Ethel Sylvia Wilson

Ethel Sylvia Wilson (February 13, 1902 - December 8, 1983) was a seamstress, labour activist and a municipal and provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. She served as a member of Edmonton City Council from 1952 to 1966 and as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1959 to 1971. During her time in provincial office she served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Ernest Manning and Harry Strom from 1962 to 1971.

Early life

Ethel Sylvia Knight was born on February 13, 1902 on a farm just outside Sunnyside, Alberta. She took her post secondary education at Edmonton Business College. Wilson married her husband Dave Wilson after moving and had three children. He died in 1935 after 10 years of marriage.

With no other means of support after her husband died Wilson entered the work force as a seamstress for Burns Meats. he also was part of Bunked She worked that job until retirement in 1962. While she was involved with that job she became an active in the labour movement eventually becoming Secretary of the Edmonton Labor Council.

Political career

Edmonton City Council

Wilson began her political career in 1951. She was nominated by the Edmonton Labor Council to run for a seat to Edmonton City Council in the 1951 Edmonton municipal election. She was defeated finishing in tenth place out of the thirteen candidates. She tried again for city council the next year and was elected taking the 5th place seat.

Wilson ran for re-election the first time in the 1954 election. She climbed to second place in the polls. She ran for her third term in office in the 1956 election and once again held her second place seat.

Wilson ran for her fourth term in the 1958 election. Her popular vote went up but she slipped falling to the fourth place seat. A year later while still hold city office she ran for a seat to the Legislature and was elected. She opted to continue holding municipal office.

Wilson ran for her fifth term in the 1960 election. She once again held the fourth place seat. Her popular vote also fell from the previous election. She was re-elected to her sixth term in the 1962 election. Wilson moved up to the third place seat.

Wilson was appointed to the provincial ministry a month after her sixth municipal win. She ran for a seventh term in office despite being in the ministry. She won the third place out of 46 candidates. She did not re-offer for council in 1966.

Alberta Legislature

Wilson ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1959 Alberta general election. She ran as a Social Credit candidate in the new electoral district of Edmonton North. She won a hotly contested race over three other candidates to pick up the new seat for her party. She continued to hold her seat on Edmonton council while she served as an MLA.

Wilson was appointed to the provincial cabinet on November 30, 1962 as a Minister without portfolio by Premier Ernest Manning. The appointment made her the second woman in the history of Alberta to be appointed to cabinet. She went into the 1963 Alberta general election with ministerial advantage. Despite having a portfolio and a city council seat Wilson dropped in popular support

Wilson ran for a third term in the 1967 Alberta general election. She faced another hotly contested race against three candidates including future MLA Gordon Wright. She held her seat with just about half the popular vote.

The 1971 boundary redistribution would see her constituency of Edmonton North abolished. Wilson ran for re-election that year in the new electoral district of Edmonton-Kingsway. She would be defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Kenneth Paproski.