July 1921
A month before the 1921 provincial election, a special committee of the UFA drew up its election platform.
STV and preferential ballots was the first plank.
Its declaration of principles:
"Believing that the present unsettled conditions in Canada politically are due in large measure to dissatisfaction with the party system of government, and Believing that present day political institutions fail to measure up to the requirements of present day conditions in that the present system has failed to develop a sufficiently close connection between the representative and the electors,
and that the people desire self-government, and recognizing the rights of all citizens believing that is the duty of every citizen to exercise his rights of citizenship in the efficient manner and in the best interest of social progress, and believing that individual citizenship can only be made efficient and effective through the vehicle of systematically organized groups,:
We the UFA base our hope of developing a social and influence and a progressive force on becoming a stabilized, efficient organization. We therefore place primary emphasis on organization.
Our organization is continuously in authority and while through it we formulate a declaration of principles, or a so-called platform. These are at all time subject to change by the organization.
We are groups of citizens going into political action as an organization. Our elected representatives are at all times answerable to the organization. Each elected representative is answerable directly to the organization in the district that elected him.
We aim to develop through the study of social and economic problems an intelligent, responsible citizenship.
Thus organized citizenship becomes the vehicle not only of intelligent voting but also of intelligent guidance to elected representatives.
A full recognition of the supremacy of the organization in all things does not nullify the importance of a platform. Recognizing this importance, we submit the following as a suggested platform to be used by the UFA provincial districts in the coming election:
Reconstructive Legislative Program
1. Representation of all classes of the community in the legislature according to the numerical strength. This to be brought about through pro-rep and a preferential ballot in single-member districts.
2. We endorse the principle of the initiative, referendum and recall.
3. That 30 days public notice be given before the issuing of the writ for any provincial election
4. That no government be considered defeated except by direct vote of want of confidence.
5. The administration of the affairs of he province with the greatest measure of economy that is consistent with efficiency
6. Abolition of the patronage system in the conduct of all provincial business.
7. Creation of a highways commission...
8. Education to provide as far as possible equal opportunities for all the children of all the people by gradually extending and improving educational facilities
9. Public health: adequate provision for the maintenance of he health of the people as the duty of the province
10. Prohibition: to enforce such legislation for the control of the liquor traffic as the people may sanction by referendum. Prohibition is an integral part of the farmers platform.
11. Natural resources; immediate handing over of the natural resources from the Dominion to the province of Alberta and the conservation and development of these for the benefit of the people
12. That encouragement be given to co-operative efforts in the marketing and handling of the products of the farm and along lines calculated to reduce the cost of production, distribution and living."
(from Red Deer News, July 6, 1921)
Due to its promises of fairness and justice the UFA took a majority of the seats in the 1921 election and became government. Three years later it brought in STV in the cities and preferential balloting (Alternative Voting) in single-member rural districts. The latter ensured that to be elected a candidate had to have the support of a majority of voters in the district - a very fair thing that denied representation to extreme candidates or even those with less than a majority .
Far too often representatives who do not have proven support from a majority of voters in their districts are elected. See my other blog of today (Feb. 5, 2020) -- 2019 election unfair and almost random -- on how the 2019 federal election using First past the post produced a great number of representatives who did not have proven support of most voters in their districts. This would have been impossible under the Alternative Voting system the UFA brought in, the one Alberta used for 30 years.
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