James Gray Turgeon


James Gray Turgeon was a broker, soldier, and provincial and federal level politician from Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1913 to 1921 sitting with the Alberta Liberal caucus in government. During that time he also served in World War I.
Turgeon had a long career in federal politics. He served as a Member of the House of Commons of Canada from 1935 to 1947 and he also served as a Canadian Senator from 1947 to his death in 1964 sitting with the federal Liberal caucus in both houses.

Early life

James Gray Turgeon was born on October 7, 1879 in Bathurst, New Brunswick. His father was Onésiphore Turgeon a prominent federal politician. He had one brother William who also became a prominent politician.

Alberta politics

Turgeon ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1913 Alberta general election as a Liberal candidate. He defeated Conservative candidate William Blair to pick up the new Ribstone electoral district for his party.
Turgeon did not contest his seat in the 1917 Alberta general election. He was returned by acclamation under section 38 of the Elections Act for his military service in World War I.
Turgeon ran for a third term in the 1921 Alberta general election. He was defeated in a landslide by United Farmers candidate Charles Wright.

World War I

Turgeon enlisted in the Canadian Forces while he was still a member of the Alberta Legislature in 1914. He served as a lieutenant in the army until 1918. While he was fighting overseas he was acclaimed to his district in the 1917 Alberta general election under Section 38 of the Elections Act that stipulates an Incumbent involved in active duty in World War I would not have to face a contested race in his district.
Turgeon would run for re-election in the 1921 Alberta general election. He was defeated by Charles Wright a candidate from the United Farmers of Alberta in a landslide.

British Columbia

Turgeon moved to British Columbia, he ran for a seat to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 1933 British Columbia general election as a candidate for the British Columbia Liberals in the riding of Vancouver East he was defeated only obtaining 16% of the vote and finishing in fourth place out of thirteen candidates.
Two years later, Turgeon would run for a seat in the House of Commons of Canada in the 1935 Canadian federal election as a federal Liberal candidate. He defeated Incumbent John Fraser and three other candidates.
Turgeon ran for a second term in the 1940 Canadian federal election. He won a hotly contested three-way race over Co-operative Commonwealth candidate William Irvine to hold his seat.
The 1945 federal election would see Turgeon and Irvine face each other for the second time. This time Turgeon went down to defeat finishing a close second in the four-way race.
After his defeat Turgeon was appointed to the Canadian Senate on the advice of Prime Minister Mackenzie King on January 27, 1947. He designated his senate division as Cariboo, British Columbia. He would serve in the Senate until his death on February 14, 1964.