William Andersen III

{{Short description|Canadian politician}}

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

{{redirect|William Andersen|other people with similar names|William Anderson (disambiguation){{!}}William Anderson}}

William Andersen III (born 1948https://iccc-archives.andornot.net/link/authority17461) is a former politician in Labrador, Canada. He represented Torngat Mountains in the Newfoundland House of Assembly from 1993 to 1996.

The son of Andrew Andersen and Christiana Lampe, he was born in Okkak Bay, Labrador. Andersen married Jan Woodford. He was a wildlife officer from 1979 to 1984. Andersen served as mayor of Nain from 1978 to 1984. He was president of the Labrador Inuit Association from 1984 to 1993.{{cite book |title=Canadian Parliamentary Guide |year=1994 |last=O'Handley |first=Kathryn |ISBN=0-921925-54-9}}

He was elected to the provincial assembly in 1993, winning by only three votes after a judicial recount. Andersen did not run for reelection in 1996.{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news2/canada/nlvotes2011/ridings/045/ |title=Torngat Mountains |publisher=CBC News |work=Newfoundland and Labrador Votes 2011}} In December 2005, he was named transitional president for the Nunatsiavut government in Labrador.{{cite web |url=https://www.itk.ca/media/media-release/inuit-salute-nunatsiavut-day-one |title=Nunatsiavut Government Comes Into Effect |date=December 1, 2005 |publisher=Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami}} Andersen took a leave of absence in November 2007 following allegations of sexual assault.{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/sex-complaint-linked-to-nunatsiavut-president-s-leave-1.711758 |title=Sex complaint linked to Nunatsiavut president's leave |publisher=CBC News |date=January 9, 2008}} He was found guilty but was given a conditional discharge in 2010.{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/andersen-evades-jail-for-sex-assault-1.866731 |title=Andersen evades jail for sex assault |publisher=CBC News |date=October 22, 2010}}