Fonds PR3821 - Stan Waters Fonds

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Stan Waters Fonds

General material designation

  • Textual record
  • Graphic material - photograph

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Title notes

  • Source of title proper: The title is based on contents of fonds.

Level of description

Fonds

Reference code

PAA PR3821

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Edition statement of responsibility

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Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

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Date(s)

  • 1871 - 2014 (Creation)
  • 1871-2014 (Creation)
    Creator
    Waters, Stan

Physical description area

Physical description

1.71 m of textual records, 345 photographs, 178 negatives, and 5 colour transparencies.

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Name of creator

(1920-1991)

Biographical history

Stanley “Stan” Charles Waters was born in Winnipeg on 14 June 1920, but attended school in Alberta at
Strathcona Composite High School and later the University of Alberta, in Edmonton. In 1941, he enlisted
in the Canadian Army, becoming a member of the 14th Army Tank Battalion, and later was posted to
the First Special Service Force. At the conclusion of the war, Waters decided to remain in the army and
rose quickly through the ranks, ending his career as a Lieutenant-General and Commander of Canadian
Forces Mobile Command from 1973-1975.

In 1975 he joined the Mannix Organization in Calgary, eventually becoming president of the Loram Group, which was a subsidiary of the Mannix Organization, (also known as the Mancal Group). The Loram Group of Companies began in the heavy construction industry in 1898 and soon moved into coal mining, oil and gas, building construction, real estate, and more. Additionally, Waters was the co-founder of the Bowfort Group of companies, which was involved in farming, real estate and investment operations. He held a variety of executive positions until his eventual retirement from business in 1989.
Politically and socially, Stan Waters held strong conservative views. He first entered politics in 1987 when he became a founding member of Preston Manning’s Reform Party. Though he did not participate in the 1988 federal election, he was perceived to be the party’s most popular early spokesperson, appearing at multiple rallies and events between 1987 and 1991.
In 1989, he ran for the vacant Alberta Senate seat, winning with 41.7% of the non-binding votes cast by Alberta voters. His win was unprecedented, as he became the first person to be elected by a provincial population to be the Prime Minister’s recommendation for appointment to the Senate. On June 11, 1990, Waters was sworn into the Senate, becoming the first member of the Reform Party to enter the upper house. He remained in the Senate for one year, during which he pushed for the end of official bilingualism, urged healthcare reform, opposed federal funding grants to artists, and pushed Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to adopt a Triple E Senate, (Elected, Effective, and Equal). Additionally, he was pro-choice on abortion, putting him at odds with many of the Reform Party’s Christian supporters.
On 25 September 1991, Stan Waters passed away due to complications resulting from a brain tumor. When the Liberal Party took control of the federal government under Jean Chrétien, Senate reform was abandoned. Stan Waters’ son, Mark Waters, later served as leader of the Alberta Political Alliance, a small provincial party.

Custodial history

Scope and content

The fonds consists of records relating to the life and career of Senator Stan Waters and his family, including correspondence, newspaper and magazine clippings, military memorabilia and documents, photographs, brochures, Reform Party documents, and personal notes and documents.

Notes area

Physical condition

Materials are in fair condition.

Immediate source of acquisition

Mark Waters, Stan Waters’ son, deposited the records in the Provincial Archives of Alberta in 2013.

Arrangement

Language of material

  • English
  • Italian

Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

None.

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Permission for use required. Subject to the Copyright Act.

Finding aids

File list is available.

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Accruals

Further accruals are not expected.

General note

Information for the biographical sketch is taken from the records.
Includes the following accessions: PR2013.0618.

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