The is a political party in
Alberta ,
Canada .
The Liberals formed the government in Alberta for the first 15 years of the province's existence.
Alexander C. Rutherford (1905-1910),
Arthur L. Sifton (1910-1917) and
Charles Stewart (1917-1921) led Liberal governments, until the party was swept from office in the
1921 Election by the
United Farmers Of Alberta .
Currently the party is the Official Opposition in the Alberta legislature, but the party has suffered through some difficult times in the eight decades since their defeat as the province's governing party. In opposition, the party has won up to 32
Seat s but has also at times been shut out of the provincial
Legislature altogether. Between 1971 and 1986, the party did not win a single seat in the Alberta Legislature, and did not receive more than 6% of the popular vote.
The provincial Liberals' popularity in Alberta was especially hurt during the federal government of
Pierre Trudeau 's
Liberal Party Of Canada between 1968 and 1984. Trudeau's policies were unpopular in western Canada and especially in Alberta, particularly
Official Bilingualism , and the
National Energy Program , which exacerbated feelings of
Western Alienation . During this period, the provincial Liberal party suffered because of its connections with its federal cousins.
The Liberals' fortunes improved in the late 1980s and they returned to the Alberta legislature in the
1986 Election , when leader
Nick Taylor led them to win 4 seats and 12% of the popular vote. Following the
1987 leadership review, a leadership contest was held in
1988 . The race was contested by Taylor, MLA
Grant Mitchell , and
Edmonton Mayor
Laurence Decore . Decore was elected leader of the party after the first ballot.
The Alberta Liberal Party ran one candidate in the
1989 Senate Election ,
Bill Code , when Bill Code finished second with 22.5% of the vote.
In the
1993 Election , the Liberals, under former
Edmonton Mayor Laurence Decore , enjoyed their greatest success since holding power when they swept Edmonton, winning a total of 32 seats, and collecting 39% of the popular vote. This enabled the party to displace the New Democrats to become the
Official Opposition to the
Progressive Conservative government of
Ralph Klein .
In MLA
Grant Mitchell ,
Fort McMurray MLA
Adam Germain ,
Edmonton Roper MLA
Sine Chadi , and
Calgary Buffalo MLA
Gary Dickson . After all the ballots had been counted, Mitchell was elected as party leader.
The party continued to hold its position as Official Opposition, but lost 10 seats in the
1997 Election . With 18 seats in the Alberta legslature, Mitchell resigned as leader, and another race was declared.
The cabinet minister
Nancy MacBeth ,
Lethbridge East MLA
Ken Nicol ,
Edmonton Meadowlark MLA
Karen Leibovici , and
Edmonton Riverview MLA
Linda Sloan . MacBeth was elected on the first ballot.
In the
2001 Election , MacBeth led a campaign which ended with only seven Liberal
MLA s being elected.
In the days following the
2001 Election , MacBeth resigned and
Ken Nicol was acclaimed leader. Nicol led the party until
2004 , when he ran for the federal
Liberal Party Of Canada in the Lethbridge riding.
Edmonton Mill Woods MLA
Don Massey briefly stood as interim leader until a leadership race was held.
On
March 27 ,
2004 ,
Kevin Taft was elected the new leader of the Alberta Liberal Party. In the
2004 Provincial Election , the Liberals more than doubled their seats to 16 and increased their share of the popular vote to 29%. More significantly, and to the surprise of most observers, the Liberals were able to win three seats in the traditionally conservative city of
Calgary .
Officially the Alberta Liberal party is not affiliated with the
Liberal Party Of Canada , although several Alberta Liberals have gone on to run for the federal Liberals.
- Bharat Agnihotri (Edmonton-Ellerslie): Community Development Critic
- Dan Backs (Edmonton-Manning): Human Resources and Employment (WCB) Critic
- Laurie Blakeman (Edmonton-Centre): House Leader; Health and Wellness Critic
- Bill Bonko (Edmonton-Decore): Sustainable Resource Development Critic
- Harry B. Chase (Calgary-Varsity): Infrastructure and Transportation, Parks Critic
- Mo Elsalhy (Edmonton-McClung): Innovation and Science, Government Services Critic
- Jack Flaherty (St. Albert): Education Critic
- Hugh MacDonald (Edmonton-Gold Bar): Chair, Standing Committee on Public Accounts; Energy, Agriculture Critic
- Weslyn Mather (Edmonton-Mill Woods): Children's Services Critic
- Bruce Miller (politician) (Edmonton-Glenora): Deputy Whip; Justice, Solicitor General Critic
- Rick Miller (Edmonton-Rutherford): Whip; Finance Critic
- Bridget Pastoor (Lethbridge-East): International and Intergovernmental Relations, Seniors Critic
- David Swann (Calgary-Mountain View): Environment Critic
- Kevin Taft (Edmonton-Riverview): Leader; Municipal Affairs, Government Restructuring, Community Development Critic
- Dave Taylor (Calgary-Currie): Deputy Leader; Advanced Education Critic
- Maurice Tougas (Edmonton-Meadowlark): Aboriginal Affairs, Gaming Critic
