He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to his death in 1937, sitting with the Liberal caucus in government.
He moved to Lethbridge in 1912 to become a principal, and soon after relocated to Edmonton to attend the University of Alberta where he completed his Bachelor of Laws.
[2] Van Allen served as government counsel during the Royal Commission on Grain Freight Rates in 1923–1924,[1] and as the President of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce in 1928-1929.
Van Allen was one of six candidates elected for the district, which included two other Liberals in William R. Howson and Gerald O'Connor.
[4] As an MLA, Van Allen focused his attention on the state of the agricultural industry and was concerned with the Social Credit economic policies.