Werner Schmidt
Leader of the Alberta Social Credit Party
In office
1973–1975
Preceded byJames Douglas Henderson (acting)
Succeeded byRobert Curtis Clark
Member of Parliament
for Kelowna
(Okanagan Centre; 1993–1997)
In office
October 25, 1993  January 23, 2006
Preceded byAl Horning
Succeeded byRon Cannan
Personal details
Born (1932-01-18) January 18, 1932
Coaldale, Alberta, Canada
Political partyConservative (since 2004)
Other political
affiliations
Reform (1993–2004)

Werner Schmidt (born January 18, 1932) is a former Canadian politician, teacher, and school principal.

Political career

Schmidt was vice-president of Lethbridge Community College when he was chosen to succeed Harry Strom as leader of the Alberta Social Credit Party following the defeat of Strom's government in 1971 despite the fact that Schmidt had never held a seat in the Alberta legislature. Schmidt defeated former Highways Minister Gordon Taylor and former Education Minister Robert Curtis Clark in an upset victory at the 1973 Alberta Social Credit leadership convention. After his leadership election, Schmidt ran in the electoral district of Calgary-Foothills in a by-election held on June 25, 1973 but was defeated by Stewart McCrae.[1]

Under his leadership, the party won only four seats in the 1975 provincial election and Schmidt, failing to win his own seat, returned to private life.

Schmidt left Alberta and moved to British Columbia joining the Reform Party of Canada at its inception and was a member of its first Executive Council. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 1988 federal election before winning a seat in the 1993 election representing Okanagan Centre. He was re-elected in 1997 representing Kelowna. He won election again in 2000 as a Canadian Alliance MP with 60% of the vote and won his fourth straight victory in the 2004, this time as a Conservative.

As a member of Parliament, Schmidt served as Critic for Industry, Critic for Public Works and Government Services and Critic for Seniors. He has also been a member of several Standing Committees including the Standing Committee on Industry, the Standing Committee on Finance, and the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

He served as Caucus Chair of the Canadian Alliance and Caucus Vice Chair when the party became the Conservative Party of Canada.

Schmidt retired from politics with the dissolution of parliament for the 2006 federal election.

Electoral history

2004 Canadian federal election: Kelowna—Lake Country
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeWerner Schmidt25,55348.0-19.7$61,185
LiberalVern Nielsen14,10926.5+2.7$58,986
New DemocraticStarleigh Grass8,95416.8+10.5$14,000
GreenKevin Ade3,9037.3$4,993
MarijuanaHuguette Plourde4470.8
Canadian ActionMichael Cassidyne-Hook2710.5-1.6
Total valid votes 53,237100.0
Total rejected ballots 1590.3-0.1
Turnout 53,39662.1-1.9

Note: Conservative vote is compared to the total of the Canadian Alliance vote and Progressive Conservative vote in 2000 election.

2000 Canadian federal election: Kelowna—Lake Country
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
AllianceWerner Schmidt33,81059.5+9.5$44,990
LiberalJoe Leask13,56423.9+1.5$46,876
Progressive ConservativeDoug Mallo4,7088.3-8.5$9,791
New DemocraticJohn O. Powell3,5726.3-1.3$9,493
Canadian ActionJack W. Peach1,1992.1$3,652
Total valid votes 56,853100.0
Total rejected ballots 2230.4+0.2
Turnout 57,07664.0+1.2

Note: Canadian Alliance vote is compared to the Reform vote in 1997 election.

1997 Canadian federal election: Kelowna—Lake Country
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ReformWerner Schmidt25,24650.0$48,355
LiberalJanna Francis11,30622.4$32,838
Progressive ConservativeAl Horning8,47716.8$47,498
New DemocraticFred Steele3,8387.6$11,443
GreenDavid Hughes1,6123.2$1,014
Total valid votes 50,479100.0
Total rejected ballots 1230.2
Turnout 50,60262.8

References

  1. "By-elections 1905-1973". Elections Alberta. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
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