Stanley Charles Waters (June 14, 1920 – September 25, 1991) was a Canadian lieutenant-general and politician. Appointed to his Senate seat following a non-binding provincial Senate election, he has been called Canada's "first elected senator".
Early life
Born in Winnipeg and educated at Strathcona High School and the University of Alberta, Waters was commissioned into the 14th Army Tank Battalion (The Calgary Regiment (Tank)) in 1941. He was then posted to the First Special Service Force. He represented the senate division of Alberta. Pressured by Getty and Reform, with Deborah Grey promising that if "we don't get this seat, we'll get 10 in the next election", Prime Minister Brian Mulroney agreed to advise Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn to appoint Waters to the Canadian Senate.
On June 11, 1990, Stan Waters was sworn into the Senate. He was also the first representative of the Reform Party in the Upper House. During his year-long tenure as a senator, Waters spoke for Western Canadian and conservative values. He pushed for an end to official bilingualism, urged health care reform, opposed federal funding grants to artists and fervently pushed the Mulroney Government to adopt a "Triple-E Senate" (elected, effective and equal) during the constitutional debates of 1990–91. On the abortion issue, Waters was pro-choice, which put him somewhat at odds with the Reform Party's conservative Christian supporters.
Death and legacy
Waters was admitted to the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary to treat in July 1991, and later died of complications at Foothills on September 25.
After Waters' death, Alberta Premier Don Getty lauded his contribution towards Senate reform, calling the momentum created by his election "unstoppable".
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