Preceded by Eld Martin Occupation farmer, politician Political party Social Credit | Constituency Peace River Succeeded by Euell Montgomery Name William Gilliland | |
Born December 17, 1890
South Mountain, Ontario ( 1890-12-17 ) Died September 5, 1961(1961-09-05) (aged 70)
Edmonton, Alberta | ||
mid continental geology by william gilliland
William Floyd Gilliland (December 17, 1890 – September 5, 1961) was a farmer and a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1944 until his death in 1961. During his time in office he sat with the governing Social Credit caucus.
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Early life
Gilliland was a farmer in the Peace River district, he had farmed for 30 years before running for public office.
Political career
Gilliland ran for a seat to the Albert Legislature for the first time in the 1944 Alberta general election. He was nominated as the Social Credit candidate in a hotly contested three way race on the second count at a convention held in Grimshaw, Alberta on March 2, 1944. He ran against three other candidates in the 1944 Alberta general election. Gilliland would take over 50% of the vote to win on the first count defeating Independent incumbent Eld Martin who finished a distant third place to pick up the seat for Social Credit.
Gilliland ran for a second term in the 1948 Alberta general election. He won his second term with almost a landslide majority defeating two other candidates with over 60% of the popular vote. Of the 11 MLA's that represented Peace River until 1948 He became the first incumbent to hold Peace River for a second term in office.
Gilliland ran for a third term in the 1952 Alberta general election. Despite losing some of his popular vote from the 1948 election he rolled up a very large majority defeating two other candidates. He ran for a fourth term in the 1955 general election. For the second election in a row, he lost popularity. He still won over 50% of the popular vote to hold the district.
Gilliland ran for his final term in the 1959 general election. He reclaimed his vote share from the previous elections defeating two other candidates and taking over 60% of the popular vote.
Gilliland suffered a heart attack at the 1961 Social Credit national convention in Ottawa. He died later that year on September 5, 1961 while hospitalized in Edmonton.