Winston Backus
Encyclopedia
Winston Osler Backus is a former provincial level politician from Alberta
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1971 to 1979. During his time in office he served as Minister of Public Works in the cabinet of Premier Peter Lougheed
from 1971 to 1975.
. He won the electoral district of Grande Prairie defeating Social Credit candidate William Bowes by a few hundred votes in a hotly contested three way race to pick up the district for the Progressive Conservatives who went on to form government in that election.
After the election Premier Peter Lougheed appointed Backus to the Executive Council of Alberta
to serve as Minister of Public Works in his first cabinet. He would run for a second term with ministerial advantage in the 1975 Alberta general election
. He was returned to office with a landslide victory, defeating three other candidates who saw their popular vote collapse.
Backus lost his portfolio when Lougheed shuffled his cabinet in 1975. He served out the rest of his term as a private member in the government and retired at dissolution of the assembly in 1979.
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...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He served as a member of 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...
from 1971 to 1979. During his time in office he served as Minister of Public Works in the cabinet of Premier Peter Lougheed
Peter Lougheed
Edgar Peter Lougheed, PC, CC, AOE, QC, is a Canadian lawyer, and a former politician and Canadian Football League player. He served as the tenth Premier of Alberta from 1971 to 1985....
from 1971 to 1975.
Political career
Backus ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1971 Alberta general electionAlberta general election, 1971
The Alberta general election of 1971 was the seventeenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 30, 1971 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He won the electoral district of Grande Prairie defeating Social Credit candidate William Bowes by a few hundred votes in a hotly contested three way race to pick up the district for the Progressive Conservatives who went on to form government in that election.
After the election Premier Peter Lougheed appointed Backus to the Executive Council of Alberta
Executive Council of Alberta
The Executive Council of Alberta is the cabinet of that Canadian province.Almost always made up of members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the Cabinet is similar in structure and role to the Cabinet of Canada while being smaller in size...
to serve as Minister of Public Works in his first cabinet. He would run for a second term with ministerial advantage in the 1975 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1975
The Alberta general election of 1975 was the eighteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 25, 1975 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He was returned to office with a landslide victory, defeating three other candidates who saw their popular vote collapse.
Backus lost his portfolio when Lougheed shuffled his cabinet in 1975. He served out the rest of his term as a private member in the government and retired at dissolution of the assembly in 1979.