Lionel Gibbs' career as MLA reflects the high points of socialist Labour sentiment in Edmonton and the use of a Proportional Representation voting system.
He was elected in 1916, the first election in which Edmonotn MLAs were elected under a fair voting system. This was Single Transferable Voting, a district-level PR system.
Prior to the adoption of that votingsystem, no labour member had been elected in Edmonton.
He was re-elected in 1930. He died in a swimming accident in 1932 or so
Then in 1935 the Social Credit wave overwhelmed the socialist labour vote as it did also the UFA government, and no Labour man was elected in Edmotnon provincial election. Margaret Crang was re-elected to city council in late 1935 but otherwise the city election was also a wash-out for labour movement.
Gibbs is often overlooked in history of Alberta's labour movement. But his advocacy of proper governance and people-oriented policies were of long standing.
He was reported as being interested in civic planning as early as 1911. This was perhaps start of "City beautiful" campaign in Edmonton. (Saturday News, Feb. 25, 1911)
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