Ronald Ansley
Encyclopedia
Ronald Earl Ansley was a provincial politician from Alberta
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1935 to 1963 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government and as an Independent.
in the 1935 Alberta general election
. He defeated incumbent Arthur Mitchell
and two other candidates by a wide majority to pickup the seat for his party.
Ansley ran for re-election in the 1940 Alberta general election
. He faced two other challenging candidates. Despite losing some of his popular vote from the 1935 election Ansley easily held his seat.
The 1944 Alberta general election
saw Ansley run for a third term in office. He won a larger majority to easily hold his seat in the three way race. After the election Premier Ernest Manning
appointed Ansley to the Executive Council of Alberta
on September 12, 1944 as Minister of Education in the ensuing cabinet shuffle. He held that post until February 23, 1948 when he resigned.
Ansley despite becoming increasingly unhappy with the Social Credit government over implementation of Douglas Monetary Reforms ran for re-election in the 1948 Alberta general election
. He was returned to office for his fourth term easily defeating the two other candidates.
Shortly after the election the Social Credit voted to exclude Albert Bourcier from the Social Credit caucus and expelled some other Douglasite Social Creditors from the party through a motion passed at the 1948 Social Credit AGM. Ansley who was a member of the group was not expelled and openly opposed the expulsions.
The Social Credit League formally asked the government in 1949 to expel all members of caucus including Ansley who held membership in the Douglas Social Credit Council.
In 1951 he openly led a revolt that defeated the Mineral Taxation Act 29 to 15 in a recorded division on third reading. He was expelled from caucus on June 16, 1952 after attending a nomination convention asking Bourcier to run as an Independent Social Credit candidate.
The Leduc Social Credit Constituency Association nominated Ansley as their candidate with a clause in the motion to endorse stating that he would be supported regardless of what banner he runs under. After being unable to run as a straight Social Credit candidate, Ansley stood for re-election as an Independent Social Credit candidate. He won a hotly contested race on the second ballot defeating two other candidates to return to his fifth term in office.
Ansley ran for a sixth term in office in the 1955 Alberta general election
. The race five way race was very closely contested. Ansely ended up holding on to his seat by winning in the fourth vote count.
Ansley ran for a seventh term in the 1959 Alberta general election
. He held his seat easily defeating two other candidates as no official Social Credit candidate ran against him.
Ansley ran for a eighth term in office in the 1963 Alberta general election
. He was defeated by Social Credit candidate James Henderson finishing a distant third place in a field of six candidates.
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...
, Canada
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...
. He served as a member of 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 1935 to 1963 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government and as an Independent.
Political career
Ansley ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature as a Social Credit candidate in the electoral district of LeducLeduc (provincial electoral district)
-1905 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive...
in the 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....
. He defeated incumbent Arthur Mitchell
Arthur Percy Mitchell
Arthur Percy Mitchell was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1930 to 1935 sitting with the Liberal caucus in opposition.-Political career:...
and two other candidates by a wide majority to pickup the seat for his party.
Ansley ran for re-election in the 1940 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1940
The Alberta general election of 1940 was the ninth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, was held on March 21, 1940 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He faced two other challenging candidates. Despite losing some of his popular vote from the 1935 election Ansley easily held his seat.
The 1944 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1944
The Alberta general election of 1944 was the tenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. The Assembly was dissolved on July 8, 1944 and the vote for was held on August 8, 1944 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
saw Ansley run for a third term in office. He won a larger majority to easily hold his seat in the three way race. After the election Premier Ernest Manning
Ernest Manning
Ernest Charles Manning, , a Canadian politician, was the eighth Premier of Alberta between 1943 and 1968 for the Social Credit Party of Alberta. He served longer than any premier in the province's history, and was the second longest serving provincial premier in Canadian history...
appointed Ansley to the Executive Council of Alberta
Executive Council of Alberta
The Executive Council of Alberta is the cabinet of that Canadian province.Almost always made up of members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the Cabinet is similar in structure and role to the Cabinet of Canada while being smaller in size...
on September 12, 1944 as Minister of Education in the ensuing cabinet shuffle. He held that post until February 23, 1948 when he resigned.
Ansley despite becoming increasingly unhappy with the Social Credit government over implementation of Douglas Monetary Reforms ran for re-election in the 1948 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1948
The Alberta general election of 1948 was the eleventh general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 17, 1948 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He was returned to office for his fourth term easily defeating the two other candidates.
Shortly after the election the Social Credit voted to exclude Albert Bourcier from the Social Credit caucus and expelled some other Douglasite Social Creditors from the party through a motion passed at the 1948 Social Credit AGM. Ansley who was a member of the group was not expelled and openly opposed the expulsions.
The Social Credit League formally asked the government in 1949 to expel all members of caucus including Ansley who held membership in the Douglas Social Credit Council.
In 1951 he openly led a revolt that defeated the Mineral Taxation Act 29 to 15 in a recorded division on third reading. He was expelled from caucus on June 16, 1952 after attending a nomination convention asking Bourcier to run as an Independent Social Credit candidate.
The Leduc Social Credit Constituency Association nominated Ansley as their candidate with a clause in the motion to endorse stating that he would be supported regardless of what banner he runs under. After being unable to run as a straight Social Credit candidate, Ansley stood for re-election as an Independent Social Credit candidate. He won a hotly contested race on the second ballot defeating two other candidates to return to his fifth term in office.
Ansley ran for a sixth term in office in the 1955 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1955
The Alberta general election of 1955 was the thirteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 29, 1955 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. The race five way race was very closely contested. Ansely ended up holding on to his seat by winning in the fourth vote count.
Ansley ran for a seventh term in the 1959 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1959
The Alberta general election of 1959 was the fourteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 18, 1959 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
. He held his seat easily defeating two other candidates as no official Social Credit candidate ran against him.
Ansley ran for a eighth term in office in the 1963 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1963
The Alberta general election of 1963 was the fifteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 17, 1963 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.The Social Credit Party, led by Ernest C...
. He was defeated by Social Credit candidate James Henderson finishing a distant third place in a field of six candidates.