Liberal party of Alberta
The Liberal party of Alberta is a Political party in the Canadian province of Alberta.
Although the members of the party often also support the Liberal party of Canada at the federal level, the two parties are not officially any more affiliated since 1976.
Origins
The liberals formed the government albertain during the first fifteen years of existence of the province. Alexander C. Rutherford (1905-1910), Arthur L. Sifton (1910-1917) and Charles Stewart (1917-1921) were the successive leaders until the election of 1921, when the United Farmers off Alberta seized the power.
Since 1921
At present, the party forms the Official opposition with the legislative Assemblée of Alberta, but the party had many difficulties of imposing itself during the eight decades which followed their loss to be able. Their best result since 1921 will be 32 seats in the election of 1993, but between 1971 and 1986, the liberals will be completely excluded from the legislative Assemblée, with less than 6% of the popular vote.
One considers that the popularity of the liberals in Alberta was particularly handicapped by the federal government of the Liberal party of Canada under Pierre Elliott Trudeau, of 1968 with 1984. The policies of Trudeau such as the official bilingualism and the national energy Program, were very unpopular in the Western Canadian and particularly in Alberta. During this period, the provincial Liberal party suffered from its bonds with its federal counterpart. However, the provincial party faced its own internal problems, which explains better why it forever succeeded in approaching the level of support which the federal party during this period enjoyed.
The situation of the liberals improves in the years 1980 and they are allocated to the legislative Parliament at the time of the election of 1986; under the direction of Nicholas Taylor, they gain 4 seats and obtain 12% of the popular vote. Following a vote of confidence in 1987, an election with the direction of the party is organized in 1988. Taylor, Grant Mitchell and Laurence Decore are candidates; Decorate is elected chief of the party to the first ballot.
The years 1990
At the time of the general election albertaine of 1993|general election of 1993, the liberals, directed then by the ex-mayor of Edmonton Laurence Decorates, obtain their best success since their loss of being able, mainly thanks to the votes of the provincial capital. They gain 32 seats with 39% of the voices. By doing this, they form the official opposition with the government progressist-conservative of Ralph Klein, dislodging the Nouveau Democratic party which becomes the third party with the legislative Parliament.
In 1994, Laurence Decore resigns as a chief of the party. Four deputies stand as a candidate to his succession: Grant Mitchell, Adam Germain, Sine Chadi and Gary Dickson. After the counting of the votes, Mitchell is elected chief of the party.
The party preserves its position of official opposition, but loses ten seats with the elections of 1997. With now 18 seats with Legislative, Mitchell resigns and a new race with the nomination is launched.
The race with the leadership of 1988 opposes 4 more candidates:
- the ex-minister progressist-preserving Nancy MacBeth
- Ken Nicol
- Karen Leibovici
- Linda Sloan
MacBeth is elected with the first ballot.
Recent history
The elections of 2001, the electoral campaign of MacBeth is shown with only 7 seats with the legislative Parliament. MacBeth loses even its own seat.
A few days afterwards, she resigns and Ken Nicol replaces it until 2004, when it makes the jump in federal policy and is presented in the district of Lethbridge for the Liberal party of Canada. Don Massey is briefly used as chief by interim until the next race with the leadership.
March 27th, 2004, Kevin Taft is selected as chief of the Liberal party of Alberta. At the time of the general election of 2004, they doubled their presence with the legislative Parliament by obtaining 16 seats and 29% of the popular vote. More important, with the great surprise of the majority of the analysts, the liberals succeed in taking 3 seats in the traditionally preserving city of Calgary.
Chiefs of the party
-
Alexander C. Rutherford (1905-1910)
- Arthur L. Sifton (1910-1917)
- Charles Stewart (1917-1922)
- John Robert Boyle (1922-24)
- Charles R. Mitchell (1924-26)
- John C. Bowen (1926)
- Joseph Tweed Shaw (1926-30)
- Geogre H. Webster (1930-32)
- William R. Howson (1932-37)
- Edward Leslie Gray (1937-1940)
- James To grip Prowse (1948-1958)
- John Walter Grant MacEwan (1958-1960)
- David Hunter (1960-64)
- Michael Maccagno (1964-1966, 1966-69)
- Adrian Berry (1966)
- John T. Lowery (1969-70)
- Robert Russell (1971-1974)
- Nicholas Taylor (1974-1988)
- Laurence Decorates (1988-1994)
- Bettie Hewes (1994) interim
- Grant Mitchell (1994-1998)
- Nancy MacBeth (1998-2001)
- Ken Nicol (2001-2004)
- Don Massey (2004) interim
- Kevin Taft (since 2004)
See too
-
Political parties albertains
- Political of Alberta
- List of the Prime Ministers of Alberta
External bonds
-
Official site