Al Passarell

{{Short description|Canadian politician (1950–1986)}}

{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| honorific-suffix = MLA

| name=Al Passarell

| image = Al Passarell, 1979.jpg

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1950|4|22}}

| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan

| death_date = {{nowrap|{{death date and age|1986|9|27|1950|4|22}}}}

| death_place = Dease Lake, British Columbia

| residence =

| office = MLA for Atlin

| term_start = 1979

| term_end = 1986

| predecessor = Frank Arthur Calder

| successor = Larry Guno

| party = New Democrat, British Columbia Social Credit Party

| spouse = Ruth Passarell

| occupation = school teacher

}}

Alan Lawrence Passarell (April 22, 1950 – September 29, 1986) was a Canadian politician who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia representing the riding of Atlin from 1979 to 1986. He was in the New Democratic Party until October 1985, when he switched to the British Columbia Social Credit Party.{{cite news|title=B.C. Socred Member, Wife Killed in Plane Crash|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=i2E_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=gVMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1107,3714029|accessdate=6 April 2012|newspaper=The Windsor Star|date=29 September 1986}}

Passarell lived in a log cabin without a telephone. Before becoming a politician, he was a school principal. In 1979, he won his seat by one vote, and was subsequently known as "Landslide Al". As a MLA, he was known for advocating positions for Northern British Columbia. He garnered headlines for his tall tale about fighting a grizzly bear.{{cite news|last=Beyer|first=Hubert|title=Passarell A Friend Who Will Be Missed|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2aIFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tzADAAAAIBAJ&pg=2940,3329212|accessdate=6 April 2012|newspaper=Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle|date=1 October 1986}}{{cite news|title=Hunter Changes The Grizzly Details|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HEoaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UScEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5369,1346733|accessdate=6 April 2012|newspaper=Spokane Chronicle|date=6 October 1982}}{{cite news|title=MLA Twisted Bear Facts, Hunter Says|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YaFlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UIwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1079,2168824|accessdate=6 April 2012|newspaper=Vancouver Sun|date=5 October 1982}}{{cite news|title=Legislator Has Grizzly Encounter|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NoY1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=JJ8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2224,2064677|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124184522/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NoY1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=JJ8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2224,2064677|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 24, 2013|accessdate=6 April 2012|newspaper=Anchorage Daily News|date=5 October 1982}}

Passarell died when a plane he was on crashed into Dease Lake.