{"id":3327,"date":"2024-12-09T06:40:34","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T12:40:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/?p=3327"},"modified":"2024-12-09T06:40:36","modified_gmt":"2024-12-09T12:40:36","slug":"political-history-of-alberta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/political-history-of-alberta","title":{"rendered":"Political History of Alberta"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Alberta, named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, was once one of the four districts comprising the Northwest Territories. Though it became a separate province only in 1905, its political history dates back to two of its oldest settlements\u2014Fort Vermilion and Fort Chipewyan. Over its relatively short history, Albertans have demonstrated political dynamism and independence. Explore the key political milestones of the province up to the early 21st century on <a href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/\">CalgaryYes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cf370e7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_76 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a122e4fedbcc\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a122e4fedbcc\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/political-history-of-alberta\/#Early_Background\" >Early Background<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/political-history-of-alberta\/#Territorial_Government\" >Territorial Government<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/political-history-of-alberta\/#Becoming_a_Province\" >Becoming a Province<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/political-history-of-alberta\/#What_Happened_Next\" >What Happened Next?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Early_Background\"><\/span>Early Background<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before 1867, British North America (a territory of Great Britain) was divided into six independent colonies: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, United Canada (now southern Quebec and Ontario), Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, and British Columbia. The Canadian Confederation was founded in 1867 by uniting three of these colonies, with the others joining later.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout the first half of the 19th century, fur trading companies such as the Hudson\u2019s Bay Company and North West Company dominated the western territories, populated largely by Indigenous peoples and M\u00e9tis communities. Gradually, central Canada began to show interest in the West, prompting the Confederation to establish constitutional boundaries. In 1869, Canada acquired Rupert\u2019s Land (territory in northern Canada) and the Northwest Territories from the Hudson\u2019s Bay Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cf370e7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Territorial_Government\"><\/span>Territorial Government<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Acquiring Rupert\u2019s Land and the Northwest Territories made Canada responsible for a vast territory. The Territorial Government Act allowed for the appointment of a lieutenant-governor, tasked with local administration under Ottawa&#8217;s direction. A council of seven to fifteen members was also established to assist the lieutenant-governor with administrative duties.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Prime Minister John A. Macdonald chose Joseph Howe as the cabinet member overseeing the Northwest Territories and appointed William McDougall, then Minister of Public Works, as the first lieutenant-governor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"550\" height=\"550\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-19.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3328\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-19.png 550w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-19-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-19-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dominion Lands Act of 1872 allowed homesteaders to claim a free quarter-section of land in the West. This, along with the construction of the railway, triggered significant settlement in western Canada. By the mid-1870s, the North-West Mounted Police established outposts in Fort Edmonton and Fort Calgary. By 1881, Alberta was home to approximately 6,000 Indigenous peoples and 1,500 settlers, including M\u00e9tis and European settlers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1875, the North-West Territories Act introduced electoral districts, and in 1888, the North-West Territories Legislative Assembly was formed, with seven members representing Alberta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Between 1885 and 1897, tensions arose between the North-West Territorial Council, the Legislative Assembly, and Ottawa over control of finances. In 1891, the Dominion Parliament amended the North-West Territories Act to allow the Legislative Assembly to enact ordinances covering most matters, except borrowing powers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Frederick William Haultain was appointed premier in 1891, beginning the push for fully responsible government, which Ottawa officially approved six years later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cf370e7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Becoming_a_Province\"><\/span>Becoming a Province<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1883, natural gas was discovered 40 miles west of Medicine Hat, and the first commercial well was drilled in 1890. Coal mining at the Crowsnest Pass and the establishment of sawmills spurred economic growth, convincing Ottawa of Alberta\u2019s potential. After a long struggle for autonomy, Alberta became a province in 1905.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"761\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-19-761x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-19-761x1024.png 761w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-19-223x300.png 223w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-19-768x1034.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-19-696x937.png 696w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-19.png 881w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 761px) 100vw, 761px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The first Legislative Assembly had 25 members. Edmonton lawyer Alexander Cameron Rutherford became the first premier until Alberta was officially divided into electoral districts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first provincial elections, held on November 9, 1905, resulted in Rutherford\u2019s Liberal Party winning 23 of 25 seats. The government initially operated out of McKay Avenue School, the only suitable location in Edmonton. During the first legislative session, members set vehicle speed limits, approved the establishment of the University of Alberta, named Edmonton the provincial capital, and selected a site overlooking Fort Edmonton for the provincial legislature building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cf370e7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happened_Next\"><\/span>What Happened Next?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Supported by the newly formed United Farmers of Alberta party, Rutherford was re-elected. Opposition leader Richard Bennett, a young Calgary lawyer, rose to prominence. In 1910, Rutherford resigned, and Judge Arthur Sifton took over, leading the Liberals to victory in 1913.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"670\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-17-670x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-17-670x1024.png 670w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-17-196x300.png 196w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-17-696x1064.png 696w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-17.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The First World War became a catalyst for Alberta\u2019s economic, social, and political growth. Women began participating in politics due to a lack of male candidates and gained the right to vote in 1916. In 1917, Arthur Sifton was re-elected, and Louise McKinney became the first woman elected to a legislative body in Canada and the British Empire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-15-724x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-15-724x1024.png 724w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-15-212x300.png 212w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-15-696x984.png 696w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-15.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 724px) 100vw, 724px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Shortly after the election, Sifton resigned, and Charles Stewart assumed leadership of the Liberal Party. Falling grain prices and the inability to fund proposed projects eroded support for the Liberals. By 1921, farmers sought better representation and elected farmer Herbert Greenfield as premier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"798\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/5-7.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/5-7.png 640w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/5-7-241x300.png 241w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Greenfield appointed cabinet lawyer John E. Brownlee as attorney general, who succeeded him as premier in 1925. Brownlee became one of Alberta&#8217;s most productive politicians and a staunch advocate for farmers&#8217; rights. However, in 1934, he resigned due to a scandal involving Vivian MacMillan, a family friend and clerk in the attorney general&#8217;s office, whom he had allegedly seduced and blackmailed between 1930 and 1933.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brownlee was succeeded by provincial treasurer Richard Reid, whose tenure was brief. In 1935, Calgary high school principal William Aberhart led the Social Credit Party of Canada to victory. Aberhart, known for his popular evangelical radio broadcasts, promised Albertans $25 monthly credits during the Great Depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"894\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/6-4.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3343\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/6-4.png 600w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/6-4-201x300.png 201w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Internal party conflicts over Aberhart\u2019s unfulfilled promises overshadowed his other political achievements. After Aberhart&#8217;s death in 1943, Ernest Manning became party leader and premier. In 1947, a major oil discovery near Leduc spurred the province\u2019s energy infrastructure development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1971, businessman and lawyer Peter Lougheed became premier, leading the Progressive Conservative Party to its first Alberta victory. Lougheed held office for 15 years, positioning Alberta as a national leader. He opened numerous social and healthcare facilities, created the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund to invest oil and gas revenues, and spearheaded the province&#8217;s economic diversification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lougheed resigned in 1985, succeeded by fellow Progressive Conservative Don Getty, who served until 1992. Ralph Klein followed, remembered for his populist appeal and controversial remarks about homelessness and LGBTQ+ individuals. Klein stepped down in 2006.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Alberta, named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, was once one of the four districts comprising the Northwest Territories. Though it became a separate province only in 1905, its political history dates back to two of its oldest settlements\u2014Fort Vermilion and Fort Chipewyan. Over its relatively short history, Albertans have [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":411,"featured_media":3346,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[490],"tags":[1594,1588,1587,1590,1576,1589,1593,1592,1585,1591,1586,1579,1596,1505,1595],"motype":[491],"moformat":[1252],"moimportance":[101,104],"class_list":{"0":"post-3327","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pro-polituky","8":"tag-alberta-early-politics","9":"tag-alberta-early-settlers","10":"tag-alberta-legislative-assembly","11":"tag-alberta-oil-boom","12":"tag-alberta-political-history","13":"tag-alberta-province-formation","14":"tag-alberta-social-credit-party","15":"tag-alberta-women-in-politics","16":"tag-alexander-rutherford","18":"tag-john-e-brownlee","19":"tag-louise-mckinney","20":"tag-north-west-territories-history","21":"tag-peter-lougheed","22":"tag-william-aberhart","23":"motype-eternal","24":"moformat-c-l","25":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","26":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3327","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/411"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3327"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3327\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3349,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3327\/revisions\/3349"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3327"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3327"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3327"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=3327"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=3327"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=3327"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}