 William became Alberta's first Minister of Agriculture after the province was created on September 1, 1905 he was sworn into the executive council on the advice of Premier Alexander Cameron Rutherford on September 9, 1905.In the provinces first general election, William was voted in as a member of the Alberta Liberal Party for Medicine Hat.William was re-elected in the 1909 Alberta general election, but declined to return to his cabinet post due to his health.