William Switzer


William Alexander Switzer was a politician from Alberta, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1965 to 1969 as a member of the Liberal caucus in opposition.

Political career

Switzer ran for the Alberta Legislature in the 1952 and 1955 general elections as a candidate for the provincial Liberal party in the electoral district of Edson. He was defeated both times by incumbent Social Credit MLA Norman Willmore.
In the Canadian federal election of 1963 Switzer ran as the Liberal candidate in the electoral district of Jasper—Edson. He finished a distant third place to incumbent Hugh Horner.
In 1965 Switzer attempted another run for the provincial legislature. He ran as a candidate in a by-election held on March 29, 1965 in the electoral district of Edson. He defeated Alberta NDP leader Neil Reimer by just over 100 votes.
Switzer faced Reimer again as well as Social Credit candidate Arthur Jorgensen in the 1967 general election. Switzer beat Jorgensen by over 800 votes while Reimer finished a close third place.
Switzer died from a heart attack in office on June 30, 1969. The provincial government named William A. Switzer Provincial Park in his honour.