Switzer, William “Bill” Alexander

  • From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: See full biography at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Switzer
  • Wiki Biography:
    • William “Bill” Alexander Switzer (September 21, 1920 – June 30, 1969) was a Canadian politician from Alberta. He served as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War and upon returning to Canada was elected Mayor of Hinton, Alberta, and later a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1965 to 1969 as a member of the opposition in the Liberal caucus. Two years after his death the Government of Alberta named William A. Switzer Provincial Park in his honour.
    • Switzer’s attendance at university was interrupted during his second year by the Second World War, where he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940 as a pilot, attaining the rank of Flight Lieuteant.
    • Switzer was elected as the first Mayor of his hometown of Hinton in 1958 and served in that position until 1964.
    • Switzer unsuccessfully contested seats for both the provincial legislature and federal parliament before winning a provincial by-election in 1965. He initially ran for the Alberta Legislature in the 1952 and 1955 general elections as a candidate for the provincial Liberal party in the electoral district of Edson. He was defeated both times by incumbent Social Credit MLA Norman Willmore.
    • In the Canadian federal election of 1963 Switzer ran as the Liberal candidate in the electoral district of Jasper—Edson. He finished a distant third place to incumbent Hugh Horner.
    • In 1965, Switzer attempted another run for the provincial legislature. He ran as a candidate in a by-election held on March 29, 1965, in the Edson electoral district, following Norman Willmore’s death in a car accident. Switzer defeated Alberta NDP leader Neil Reimer and A. W. Leonard, a local grocery store owner for the Social Credit Party, by just over 100 votes each, to sit in the 15th Alberta Legislature. Switzer faced Reimer again, as well as Social Credit candidate Arthur Jorgensen, in the 1967 general election for a seat in the 16th Alberta Legislature. Switzer defeated Jorgensen by over 800 votes, while Reimer finished with a close third place
  • Third Great Grandson of Proven Loyalist in Loyalist Directory : https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=8154
  • Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/153772128/william_a-switzer