Galen Norris
Galen Clark Norris (November 7, 1915 – August 10, 2001) was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1959 to 1971. Early life Galen Clark Noris was born on November 7, 1915. He resided in the small town of Erskine, Alberta just west of Stettler. Political career First term Norris was first elected to serve in the Alberta Legislature in a by-election held in the Stettler provincial electoral district on November 16, 1956. The by-election was caused by the death of former Social Credit MLA John E. Clark. Norris ran against a single opponent, Murray Rairdan representing the provincial Liberals. On election night Norris won a healthy majority of 61.79 percent of the popular vote cast. He easily held the district for the governing Social Credit party. Norris took his seat for the first time to sit with the Social Credit caucus on February 15, 1957 during the third session of the 13th Legislative Assembly. He was appointed to sit on a total of five standing committee's in his first term in office. Norris was appointed as the Chairman for the Standing Committee for Law Amendments. He also served as a regular member of the Standing Committee for Municipal Law; Public Accounts; Privileges and Elections; and Railways, Telephones and Irrigation. Norris did not move and bills or motions in the third session, but he did second the motion to move the speech from the throne. Norris participated in ? recorded votes during his first term in office. He recorded his first vote on February 19, 1957 voting to defeat a Liberal motion introduced by Lac La Biche MLA Michael Maccagno, calling for the Social Credit government to study ways to give Alberta adequate Air Ambulance service in the province. A week later Norris voted in favor of an almost unanimous motion introduced by Olds MLA Frederick Niddrie to call on the Parliament of Canada to repeal section 12 of the Indian Act. A few days later Norris would vote against to defeat a motion introduced by Liberal MLA from Vermilion Russell Whitson to have the government cover the cost for farmers of halving calves vaccinated against Brucellosis. The most contentious vote of Norris' first term in the Assembly came on March 12, 1957 in order to adopt a motion to create the 1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite. The vote was hotly contested with a number of Social Credit MLAs breaking the party line to vote in favor of it. Norris voted against holding the plebiscite, but the vote was won 28 to 27. Norris voted on the only bill during the session to have a recorded vote. Bill 95 introduced by Cardston MLA Edgar Hinman. The bill gave royalty payments to Alberta citizens from oil and gas revenues and was strongly opposed by the opposition parties. Norris voted in favor of this bill. He also voted against a motion to record Assembly proceedings by Hansard and voted to keep