Nicholas William "Nick" Taylor (November 17, 1927 – October 3, 2020) was a geologist, businessman and politician from Alberta, Canada.
Nick Taylor | |
|---|---|
| Senator from Alberta (Bon Accord, Sturgeon) | |
| In office March 7, 1996 – November 17, 2002 | |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | |
| In office 1986–1996 | |
| Constituency | Westlock-Sturgeon (1986–93) Redwater (1993–96) |
| Leader of the Alberta Liberal Party | |
| In office 1974–1988 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Russell |
| Succeeded by | Laurence Decore |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Nicholas William Taylor November 17, 1927 Bow Island, Alberta, Canada |
| Died | October 3, 2020 (aged 92) Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse | Margaret Davies (m. 1949) |
| Children | nine |
| Alma mater | University of Alberta |
| Profession | Businessman, geologist, engineer |
Early life
editNicholas William Taylor was born November 17, 1927, in Bow Island, Alberta to Marie Louise Ancion and Frederick David Taylor, and was the eldest of five children. Taylor traveled to Medicine Hat for High School, and attended the University of Alberta completing his studies in geology and mining engineering in 1949. Later that year Taylor married Margaret Davies on October 1 and together had nine children.[1][2]
Taylor worked as a geologist in the petroleum industry in Alberta during the 1950s and later started his own company Lochiel Exploration Ltd. in 1960.[2] Lochiel Exploration would prove to be successful, branching out to several countries until it entered receivership in 1986 following the downturn in oil markets.[3]
Political career
editTaylor started his political career by running in the 1968 and 1972 federal elections in Calgary Centre as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. He was defeated both times.
Taylor served as leader of the Alberta Liberal Party from 1974 to 1988. Taylor defeated his opponent for Liberal leadership John Borger, a former Centre for the Calgary Stampeders and PhD in biochemistry.[4] At the beginning of his leadership, the party was at its lowest point in history, where the last Liberal to serve in the Alberta Legislative Assembly, Bill Dickie of Calgary Glenmore, had crossed the floor to the Progressive Conservatives in 1969. During his time as Liberal leader, Taylor who was independently wealthy from the success of his oil exploration company Lochiel, donated significant sums to the party to keep it viable, with the Globe and Mail estimating the total above $100,000.[3] Taylor was defeated at the 1988 Liberal Convention by Edmonton Mayor Laurence Decore, garnering only 18 percent support.[3] Under Taylor's leadership the Alberta Liberal Party would split from the Liberal Party of Canada in 1976, after the Alberta Liberals received no funding from the federal party for the 1975 Alberta general election, with the federal wing instead supporting the Social Credit Party of Alberta in exchange for support in Parliament.[5]
Taylor slowly rebuilt the party in the face of the federal Liberal government's unpopularity in Alberta and its implementation of such programs as the National Energy Program. In the 1986 Alberta general election, the Liberals made a breakthrough by winning four seats. Taylor himself was elected by over 500 votes in the newly created northern Alberta riding of Westlock-Sturgeon; he was re-elected there in 1989. In 1993, Taylor was elected by 1700 votes in the newly created riding of Redwater against incumbent PC MLA Steve Zarusky.[6]
During his time in the Alberta Legislature, Taylor was known for his wit and banter with government members. On May 13, 1991, Taylor was ejected from the Legislature by Speaker David J. Carter for unparliamentary language following a resolution to congratulate Baltej Singh Dhillon, the first RCMP officer to wear a turban, was defeated. Taylor yelled "shame" at the government and called Speaker Carter "one of the crappiest speakers [I've] ever seen". Taylor apologized the next day.[7] His banter led to two Premiers issuing "no-laugh" orders to their caucuses when Taylor would speak negatively about the Progressive Conservative government or Ministers.[8]
Taylor was appointed to the Senate of Canada by Jean Chrétien in 1996 and served there until 2002, choosing Bon Accord and Sturgeon as his Senatorial constituency. Taylor was appointed to replace Bud Olson who was appointed as the 14th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. Following his appointment, Taylor acknowledged his appointment as patronage following criticism from prominent Reform Party Albertans. Future Prime Minister and Member of Parliament Stephen Harper criticized the appointment, stating "Mr. Taylor's only real qualification to the Senate is that he was Liberal leader and had the audacity to continue to be Liberal leader during the period of the National Energy Program".[9]
Later life
editFollowing his mandatory retirement from the Senate at the age of 75, Taylor retired from politics. In 2019, Taylor testified before the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources in defence of Bill C-69, which amended the regulatory review process for energy projects.
Taylor died in Peter Lougheed Hospital in Calgary on October 3, 2020, at the age of 92.[10]
Electoral record
editFederal elections
edit| 1968 Canadian federal election | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||||
| Progressive Conservative | Douglas Harkness | 16,977 | 47.07 | |||||
| Liberal | Nicholas Taylor | 16,676 | 46.24 | |||||
| New Democratic | Margaret Jackson | 2,413 | 6.69 | |||||
| Total | 36,066 | 100.00 | ||||||
| 1972 Canadian federal election | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Harvie Andre | 22,669 | 53.30 | +6.23 | ||||
| Liberal | Nicholas Taylor | 13,110 | 30.82 | -15.42 | ||||
| New Democratic | David Jones | 5,538 | 13.02 | +6.33 | ||||
| Social Credit | Clifford Willmott | 1,081 | 2.54 | * | ||||
| No affiliation | Frank Cottingham | 80 | 0.19 | * | ||||
| No affiliation | Colin Constant | 53 | 0.12 | * | ||||
| Total | 42,531 | 100.00 | ||||||
Provincial elections
edit| Alberta provincial by-election, November 21, 1979: Barrhead Following the resignation of Dr. Hugh Horner on October 1, 1979 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Ken Kowalski | 2,457 | 38.74 | -23.55 | ||||
| Liberal | Nicholas Taylor | 2,102 | 33.14 | +31.31 | ||||
| Social Credit | David Bouyea | 1,067 | 16.82 | -5.49 | ||||
| New Democratic | Arlington Corbett | 716 | 11.29 | -2.27 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 6,342 | – | – | |||||
| Rejected, spoiled, and declined | – | – | – | |||||
| Eligible voters / turnout | 11409 | 55.59 | -13.39 | |||||
| Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | -27.43 | ||||||
Source(s)
Elections Alberta. "By-elections". Retrieved 22 January 2018. | ||||||||
| 1982 Alberta general election: Barrhead | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Ken Kowalski | 5,001 | 51.44% | -10.85% | ||||
| Liberal | Nicholas Taylor | 3,331 | 34.26% | 32.43% | ||||
| Western Canada Concept | John Thomas Mitchell | 633 | 6.51% | – | ||||
| New Democratic | Harold Wharton | 478 | 4.92% | -8.65% | ||||
| Social Credit | Shirley Bassani | 240 | 2.47% | -19.84% | ||||
| Reform | Ernie Charman | 39 | 0.40% | – | ||||
| Total | 9,722 | – | – | |||||
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | 13 | – | – | |||||
| Eligible electors / turnout | 12,226 | 79.63% | – | |||||
| Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | -11.40% | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: "Barrhead Official Results 1982 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020. | ||||||||
| 1986 Alberta general election: Westlock-Sturgeon | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Liberal | Nicholas Taylor | 4,523 | 38.95% | – | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Lawrence Kluthe | 4,049 | 34.87% | – | ||||
| New Democratic | Bruce Lennon | 1,996 | 17.19% | – | ||||
| Representative | Tom Carleton | 911 | 7.84% | – | ||||
| Confederation of Regions | Adam Hauch | 78 | 0.67% | – | ||||
| Communist | Laurent St. Denis | 29 | 0.25% | – | ||||
| Heritage | Stan Pearson | 25 | 0.22% | – | ||||
| Total valid votes | 11,611 | – | – | |||||
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | 12 | – | – | |||||
| Registered electors / turnout | 18,572 | 62.58% | – | |||||
| Liberal pickup new district. | ||||||||
Source(s)
Source: "Westlock-Sturgeon Official Results 1986 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020. | ||||||||
| 1989 Alberta general election: Westlock-Sturgeon | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Liberal | Nicholas Taylor | 5,401 | 44.80% | +5.85% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Leo Seguin | 4,958 | 41.13% | +6.26% | ||||
| New Democratic | Tom Turner | 1,696 | 14.07% | -3.12% | ||||
| Total valid votes | 12,055 | – | – | |||||
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | 15 | – | – | |||||
| Registered electors / turnout | 19,662 | 61.38% | -1.20% | |||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | -0.21% | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: "Westlock-Sturgeon Official Results 1989 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020. | ||||||||
| 1993 Alberta general election: Redwater | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | %[11] | |||||
| Liberal | Nicholas Taylor | 6,429 | 51.38% | |||||
| Progressive Conservative | Steve Zarusky | 4,582 | 36.62% | |||||
| New Democratic | Robert Tomkins | 1,306 | 10.44% | |||||
| Natural Law | Geoff Toane | 196 | 1.57% | |||||
| Total valid votes | 12,513 | |||||||
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | 22 | |||||||
| Registered electors / Turnout | 19,775 | 63.39% | ||||||
| Liberal pickup new district. | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ O'Handley, Kathryn, ed. (2001). The Canadian Parliamentary Guide. Scarborough, Ontario: Gale Canada. p. 196. ISBN 0-7876-3561-8. ISSN 0315-6168. OCLC 659912934. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- ^ a b "OBITUARY OF NICHOLAS (NICK) WILLIAM TAYLOR". mhfh.com. McInnis & Holloway. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
- ^ a b c Fagan, Drew (10 October 1988). "Stabbed, smiling, Taylor makes exit". The Globe and Mail. p. A5.
- ^ "Will form official opposition". Calgary Herald. 2 March 1974. p. 1.
- ^ Sheppard, Robert (2 March 1985). "Caretaker leader finds wolves at heels: After decade in political wilderness, Taylor wants to stay for breakthrough". The Globe and Mail. Edmonton. p. 8.
- ^ "Redwater 1993 election results". Alberta Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
- ^ Konguavi, Thandiwe (21 November 2019). "Out of the House: a look at famous Alberta legislature ejections". CBC News. Edmonton. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
- ^ Martin, Don (8 November 2002). "Parting Shots from a true Grit". Calgary Herald. p. A3.
- ^ Alberts, Sheldon; Steinhart, David (8 March 1996). "Nick Taylor appointed to Senate". Calgary Herald. Ottawa. p. A3.
- ^ Babych, Stephanie (7 October 2020). "'Funny, fearless, deeply committed to making the world a better place': Former Alberta Liberal Party leader and senator Nick Taylor dies at 92". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
- ^ "Results for Westlock-Sturgeon". Heritage Community Foundation. Archived from the original on 8 December 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
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