Frank Gainer

{{short description|Canadian politician}}

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

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Francis Leo Gainer

| image =

| imagesize = 150px

| caption =

| birth_date = February 12, 1888

| birth_place =Arthur, Ontario{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E_jvAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Gainer,+Francis+leo%22|title = Guide Parlementaire Canadien|year = 1966}}

| death_date= {{Death date and age|1975|3|10|1888|2|12}}

| residence =

| term_start = June 29, 1955

| term_end = May 23, 1967

| predecessor = Lee Leavitt

| successor =Clarence Copithorne

| office = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta

| constituency = Banff-Cochrane

| religion =

| alma_mater =

| spouse =

| spouse2 =

| children =

| occupation = politician

| party = Coalition

}}

Francis Leo "Frank" "Pop" Gainer (February 12, 1888 – March 10, 1975) was a politician from Alberta, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1955 to 1967 as a member of a coalition of the Progressive Conservative and Liberal parties.

Political career

Gainer first ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1955 general election. He defeated Social Credit incumbent Lee Leavitt in the riding of Banff-Cochrane.{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1955&Constit=Banff-Cochrane| title=Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1955 Alberta general election | publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation | accessdate=March 18, 2010}}

In the 1959 general election he defeated Social Credit candidate Robin Echlin in a straight fight by just 71 votes.{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1959&Constit=Banff-Cochrane| title=Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1959 Alberta general election | publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation | accessdate=March 18, 2010}}

Due to Gainer's Coalition label, it was thought that he would be chosen leader of the official opposition after the 1959 election. There were only four members of the opposition elected to the legislature, each elected under a different banner. It was predicted that Gainer would join Progressive Conservative MLA Ernest Watkins and Liberal MLA Michael Maccagno to form a three-man opposition.{{cite news|title=Official Opposition|page=4|publisher=The Lethbridge Daily Herald|date=June 29, 1959|work=Vol LII No. 168}} No opposition leader was chosen during that legislature however.

In the 1963 general election he was returned to office with a slightly smaller share of the vote than in 1959 over two other candidates.{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1963&Constit=Banff-Cochrane| title=Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1963 Alberta general election | publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation | accessdate=March 18, 2010}}

Gainer retired from the legislature at dissolution in 1967.{{cite news|title=Parties Haul In Big Gains|page=1|publisher=The Lethbridge Daily Herald|date=May 6, 1967|work=Vol LX No. 123}}

References

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