Alfred Speakman | |
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Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons | |
In office 1921–1935 |
|
Preceded by | Michael Clark |
Succeeded by | Eric Joseph Poole |
Constituency | Red Deer |
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | |
In office March 21, 1940 – November 4, 1943 |
|
Preceded by | Alfred Hooke |
Succeeded by | David Ure |
Constituency | Red Deer |
Personal details | |
Born | August 24, 1880 Dundee, Scotland |
Died | November 4, 1943 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
(aged 63)
Political party | United Farmers of Alberta |
Residence | Red Deer, Alberta |
Alfred Speakman (August 24, 1880 – November 4, 1943) was a politician from Alberta, Canada.
Speakman was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in a landslide victory in the 1921 Canadian federal election as a United Farmers of Alberta Member of Parliament for Red Deer.
He would go on to be re-elected to 4 terms in office before his defeat in the 1935 Canadian federal election, in that election he ran under the Cooperative Commonwealth banner instead of the United Farmers banner. He was defeated by Social Credit candidate Eric Joseph Poole and finished that election a distant 3rd place.
Speakman was instrumental in helping the Unity Movement in Alberta take off to unite Alberta's opposition parties and oppose the Social Credit government. On October 12, 1937 Speakman used his background as a long serving Member of Parliament to bring delegates from the United Farmers, Conservatives, Liberals and some disillusioned Social Crediters to a conference in Red Deer that would help bring the Unity coalition together.
Speakman ran as an Independent in Red Deer in the 1940 Alberta general election and was elected with a comfortable vote margin after ballot transfers. Speakman served as an Independent in the Unity caucus until his death in 1943.
Speakman would briefly serve as Leader of the Official Opposition in Alberta in 1942.