William Finlay

William was born in Lisburn, Ireland and worked in the whole sale grocery business before moving to Montreal, Quebec in 1873. He moved to the Medicine Hat region 10 years later in 1883 and started working for the Northwest Lumber Company, and later his own firm Finlay and Company. He got married and became interested in territorial politics in 1898.[2]

William ran for the Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories in the 1898 Northwest Territories general election in the Medicine Hat district but was defeated, coming a close second to Horace Albertie Greeley.

William ran again in the 1902 Northwest Territories general election this time becoming elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Medicine Hat.[3]

William became Alberta's first Minister of Agriculture after the province was created on September 1, 1905 he was sworn into the executive council on the advice of Premier Alexander Cameron Rutherford on September 9, 1905.[4]

In the provinces first general election, William was voted in as a member of the Alberta Liberal Party for Medicine Hat.

William was re-elected in the 1909 Alberta general election, but declined to return to his cabinet post due to his health. He stepped down as the member of his riding in 1910 after his health deteriorated to the point where he could no longer perform his duties, and made room for Charles R. Mitchell to run in a by-election.[5]

William moved to Vancouver, British Columbia after his retirement died in 1914.