William Keir Clark

CLARK, WILLIAM KEIR merchant; b. 30 May 1910 in Mount Stewart, son of Russell Charles Clark* and Marion J. McKay; m. 17 June 1940 Anna I. McLaren of Georgetown, and they had three children, Gwen, Marion, and Marjorie; United. Clark, a Liberal, and later an Independent Liberal, was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in the general election of 1947 for 3rd Kings. He was re-elected in the general elections of 1951, 1955, and 1966. He was defeated in the general election of 1959. He was appointed as a Minister without Portfolio on 6 June 1951. On 11 June 1953, he was named Minister of Education and served in that Ministry until 1959. From 1954 to 1955, Clark served as Provincial Treasurer, and, from 28 July 1966 to 7 February 1969, he was Minister of Health and Municipal Affairs. He resigned that position on 7 February 1969 because he "did not agree with certain programs in the provincial government's multi-million dollar development program, and the delegation of government responsibility to the Economic Improvement Corporation, a government-appointed body, charged with the implementation and operation of the plan." Clark did not resign as a Liberal Member and continued sitting in the Legislature. On 3 March 1970, he crossed the floor of the Legislature to sit as an Independent Liberal, stating, "I am no longer connected to the party of the plan." He was referring to the Comprehensive Development Plan administered by the Economic Improvement Corporation. Clark's switch to Independent Liberal ended the Liberal majority, leaving the Legislature with 16 Liberals, one of whom was Speaker, 15 Conservatives, and one Independent. Premier Alexander Campbell* called a general election shortly thereafter, in which the Liberals won 27 seats and the Conservatives five. Prior to his time in provincial politics, Clark was elected Mayor of Montague in 1940. Clark's father served in the Legislative Assembly from 1927 to 1931 and from 1935 to 1959. Thus, father and son served in the Legislative Assembly concurrently from 1947 to 1959. Clark attended Prince of Wales College. In 1934 he graduated from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and that same year opened a store in Montague. Clark was a merchant until 1979. He was also a director/owner of Clark Bros, and, with his family, had interests in Clark Brothers in St. Peters Bay and Mount Stewart. Clark was born in Mt. Stewart, into a family involved in the general merchant business for more than 100 years. William Keir Clark resides in Montague. Anna Clark was the daughter of William W. McLaren and Flora MacKenzie of Georgetown.