Edgar Gerhart
| Edgar Henry Gerhart | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | |
|
In office August 5, 1952 – June 18, 1959 Serving with Ernest Manning, Abe Miller, John Page, James Prowse, Elmer Roper, Joseph Ross and Harold Tanner (1952-1959) | |
| Preceded by | Clayton Adams and Lou Heard |
| Succeeded by | District Abolished |
| Constituency | Edmonton |
|
In office June 18, 1959 – June 18, 1959 | |
| Preceded by | New District |
| Succeeded by | District Abolished |
| Constituency | Edmonton North West |
| Minister of Municipal Affairs | |
|
In office June 29, 1967 – July 16, 1968 | |
| Premier | Ernest Manning |
| Preceded by | Alfred Hooke |
| Succeeded by | Harry Strom |
|
In office December 12, 1968 – May 27, 1969 | |
| Premier | Harry Strom |
| Preceded by | Harry Strom |
| Succeeded by | Fred Colborne |
| Attorney General | |
|
In office December 10, 1968 – September 10, 1971 | |
| Premier | Harry Strom |
| Preceded by | Ernest Manning |
| Succeeded by | Merv Leitch |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 18, 1923 Drumheller, Alberta |
| Died | May 25, 1992 |
| Political party | Social Credit |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Tiffin |
| Occupation | lawyer judge and politician |
Edgar Henry Gerhart (December 18, 1923 – May 25, 1992) was a lawyer judge and provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1952 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government. During his time in office he served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Ernest Manning and Harry Strom from 1967 to 1971.
Early life
Edgar Henry Gerhart was born on December 18, 1923 in the town of Drumheller, Alberta. His father was Clarence Gerhart. He married his wife Margaret Tiffin on March 4, 1944 at Calgary.[1]
Political career
Gerhart ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1952 Alberta general election. He won a seat as a Social Credit candidate in the electoral district of Edmonton taking the fifth place seat.[2]
Gerhart ran for a second term in office in the 1955 Alberta general election. He was re-elected winning the final seat in the district.[3]
The Edmonton electoral district was broken up into single member riding's in the 1959 Boundary Redistribution. Gerhart ran for re-election in the new electoral district of Edmonton North West. He faced a hotly contested race for the new seat and was nearly defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Ned Feehan. Gerhart won the four way race with about 40% of the popular vote.[4]
A year later Gerhart ran for a seat as Alderman in the 1960 Edmonton election without resigning his provincial seat. He was defeated finishing 12th out of 15 candidates.[5]
Gerhart ran for a fourth term in office in the 1963 Alberta general election. He faced Feehan for the second time as well as future MLA Grant Notley in the four way race. The opposition vote collapsed while Gerhart's vote held he retained his seat easily.[6]
Gerhart stood for a fifth term in the 1967 Alberta general election. He faced a hotly contested five way race and almost lost his seat to Progressive Conservative candidate Paul Norris. He managed to hang on with a plurality of about 400 votes.[7]
Premier Ernest Manning appointed Gerhart to the Executive Council of Alberta on June 29, 1967. His first cabinet portfolio was Municipal Affairs. He served that until July 16, 1968 when he left to run for leadership of the Social Credit Party.
Gerhart would finish fifth out of six in the 1968 leadership election. He would not run on the second ballot. The winner of the election Harry Strom appointed Gerhart to serve as Attorney General on December 10, 1968. Two days later he would also get the Municipal Affairs portfolio back. He would hold that portfolio until May 27, 1969.
The 1971 boundary redistribution would see Edmonton North West abolished. Gerhart ran for a sixth term in office in the election held that year in the new electoral district of Edmonton-Calder but was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Tom Chambers.[8]
References
- ↑ "Stonehouse and Related Families". John Cardinal. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
- ↑ "Edmonton Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
- ↑ "Edmonton Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
- ↑ "Edmonton North West Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
- ↑ "Election Results 1945 - 2007". City of Edmonton. p. 36. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
- ↑ "Edmonton North West Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
- ↑ "Edmonton North West Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
- ↑ "Edmonton-Calder Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2010.