Wally Andersen

{{Short description|Canadian politician}}

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

{{use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Wally Andersen

| honorific-suffix = MHA

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|7|31}}

| birth_place = Makkovik, Newfoundland and Labrador

| residence = Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador

| office = Member of the Nunatsiavut Assembly for Upper Lake Melville

| term_start = 2022{{cite web|url=https://nunatsiavut.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Official-May-3-Election-Results-for-Ordinary-Members.pdf|title=Official results of May 3 general election for Ordinary Members to the Nunatsiavut Assembly

|website=nunatsiavut.com|access-date=28 September 2023}}

| term_end =

| alongside = Gerald Asivak

| predecessor = Marlene Winters-Wheeler

| successor =

| office1 = Mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay

| term_start1 = December 15, 2017

| term_end1 = October 4, 2021{{Cite web|url=https://happyvalley-goosebay.com/the-latest/public-notices/swearing-ceremony-13th-council-town-happy-valley-goose-bay/|title=Swearing-In Ceremony of the 13th Council of the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay|website=Town of Happy Valley Goose Bay|accessdate=September 28, 2023}}

| predecessor1 = John Hickey

| successor1 = George Andrews{{cite tweet|number=1443025348204056585|user=nikmercer|title=George Andrews will be the new mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.He will be joined by Darrell Bennett, Todd Winters,…|date=29 September 2021}}

| assembly2 = Newfoundland and Labrador House of

| constituency_AM2 = Torngat Mountains

| term_start2 = 1996

| term_end2 = 2007

| predecessor2 = William Andersen III

| successor2 = Patty Pottle

| party = Liberal

| website =

| religion =

| spouse = Marie

| occupation =

}}

Wally Andersen (born July 31, 1951) is a former Liberal Member of the House of Assembly in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. He was first elected in 1996 in the riding Torngat Mountains and was re-elected twice.{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/nlvotes2003/riding/042/ |title=Torngat Mountains |work=Newfoundland and Labrador Votes 2003 |publisher=CBC News}}

The son of Edgar Andersen and Muriel Lucy, he was born in Makkovik, Labrador and was educated in North West River. In 1975, he married Marie Delaney. Andersen was manager for the government stores in Labrador from 1974 to 1996. He was a member of the council for Happy Valley-Goose Bay.{{cite book |title=Canadian Parliamentary Guide |year=1997 |last=O'Handley |first=Kathryn |isbn=1-896413-43-9}} Andersen served 12 years as president of the local hockey association.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary charged Wally Anderson on July 23, 2007, with fraud, uttering a forged document and breach of trust in connection with the multimillion-dollar legislative spending scandal.{{cite web|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/labrador-liberal-charged-in-spending-scandal-1.249809|title=Labrador Liberal charged in spending scandal|publisher=CTV News|date=July 23, 2007|access-date=June 30, 2016}} He officially resigned from the legislature on September 5 of that year, leaving the Torngat Mountains riding vacant until the 2007 provincial election was called shortly thereafter.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/n-l-mha-resigns-in-wake-of-criminal-charges-1.637957|title=N.L. MHA resigns in wake of criminal charges|publisher=CBC News|date=August 9, 2007|access-date=June 30, 2016}} Among his successors as the MHA for Torngat Mountains include his nephew Randy Edmunds and niece Lela Evans.{{cite tweet|number=1414623138755842048|user=NL_HOA|title=Lela Evans (MHA 2019-present) represents the District of Torngat Mountains. The district was represented by her cou… |date=12 July 2021}}

Andersen was released in December 2009 after serving three months of a 15-month sentence.{{cite news |url=http://www.ngnews.ca/News/Regional/2009-12-31/article-800896/Former-N.L.-cabinet-minister-convicted-of-fraud-released-from-jail/1 |title=Former N.L. cabinet minister convicted of fraud released from jail |date=December 31, 2009 |newspaper=The News}}

In 2016, he won a by-election for the Happy Valley-Goose Bay town council defeating 3 other candidates.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/wally-andersen-wins-council-seat-1.3628182|title=Wally Andersen, convicted politician, wins seat on Happy Valley-Goose Bay council|publisher=CBC News|date=June 10, 2016|access-date=June 30, 2016}} He was re-elected in the 2017 municipal elections, and became Deputy Mayor. Following the death of Mayor John Hickey in December 2017, Andersen became acting Mayor of the town and was later named Mayor in early 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/wally-andersen-temporary-mayor-hvgb-1.4449833|title=With a heavy heart, Wally Andersen takes over as mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay|publisher=CBC News|date=December 15, 2017|access-date=December 17, 2017}} Andersen announced in August 2021 that he would not be seeking re-election.{{cite web| url = https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/news/wally-andersen-not-seeking-re-election-as-mayor-of-happy-valley-goose-bay-100627736/| title = Wally Andersen not seeking re-election as mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay {{!}} SaltWire}}

Andersen was elected to the Nunatsiavut Assembly in May 2022. He represents Upper Lake Melville (Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Mud Lake and North West River) and serves alongside his brother Anthony Andersen (representing Nain) and nephew Thomas Evans (representing Makkovik). Andersen defeated incumbent member Marlene Winters-Wheeler for the 2-member district (the other winner was Gerald Asivak).