Although it is said that Alberta is a right-wing province, that is not to say that there has not always been a large segment of Albertans who see the justice and fairness of conducting our affairs in a more socially enlightened way, such as distributive programs that address proverty on one hand and obnoxious wealth on the other hand, human rights and human dignity over the tooth-and-nail fight for the almighty dollar, social considerations for our environment and the welfare of later generations over short-term profits, the benefits of strong democratic government over the selfish goals of corporate capitalism.
Through most of Alberta's history, the left struggled against the uneven playing field that is electoral politics, always receiving less than their due share of seats in the legislature. Even in 1986 when the NDP won 16 seats but with 30 percent of the vote, it was due 28 seats. So even this, the best showing for the left in Alberta from 1930 to 2015, was an example of its perennial under-representation.
In four elections the left won such popularity as to win a majority of seats in the legislature. These elections were held in 1921, 1926 and 1930, won by the United Farmers of Alberta, and 2015, won by the NDP.
Only in 1921 and 2015 did the left reap seats that by rights should have gone to their opposition. While the large cities in Alberta in 1921 elected their MLAs through Block Voting, allowing Liberals to take all the city seats with a fraction of the city votes, the rural districts were conducted using First Past the Post and the United Farmers of Alberta took most of these seats, many more than their fair due. The UFA were elected in part on the promise to bring in STV, a system of proportional representation, in the cities and Alternative Voting in rural districts. After the 1921 election, the new government passed these reforms.
The UFA victories in 1926 and 1930 thus were fair - MLAs elected in rural districts had to have the support of a majority of voters in their districts.
2015 was also fought under the First Past The Post system, a system that is infamous for wasting a large portion of votes and ignoring all but the leading candidate in each district. The NDP took seats that under a fairer system may have gone to others, just as right-wing parties had benefited from similar windfalls in every election since 1956, and would again in 2019.
The seats won by the left were filled by a variety of people.
In order of election, they were:
(The first time a person was elected is marked with the years he or she served as MLA.)
1909 by-election
Donald McNabb Labour Lethbridge 1909 (by-election)-1909
1909
Charles O'Brien Socialist Party of Canada Rocky Mountains 1909-1913
Conservative (with farmer ties)
Hoadley, George Okotoks 1909-1935: Conservative MLA 1909-1921, UFA 1921-1935)
Independent (with farmer ties)
Edward Michener Red Deer 1909- 1921: Independent MLA 1909-1913; Conservative 1913-1921 (father of Governor General Roland Michener)
1913
Conservative (with farmer ties)
Hoadley, George Okotoks re-elected
Edward Michener Red Deer re-elected
1917
Labour (1)
Alex Ross Calgary 1917-1926
Non-Partisan League (2)
Louise McKinney Claresholm 1917-1921 (later one of Alberta's Famous Five women who achieved right of women to be appointed to the Senate in 1929)
James Weir Nanton 1917-1921
Independent Soldiers' representatives (2)
(elected by soldiers and nurses serving in army)
(they pursued better treatment for soldiers and their families)
Roberta MacAdams 1917-1921
Captain Robert Pearson 1917-1926 (1921-1926 as Independent Calgary)
Farmer/Conservative
Hoadley, George Okotoks re-elected
1919 (by-election)
Alexander Moore UFA Cochrane 1919-1926 (first UFA MLA)
1921
Labour (4)
Alex Ross Calgary re-elected
Fred White Calgary 1921-1935
Philip Christophers Rocky Mountains-CNP 1921-1930
William Johnston Medicine Hat 1921-1925 (death)
38 UFA MLAs elected
1 Baker, Perrin Medicine Hat 1921-1935
2 Baker, Percival Ponoka 1921-1921 (died just after election)
3 Brown, Samuel High River 1921-1930
4 Buckley John C. Gleichen 1921-1935
5 Cameron, Donald Innisfail 1921-1935
6 Carson, Samuel Sturgeon 1921-1935
7 Claypool, A.B. Didsbury 1921-1935
8 Conner, Maurice Warner 1921-1935
9 Cook, Earl Pincher Creek 1921-1935
10 Enzenauer, Peter J. Alexandra 1921-1935
11 Fedun, William Victoria 1921-1926
12 Forster, Gordon Hand Hills 1921-1935
13 Galbraith, Daniel Nanton 1921-1935
14 Hoadley, George Okotoks re-elected
15 Johnston, George Coronation 1921-1935
16 Joly, Joseph St. Paul 1921-1930
17 Kennedy, Donald Peace River 1921-1922 (resigned, elected as MP)
18 Love, Russell Wainwright 1921-1935
19 MacLachlan, George Pembina 1921-1935
20 Matheson, Archibald Vegreville 1921-1935
21 McKeen, Charles Lac Ste. Anne 1921-1935
22 McPherson, Oran Little Bow 1921-1935
23 Moore, Alex Cochrane re-elected
24 Parlby, Irene Lacombe 1921-1935 (later one of Alberta's Famous Five women who achieved right of women to be appointed to the Senate in 1929)
25 Peterson, Lawrence Taber 1921-1930
26 Proudfoot, Lorne Acadia 1921-1935
27 Reid, Richard Vermilion 1921-1935 Premier 1934-1935
28 Sanders, Albert (1889-?) Stettler 1921-1935
29 Shield, William Macleod 1921-1935
30 Smith, George (1855-1931) Red Deer 1921-1935
31 Smith, Nelson (1888-?) Olds 1921-1930
32 Smith, Vernon Camrose (1864-1932) 1921-1935
33 Smith, W.C. Redcliffe 1921-1926
34 Sparks, Evert Wetaskiwin 1921-1930
35 St. Arnault, Telephores (1870-?) St. Albert (one of two French Canadians elected to UFA government) 1921-1926
36 Stringam, George (former Utah State MLA in 1900) Cardston 1921-1935
37 Washburn, Willard Stony Plain 1921-1930
38 Wright, Charles Ribstone 1921-1921 (died on March 28, 1922)
(Nellie McClung Edmonton was elected as Liberal but often backed the UFA government. She ran for re-election in Calgary but was unsuccessful. Later one of Alberta's Famous Five women who achieved right of women to be appointed to the Senate in 1929)
Independent (3 lefties)
Robert Pearson Calgary (re-elected in different district than before)
Bob Edwards (of Eye-Opener fame) Calgary 1921-1922 (death
Thomas Milner Claresholm (joined UFA caucus in legislature) 1921-1924
(John S. Stewart Independent Lethbridge. He was previously and later a Conservative politician.)
1922 9 by-elections won by UFA, including
Greenfield, Herbert 1921 prov. by-el. Peace River UFA 1921-1926 Premier 1921-1925
Brownlee, John 1921 prov. by-election Ponoka UFA 1921-1935 Premier 1925-1934
Andrews, Albert 1922 prov. by-election Sedgewick UFA, 1922-1935
Farquharson, William 1922 prov. by-election Ribstone UFA 1922-1935
Herbert Greenfield 1922 prov. by-election Peace River UFA 1922-1934 (resigned)
Michael Chornuhous 1922 prov. by-election Whitford UFA 1922-1926
1 by-election won by Labour:
Alex Ross Calgary 1922
1923 Calgary by-election
William McCartney Davidson Independent Calgary
(Liberal MLA 1917-1921, Independent 1923-1926)
(He and his newspaper, The Albertan, supported STV. He gave space to Labour MP William Irvine. Davidson wrote two books on Louis Riel.)
(1924 UFA government adopted STV for election of Edmonton and Calgary MLAs (and Medicine Hat for just one election), and Alternative Voting for election of MLAs in other districts. STV helped UFA secure an Edmonton seat and helped Labour secure seats in both cities. Alternative Voting had no effect on left representation in the rural areas, although securing the election of four Liberal MLAs in 1955.)
1926
Labour (5)
Philip Christophers Rocky Mountains-CNP re-elected
Fred White Calgary re-elected*
Robert Parkyn Calgary 1926-1930*
Lionel Gibbs Edmonton 1926-1933 (death) (first Labour MLA elected in Edmonton. His election was likely due to use of Proportional Representation in city-wide multi-member district.)
Andrew Smeaton Lethbridge 1926-1935
* The election of two Labour MLAs in Calgary in 1926 was likely due to use of STV in city-wide multi-member district.
1926 43 UFA elected
1 Allen, Hugh Peace River
2 Andrews, Albert Sedgewick 1926-1935
3 Baker, Perrin Cypress
4 Breton, Douglas Leduc 1926-1935
5 Brown, Samuel High River 1926-1930
6 Brownlee, John Ponoka
7 Buckley John C. Gleichen
8 Cameron, Donald Innisfail
9 Carson, Samuel Sturgeon
10 Claypool, Austin Didsbury
11 Conner, Maurice Warner
12 Cook, Earl Pincher Creek
13 Delisle, John Beaver River
14 Enzenauer, Peter J. Alexandra
15 Farquharson, William Ribstone
16 Forster, Gordon Hand Hills
17 Galbraith, Daniel Nanton
18 Hennig, Rudolph Victoria 1926-1935
19 Hoadley, George Okotoks
20 Johnston, George Coronation
21 Joly, Joseph St. Paul
22 Love, Russell Wainwright
23 Lymburn, John Edmonton 1926-1935 (elected due to use of STV in Edmonton)
24 MacLachlan, George Pembina
25 Matheson, Archibald Vegreville
26 McCool, Robert Milton Cochrane
27 McKeen, Charles Lac Ste. Anne
28 McPherson, Oran Little Bow
29 Michalcheon, George Whitford 1926-1930 (first Romanian-Canadian elected to Alberta Legislature)
30 Parlby, Irene Lacombe
31 Peterson, Lawrence Taber
32 Proudfoot, Lorne Acadia
33 Reid, Richard Vermilion
34 Sanders, Albert (1889-?) Stettler
35 Shield, William H. Macleod
36 Smith, George (1855-1931) Red Deer
37 Smith, Nelson S. Olds
38 Smith, Vernon (1864-1932) Camrose 1926-1935
39 Smith, William C. Empress 1926-1935
40 Sparks, Evert Wetaskiwin
41 Stringam, George (1900 Utah State MLA) Cardston
42 Walker, George B. Claresholm 1926-1935
43 Washburn, Willard Stony Plain
1930
Labour (4)
Lionel Gibbs Edmonton re-elected*
Fred White Calgary re-elected*
Andrew Smeaton Lethbridge re-elected
Chris Pattinson Edson 1930-1935
*Their elections likely due to use of STV in city elections
1930 39 UFA elected
1 Allen, Hugh Grande Prairie
2 Andrews, Albert Sedgewick
3 Bailey, William Peace River 1930-1935
4 Baker, Perrin Cypress
5 Brownlee, John Ponoka
6 Buckley John C. Gleichen
7 Cameron, Donald Innisfail
8 Carson, Samuel Sturgeon
9 Claypool, Austin Didsbury
10 Conner, Maurice Warner
11 Enzenauer, Peter J. Alexandra
12 Farquharson, William Ribstone
13 Forster, Gordon Hand Hills
14 Goresky, Isidore Whitford 1930-1935
15 Grisdale, Frank Olds 1930-1935
16 Hennig, Rudolph Victoria
17 Hoadley, George Okotoks
18 Johnston, George Coronation
19 Love, Russell Wainwright
20 Lymburn, John Edmonton (re-electi
on due to use of STV in Edmonton)
21 MacLachlan, George Pembina
22 MacLellan, John Taber
23 MacLeod, Donald Stony Plain
24 Matheson, Archibald Vegreville
25 McCool, Robert Milton Cochrane
26 McKeen, Charles Lac Ste. Anne
27 McPherson, Oran Little Bow
28 Miskiw, Peter Victoria 1930-1935
29 Parlby, Irene Lacombe
30 Proudfoot, Lorne Acadia
31 Reid, Richard Vermilion
32 St. Germain St. Albert (one of two French Canadians elected to UFA government 1930-1935
33 Sanders, Albert (1889-?) Stettler
34 Shield, William H. Macleod
35 Smith, George (1855-1931) Red Deer
36 Smith, Vernon (1864- 1932) Camrose
37 Smith, William C. Empress
38 Stringam, George (1900 Utah State MLA) Cardston
39 Walker, George B. 26 P UFA Claresholm, 30 P UFA Nanton-Claresholm
(1932 The UFA, Canadian Labour Party (Edmonton). Dominion Labour Party (Calgary and Lethbridge) and other groups helped found the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation party.)
1932 (by-election ) Chester Ronning UFA/CCF Camrose 1932-1935
1935 Social Credit landslide of seats (with 54 percent of the vote)
(by some definition, SC led by William Aberhart could be considered left.)
56 SC elected.
No Labour or Farmer MLAs elected.
1940
SC government re-elected, still under Aberhart's leadership and still working to effect change in monetary system.
Labour (1) A.J. Morrison Edson
(Aberhart died in 1943. The new SC premier, Ernest Manning, was no lefty.)
1942 (by-election) Elmer Roper Edmonton CCF 1942-1955
(Roper and Gibbs were only Labour, CCF or NDP MLAs elected in Edmonton until 1982.)
1944 2 CCF
Almer Leisemer Calgary 1944-1952
Elmer Roper Edmonton re-elected
Their elections likely due to use of STV in city elections
1948 2 CCF
Elmer Roper Edmonton re-elected
Almer Leisemer Calgary re-elected
Their elections likely due to use of STV in city elections
1952 2 CCF
Elmer Roper Edmonton re-elected (his election likely due to use of STV in city elections)
Nick Dushenski Willingdon 1952-1959
1955 2 CCF
Nick Dushenski Willingdon re-elected
Stanley Ruzycki Vegreville 1955-1959
(After 1955 election, Manning's SC government cancelled STV/AV and reverted Alberta provincial elections to First Past The Post. This move produced the following period of sparse left representation. Over the next 30 years about 600 seats were elected but only seven times was a Left MLA elected to a seat.)
1966 (by-election) Garth Turcott NDP Pincher Creek-Crowsnest 1966-1967
(first NDP MLA in Alberta)
1971 1 NDP Grant Notley 1971-1984 (death)
1975 1 NDP Grant Notley re-elected
1979 1 NDP Grant Notley re-elected
1982 2 NDP
Grant Notley re-elected (served until his death in plane crash in 1984)
Ray Martin Edmonton 1982-1993, 2004-2008
1985 Spirit River-Fairview by-election Jim Gurnett NDP 1985-1986
1986 16 NDP elected
Ray Martin Edmonton re-elected
Pam Barrett Edmonton 1986-1993 (later 1997-2001)
Ed Ewasiuk Edmonton 1986-1993
Gerry Gibeault Edmonton 1986-1993
Marie Laing Edmonton 1986-1993
Alex McEachern Edmonton 1986-1993
Christie Mjolsness Edmonton 1986-1993
William Roberts Edmonton 1986-1993
Tom Sigurdson Edmonton 1986-1993
Gordon Wright Edmonton 1986-death in 1990
John Younie Edmonton 1986-1989
Bob Hawkesworth Calgary 1986-1993
Barry Pashak Calgary 1986-1993
Derek Fox Vegreville 1986-1993
Leo Piquette Athabasca-Lac La Biche 1986-1989
Bryan Strong St. Albert 1986-1989
1989 16 NDP elected
Ray Martin Edmonton re-elected
Pam Barrett Edmonton re-elected
Ed Ewasiuk Edmonton re-elected
Gerry Gibeault Edmonton re-elected
Marie Laing Edmonton re-elected
Alex McEachern Edmonton re-elected
John McInnis Edmonton 1989-1993
Christie Mjolsness Edmonton re-elected
William Roberts Edmonton re-elected
Tom Sigurdson Edmonton re-elected
Gordon Wright Edmonton re-elected
Derek Fox Vegreville
Jerry Doyle West Yellowhead 1989-1993
Stan Woloshyn Stony Plain 1989-1993 (1993-2004 Conservative MLA)
1990 by-election Edmonton Strathcona
Barrie Chivers NDP 1990-1993
(No NDP MLAs elected in 1993 general election.)
1997 2 NDP
Raj Pannu Edmonton 1997-2008
Pam Barrett Edmonton
2001 2 NDP
Raj Pannu Edmonton re-elected
Brian Mason Edmonton 2001-2019
2004 4 NDP
Raj Pannu Edmonton re-elected
Brian Mason Edmonton re-elected
Ray Martin Edmonton
David Eggen Edmonton 2004-2008, 2012-present
2008 2 NDP
Brian Mason Edmonton re-elected
Rachel Notley Edmonton (Edmonton MLA 2008-present; premier 2015-2019) (daughter of Grant Notley, NDP MLA 1971-1984)
2012 4 NDP
Deron Bilous Edmonton 2012-present
David Eggen Edmonton
Brian Mason Edmonton re-elected
Rachel Notley Edmonton re-elected
2015 54 NDP
Edmonton (19)
1 Rachel Notley (leader) Edmonton re-elected
2 Deron Bilous Edmonton re-elected
3 Jon Carson Edmonton 2015-present
4 Lorne Dach Edmonton 2015-present
5 Thomas Dang Edmonton 2015-present
6 David Eggen Edmonton re-elected
7 Richard Feehan Edmonton 2015-present
8 Nicole Goehring Edmonton 2015-present
9 Christina Gray Edmonton 2015-present
10 Sarah Hoffman Edmonton 2015-present
11 Rod Loyola Edmonton 2015-present
12 Brian Mason Edmonton re-elected
13 Chris Nielsen Edmonton 2015-present
14 Marlin Schmidt Edmonton 2015-present
15 David Shepherd Edmonton 2015-present
16 Lori Sigurdson Edmonton 2015-present
17 Heather Sweet Edmonton 2015-present
18 Bob Turner Edmonton 2015-2019
19 Denise Woollard Edmonton- Mill Creek 2015-2019
Calgary (15)
20 Joe Ceci Calgary 2015-present
21 Michael Connolly Calgary 2015-2019
22 Craig Coolahan Calgary 2015-2019
23 Deborah Drever Calgary 2015-2019
24 Kathleen Ganley Calgary 2015-present
25 Anim Kazim Calgary 2015-2019
26 Jamie Kleinsteuber Calgary 2015-2019
27 Robin Luff Calgary 2015-2019
28 Brian Malkinson Calgary 2015-2019
29 Stephanie McLean Calgary 2015-2019
30 Karen McPherson Calgary 2015-2019
31 Ricardo Miranda Calgary 2015-2019
32 Brandy Payne Calgary 2015-2019
33 Irfan Sabir Calgary 2015-present
34 Graham Sucha Calgary 2015-2019
Other (20)
35 Shaye Anderson Leduc Beaumont 2015-2019
36 Erin Babcock Stony Plain 2015-2019
37 Oneil Carlier Whitecourt - Ste. Anne 2015-2019
38 Estafania Cortes-Vargas Strathcona - Sherwood Park 2015-2019
39 Maria Fitzpatrick Lethbridge 2015-2019
40 Bruce Hinkley Wetaskiwin Camrose 2015-2019
41 Trevor Horne Spruce Grove - St. Albert 2015-2019
42 Debbie Jabbour Peace River 2015-2019
43 Danielle Larivee Lesser Slave Lake 2015-2019
44 Jessica Littlewood Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville 2015-
45 Margaret McCuaig-Boyd Dunvegan Central Peace Notley 2015-2019
46 Annie McKitrick Sherwood Park 2015-2019
47 Barb Miller Red Deer South 2015-2019
48 Colin Piquette Athabasca-Sturgeon- Redwater 2105-2019
49 Shannon Phillips Lethbridge 2015-present
50 Marie Renaud St. Albert 2015-present
51 Eric Rosendahl West Yellowhead 2015-2019
52 Kim Schreiner Red Deer North 2015-2019
53 Bob Wanner Medicine Hat 2015-2019
54 Cameron Westhead Banff 2015-2019
2019 24 NDP elected
Edmonton and St. Albert (20)
1 Rachel Notley Edmonton re-elected
2 Deron Bilous Edmonton re-elected
3 Jon Carson Edmonton re-elected
4 Lorne Dach Edmonton re-elected
5 Thomas Dang Edmonton re-elected
6 Jasvir Deol Edmonton 2019- (elected to fill Woollard's empty seat)
7 David Eggen Edmonton re-elected
8 Richard Feehan Edmonton re-elected
9 Nicole Goehring Edmonton re-elected
10 Christina Gray Edmonton re-elected
11 Sarah Hoffman Edmonton re-elected
12 Janis Irwin Edmonton 2019- (elected to fill Mason's empty seat)
13 Rod Loyola Edmonton re-elected
14 Chris Nielsen Edmonton re-elected
15 Rakhi Pancholi Edmonton 2019- (elected to fill Turner's empty seat)
16 Marlin Schmidt Edmonton re-elected
17 David Shepherd Edmonton re-elected
18 Lori Sigurdson Edmonton re-elected
19 Heather Sweet Edmonton re-elected
20 Marie Renaud St. Albert re-elected
Calgary (3)
21 Joe Ceci Calgary re-elected
22 Kathleen Ganley Calgary re-elected
23 Irfan Sabir Calgary re-elected
Other (1)
24 Shannon Phillips Lethbridge re-elected
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