Orvis A. Kennedy

Who was Orvis A. Kennedy?

Orvis A. Kennedy was an executive, manager, organizer, salesman and a Canadian federal politician.

Kennedy helped found the Social Credit party in Alberta in 1935, He ran as a candidate 3 years later and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a Social Credit candidate in a by-election held on March 21, 1938. He defeated 2 other candidates including former Liberal MLA Robert Colin Marshall.

Kennedy ran as a New Democracy candidate and was defeated in the 1940 Canadian federal election by Liberal candidate Frederick Casselman.

After his defeat in the 1940 election he became a perennial candidate running in almost every federal election under the Social Credit banner in various federal electoral districts in Alberta until 1963. He also served as chief campaign organizer for Social Credit parties on the provincial level in various elections.

Kennedy has three sons, including Reverend Ernest Kennedy.