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Tom Monto

Left MLAs in Alberta's history

Updated: Dec 16, 2020

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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