Preceded by Duncan MacMillan | Name Allen Patrick | |
Allen Russell Patrick (September 15, 1910 - December 25, 1995) was a stock broker, teacher and a 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 numerous portfolios as a cabinet minister in the governments of Ernest Manning and Harry Strom from 1955 to 1971.
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Early life
Allen Russell Patrick was born on September 15, 1910 in the town of Stettler, Alberta. He grew up in the town and earned his High School diploma in 1928. Patrick left for Calgary and began working as a Stock Broker. He lost his job after the stock market collapsed in 1929.
Patrick was unemployed for a year, before being accepted into a teaching training program in Camrose, Alberta. He began teaching students from Grades 1 to 9 in a small rural school. He used his summers off to take courses at the University of Alberta.
Patrick married Florence Lyon on December 22, 1934, they had a total of three kids together.
Political career
Patrick ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1952 Alberta general election. He ran as a Social Credit candidate in the electoral district of Lacombe. He defeated two other candidates with a large majority of the popular vote to hold the seat for his party.
Patrick ran for a second term in the 1955 Alberta general election. He faced a strong challenge from Progressive Conservative candidate Alfred Haarstad. Russell managed to take just over half of the popular vote in the three way race to hold his seat.
Premier Ernest Manning appointed Patrick to his first portfolio in the Executive Council of Alberta on August 2, 1955. Patrick became Minister of Economic Affairs. He ran for re-election as a cabinet minister in the 1959 Alberta general election. Patrick won his third term winning a very large majority.
After the election Manning shuffled the cabinet on September 1, 1959. Patrick's portfolio was abolished, but he was given two others instead. Patrick became the Minister of Industry and Development. He also became the Provincial Secretary.
Manning did another shuffle on October 15, 1962. Patrick became the Minister of Mines and Minerals and lost the Provincial Secretary position. He kept his other portfolio. Patrick ran for a fourth term in the 1963 Alberta general election. He won the largest majority and highest popular vote of his political career.
Patrick ran for a fifth term in the 1967 Alberta general election. He faced a strong challenge for his seat by Progressive Conservative candidate Jack Cookson. He held the district taking just under half the popular vote in the three way race.
A year and a half after the election on December 12, 1968 Patrick's portfolio was revised by Premier Harry Strom to include tourism. He became the Minister of Industry and Tourism and held that portfolio until May 27, 1969. He still kept his Economic Affairs portfolio holding that until the end of his career.
Patrick retired from provincial politics at dissolution of the Assembly in 1971.
Late life
After leaving public office Patrick records as a cabinet minister were donated to the Alberta Archives. Patrick died on December 25, 1995.