James Stanley Speakman

Who was James Stanley Speakman?

Captain James Stanley Speakman was an accountant, famer, World War II era soldier in the Canadian Expeditionary Force from 1939 to 1945. He also served as a Canadian federal politician from 1958 to 1962.

Speakman first ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons in the 1957 Canadian federal election. In that election he ran as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the Wetaskiwin electoral district. He was defeated by incumbent Member of Parliament Ray Thomas.

Parliament would be dissolved a year later forcing the 1958 Canadian federal election, Speakman would run against Thomas for the second time. He would defeat him in a landslide to capture the district. Speakman retired at the end of his term in 1962 due to failing health. He died 11 days after retiring from public office on April 30, 1962.