Career
Smallwood first ran as a candidate for the Canadian House of Commons in the 1957 federal election. Parliament was dissolved a year later forcing the 1958 federal election. Smallwood and Smith ran against each other again and Smallwood defeated Smith in a landslide.
Smallwood ran for a second term in the 1962 federal election.
He ran against Smith for the third time and defeated him once again in another landslide victory. The minority government fell on a confidence motion a year later forcing the dissolution of parliament and the 1963 federal election.
He ran for his final term in office in the 1965 federal election winning another landslide. He retired in 1968 when his electoral district of Battle River—Camrose was abolished.