Hans Wight

Hans Enoch Wight was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1937 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.

Hans Enoch Wight
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office
August 22, 1935 – September 2, 1937
Preceded byAndrew Smeaton
Succeeded byPeter Campbell
ConstituencyLethbridge
Personal details
BornJuly 29, 1889
Hyrum, Utah
DiedOctober 12, 1965(1965-10-12) (aged 76)
Salt Lake City, Utah
Political partySocial Credit
Occupationpolitician

Political career

Wight ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature as a Social Credit candidate in the electoral district of Lethbridge in the 1935 Alberta general election. He defeated incumbent Andrew Smeaton and two other candidates with a landslide majority to pick up the seat for his party.[1]

The Lethbridge Herald broke a story on August 25, 1937, saying that Wight was imminently to resign his seat. On the same front page, the paper also broke the news that William Chant was to leave the Social Credit caucus.[2] The newspaper had come under attack by Social Credit supporters, forcing the paper to issue a news story standing by its claims the next day. Wight had denied that he had given information about any plan to resign.[3]

Seven days later, Wight made his formal announcement of resignation to the media on September 2, 1937, giving as his reason acceptance of a job as an engineer at a department store in Calgary. He sent his resignation letter to speaker Peter Dawson by mail.[4] Wight's resignation caused a controversy as more than a week after Wight announced his resignation the government was claiming that he hadn't resigned.[5] After weeks of turmoil and charges of grandstanding and claims that the government was afraid of losing a by-election, the government finally announced that it had accepted Wight's resignation on September 14, 1937.[6]

References
  1. "Lethbridge Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
  2. "Hans E. Wight M.L.A. Plans To Resign". Vol XXX No 216. The Lethbridge Herald. August 25, 1937. p. 1.
  3. "Wight Denies Resignation Intimation". Vol XXX No 217. The Lethbridge Herald. August 26, 1937. p. 1.
  4. "Resignation Notice Has Not Been Received". Vol XXX No 223. The Lethbridge Herald. September 2, 1937. p. 1.
  5. "Political Situation In Local Constituency Presents Puzzle". Vol XXX No 229. The Lethbridge Herald. September 10, 1937. p. 11.
  6. "Wight Has Resigned". Vol XXX No 232. The Lethbridge Herald. September 14, 1937. p. 7.
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