History List of premiers of Alberta

1 history

1.1 liberal party 1905–1921
1.2 united farmers 1921–1935
1.3 social credit 1935–1971
1.4 progressive conservative 1971–2015
1.5 ndp 2015–present

history
liberal party 1905–1921

the liberal party got start in power in alberta when prime minister wilfrid laurier appointed alexander rutherford, prominent liberal , former elected nwt assembly member, interim premier in 1905. , other liberals organized province s first election.

rutherford s liberal party elected, majority of popular vote , majority of seats in legislative assembly in province s first election, 1905 alberta election. north-central constituency boundaries radiated out edmonton , case of gerrymandered electoral boundaries. rutherford emerged march 1909 election leading formidable majority, reflected broad popular support , government enjoyed. resign premier 14 months later, in may 1910, after government implicated in alberta , great waterways railway scandal.

arthur sifton replaced rutherford premier. shortly before 1913 election sifton s liberals jammed through controversial bill expanding size of legislative assembly. bill once again said gerrymander boundaries in liberals favor, although liberals again received more votes other party in 1913 election. press , opposition term reign premier siftonism implying reign disease on alberta. sifton lasted 1 term premier left pursue career in federal politics.

charles stewart replaced sifton , held liberal government through lackluster 1917 election 11 mlas serving in armed forces automatically re-elected. elected opposition strongest far in province s 12-year history. conservatives, formed official opposition 19 seats, more one-third of seats in assembly, expressed hopes had upper hand on waning liberal government. both surprised united farmers routed liberals , conservatives in rural areas form government in 1921 election.

united farmers 1921–1935

alberta s second dynasty united farmers of alberta, farmers movement organization, formed in 1909 lobby group, political wing rose minor party named alberta non-partisan league, formed in 1916. henry wise wood led party @ time of 1921 election, although did not run himself. loosely organized farmer candidates running in rural constituencies captured majority of seats. party allied labour candidates, did not contest urban ridings, aside 1 in edmonton. wood did not want job premier farmers forced shop around. ufa lawyer john brownlee asked first declined. ufa executive member herbert greenfield, second choice, became new premier, although had not run in election had await success in by-election take seat. greenfield resigned 4 years later because absent due illness , lost of energy due death of wife shortly after election.

john brownlee, had been offered job, succeeded greenfield. brownlee s reign government leader troubled onset of great depression. resigned in scandal after accused of sexual acts minor in attorney general s office. , scandalous divorce ufa mla oran mcpherson, speaker of legislative assembly, gave united farmers image of moral decay. in 1934 richard reid replaced brownlee served premier less 2 years, leading united farmers government total defeat @ hands of new social credit party.

social credit 1935–1971

albertans turned away united farmers government , began follow evangelical radio preacher william aberhart, known bible bill. social credit party had been founded in 1932. voters flocked radical monetary reforms proposed aberhart , british sc theorist clifford douglas, looking escape great depression. social credit elected majority (54 percent of vote) in 1935 election wiping out united farmers representation (although ufa did receive 11 percent of vote). aberhart had difficulty implementing social credit theory , popularity began decline. government fell during 1936 caucus rebellion, in own mlas forced him promise try reform banking system. rebounded , in 1940 election garnered more votes other party , captured large majority of seats. aberhart died in 1943; premier die in office in alberta s history.

ernest manning succeeded aberhart premier. under manning, social credit moved away monetary theory of douglas , towards traditional conservatism. manning lead party through seven-straight massive majorities, (although in 1955 government received barely more seats aberhart had received in 1940, due strong short-lived liberal drive). after 24 years premier, manning resigned in 1967.

harry strom, long time cabinet minister, replaced manning , lead party defeat in 1971 election @ hands of progressive conservatives under peter lougheed. strom , government looked old , tired , out of touch compared new progressive conservatives.

progressive conservative 1971–2015

the fourth government of alberta first led peter lougheed, defeating 36-year reign of social credit in 1971.

peter lougheed served premier, winning 4 elections, until 1985 when retired public office. of lougheed s notable accomplishments limited alberta bill of rights, , heritage trust fund.

don getty, 1 of lougheed’s long-time cabinet ministers, returned politics win leadership of party. getty s premiership endorsed win in 1986 general election saw ndp climb 16 seats official opposition. getty s reign became unpopular led alberta large deficit spending, , marked era of big government that, said, province not afford. in 1989 election defeated in edmonton-whitemud riding, while party still won majority. sat in gallery unelected premier until won seat in by-election in stettler. refusal leave premier helped laurence decore s liberals skyrocket in popularity. getty resigned , replaced in bitter leadership battle ralph klein.

ralph klein, former mayor of calgary, led party 1993 election, promising new era of debt reduction , fiscal accountability. walked away slim majority. ralph klein s folksy appeal helped progressive conservatives renew themselves. led party through 2 elections, gaining in popularity each time. price of oil rebounded , government, despite low rates of taxes on wealthy , corporations, showing surplus of $3 billion every year. in 2004, klein announced alberta debt had been paid in full. rewarded voters in 2004 election, despite running campaign no new policies. party lost number of seats, , during campaign stated last election. in 2006 @ progressive conservative convention delegates forced him pick retirement date giving him relatively low numbers in leadership review.

ed stelmach succeeded klein premier, following win of leadership of alberta progressive conservative party in 2006. won 2008 provincial election, but, troubled dissension within party, resigned party celebrated 40 years in power in 2011.

alison redford subsequently elected party leader , became first female premier of alberta. despite strong opposition wildrose party polls , media predicted end pc s 41-year dynasty, redford , pc party won re-election in april 2012, making redford alberta s first elected female premier. due steep decline in approval ratings , spending controversy, alison redford announced resignation on march 19, 2014, premier of alberta, effective march 23.

alberta deputy premier dave hancock selected interim party leader progressive conservative caucus on march 20, 2014, , became interim premier on march 23, 2014.

jim prentice elected permanent leader of pc party on september 6, 2014 , succeeded hancock premier on september 15, 2014. turned government around on number of crucial issues, cancelling closure of michener centre, example. elected seat in october 27, 2014 by-election. prentice conservatives won 4 by-elections held day while rival wildrose party did poorly. less 2 months later, of wildrose party caucus --including leader danielle smith, crossed floor sit conservatives.

on may 5, 2015, jim prentice , party crushed, losing 60 seats in legislature, while ndp took large majority of seats. prentice resigned pc party leader , resigned seat in constituency of calgary-foothills, leaving pc party 9 seats.

ndp 2015–present

rachel notley appointed , sworn in premier on may 24, 2015, following party s having won majority in 2015 general election, 54 out of 87 seats in legislature. on may 22, 2015, notley suspended caucus member, leaving party 53 out of 87 seats, still enough form strong majority. of november 2016, party has 55 seats.