sveinson was a politician
in the Canadian
province of Saskatchewan
in the 1980s. He was first elected under the Conservatives in 1982
and represented the riding
of Regina North West
.
Sveinson crossed the floor in 1983 and was, for a time, the only Member of the Legislative Assembly
(MLA) for the Saskatchewan Liberal Party
, but he was ousted from the party in 1985 as a result of apparent disagreements between Sveinson and Ralph Goodale (then leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal party) over legislative questioning tactics.
Oral questions during question period were a tactic used by opposition members to question the government. An oversight allowed Sveinson to continue with his oral questioning preventing an orderly closure to question period thus stopping the business of the house. The rules allowed question period to continue indefinitely. The purpose was to force the government to settle with constituents who had financial promises from the provincial government unfulfilled.
Sveinson continued to sit as an independent
MLA until he joined the Western Canada Concept Party of Saskatchewan
in 1986. The WCC had no members in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
at that time. The WCC advocated the separation from Canada of the four western provinces (British Columbia
, Alberta
, Saskatchewan
and Manitoba
).
He subsequently convinced Progressive Conservative MLA, Lloyd Hampton to join him in Opposition. This gave the WCC two seats in the legislature, enough to receive official party standing, and therefore a research budget paid for by the Legislature. Official party status gave the two members research funding to provide effective opposition. Subsequently, the rules were changed to prevent future use of this tactic.
The WCC was split over whether to accept the two new members: the party leader supported accepting them, while the party president was opposed. After a few months, Sveinson and Hampton were expelled from the party.
His political tenure ended with the 1986 provincial election
.
Sveinson won the 2005 Canadian No-limit Poker Championship, with a first prize of $33,500.00.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in the Canadian
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...
province of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
in the 1980s. He was first elected under the Conservatives in 1982
Saskatchewan general election, 1982
The Saskatchewan general election of 1982 was the twentieth provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on April 26, 1982, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
and represented the riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Regina North West
Regina Walsh Acres
Regina Walsh Acres is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, Canada. Originally created for the 16th Saskatchewan general election in 1967, this constituency has changed boundaries many times....
.
Sveinson crossed the floor in 1983 and was, for a time, the only Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
(MLA) for the Saskatchewan Liberal Party
Saskatchewan Liberal Party
The Saskatchewan Liberal Party is a liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.-Early history :The party dominated Saskatchewan politics for the province's first forty years providing six of the first seven Premiers, and being in power for all but five of the years between the...
, but he was ousted from the party in 1985 as a result of apparent disagreements between Sveinson and Ralph Goodale (then leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal party) over legislative questioning tactics.
Oral questions during question period were a tactic used by opposition members to question the government. An oversight allowed Sveinson to continue with his oral questioning preventing an orderly closure to question period thus stopping the business of the house. The rules allowed question period to continue indefinitely. The purpose was to force the government to settle with constituents who had financial promises from the provincial government unfulfilled.
Sveinson continued to sit as an independent
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...
MLA until he joined the Western Canada Concept Party of Saskatchewan
Western Canada Concept Party of Saskatchewan
The Western Canada Concept Party of Saskatchewan was a provincial political party that was the Saskatchewan, Canada branch of the Western Canada Concept, a federal political party that advocated the separation of the four western provinces of Canada to form a new country.The party's zenith was the...
in 1986. The WCC had no members in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
The 25th Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan was in power from 2003 until November 20, 2007. It was controlled by the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party under premier Lorne Calvert.-Members:-By-elections:...
at that time. The WCC advocated the separation from Canada of the four western provinces (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...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
and Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
).
He subsequently convinced Progressive Conservative MLA, Lloyd Hampton to join him in Opposition. This gave the WCC two seats in the legislature, enough to receive official party standing, and therefore a research budget paid for by the Legislature. Official party status gave the two members research funding to provide effective opposition. Subsequently, the rules were changed to prevent future use of this tactic.
The WCC was split over whether to accept the two new members: the party leader supported accepting them, while the party president was opposed. After a few months, Sveinson and Hampton were expelled from the party.
His political tenure ended with the 1986 provincial election
Saskatchewan general election, 1986
The Saskatchewan general election of 1986 was the twenty-first provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on October 20, 1986, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
.
Sveinson won the 2005 Canadian No-limit Poker Championship, with a first prize of $33,500.00.