Walter van de Walle
Encyclopedia
Walter van de Walle was a Canadian politician from Alberta
and former member of the Canadian House of Commons
.
Van de Walle was born in to Belgian
immigrants in the hamlet of Villeneuve
on the shores of Big Lake, Alberta. He lived his whole life in the area, and married Fernande Prefontaine in 1950. In 1945, he moved to Legal in order to farm.
Van de Walle's political career began in 1958 when he was elected to the Sturgeon
school division board of trustees, on which he served until 1965. In 1959, he was elected to the Sturgeon County council. He was re-elected in 1962, 1965, 1968, 1971 and 1974. He left municipal politics in 1977.
In 1985, Van de Walle was inducted into the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame for his advocacy of canola products and for starting a provincial program that urged farmers to use herbicides more responsibly.
In 1986, Peter Elzinga
resigned his position as Member of Parliament for Pembina
to run for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
. Van de Walle was nominated to be his replacement by the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
, and won a narrow upset victory over New Democrat
Ivor Dent
, a former Mayor of Edmonton.
Van de Walle was easily re-elected in the 1988 election
in the newly-formed riding of St. Albert, receiving more than twice the votes of his closest rival. He did not seek re-election in the 1993 election
.
Following his retirement from politics, Van de Walle continued to live near Legal and continued to be active in the community. He served as a trustee of the Sturgeon Hospital Foundation and was an active member of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians
.
On April 21, 2011, Van de Walle died in St. Albert
at the age of 88.
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and former member of the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
.
Van de Walle was born in to Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
immigrants in the hamlet of Villeneuve
Villeneuve, Alberta
Villeneuve is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Sturgeon County. It is located on Highway 44, approximately northwest of Edmonton's city limits.- Demographics :...
on the shores of Big Lake, Alberta. He lived his whole life in the area, and married Fernande Prefontaine in 1950. In 1945, he moved to Legal in order to farm.
Van de Walle's political career began in 1958 when he was elected to the Sturgeon
Sturgeon County, Alberta
Sturgeon County is a municipal district in Alberta's Edmonton Capital Region, Canada.It begins at the north end of Edmonton, with 97th street turning into Highway 28. It extends east to Fort Saskatchewan and west to Calahoo. It is located in Division No. 11....
school division board of trustees, on which he served until 1965. In 1959, he was elected to the Sturgeon County council. He was re-elected in 1962, 1965, 1968, 1971 and 1974. He left municipal politics in 1977.
In 1985, Van de Walle was inducted into the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame for his advocacy of canola products and for starting a provincial program that urged farmers to use herbicides more responsibly.
In 1986, Peter Elzinga
Peter Elzinga
Peter Elzinga was the executive director of the Progressive Conservative Party in Alberta, Canada, a former Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons and former cabinet minister in Alberta....
resigned his position as Member of Parliament for Pembina
Pembina (Alberta electoral district)
Pembina was a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1988.This riding was created in 1966 from parts of Athabaska, Edmonton West, Jasper—Edson and Vegreville ridings....
to run for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
. Van de Walle was nominated to be his replacement by the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
, and won a narrow upset victory over New Democrat
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
Ivor Dent
Ivor Dent
Ivor Graham Dent, was a politician from Alberta, Canada, a mayor of Edmonton, and a former candidate for the Canadian House of Commons and the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.-Early life:...
, a former Mayor of Edmonton.
Van de Walle was easily re-elected in the 1988 election
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
in the newly-formed riding of St. Albert, receiving more than twice the votes of his closest rival. He did not seek re-election in the 1993 election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
.
Following his retirement from politics, Van de Walle continued to live near Legal and continued to be active in the community. He served as a trustee of the Sturgeon Hospital Foundation and was an active member of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians
Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians
The Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians is a non-profit organization, established by an Act of the Parliament of Canada, the membership of which is composed of former members of the Senate or House of Commons of Canada.-History:...
.
On April 21, 2011, Van de Walle died in St. Albert
St. Albert, Alberta
St. Albert is a suburban city in Alberta, located northwest of Edmonton, on the Sturgeon River. It was originally settled as a Métis community, and is now the second largest city in the Edmonton area. St...
at the age of 88.