Alberta New Democratic Party
Encyclopedia
The Alberta New Democratic Party or Alberta NDP is a social-democratic
political party
in Alberta
, Canada
, which was originally founded as the Alberta section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
. From the mid-1980s to 2004, the party abbreviated its name as the "New Democrats" (ND).
(CCF) was founded in Calgary on 1 August 1932 but organised in fits and starts in Alberta due to lack of support from the United Farmers of Alberta
(UFA). While most UFA Members of Parliament, led by William Irvine
, the first president of the Alberta CCF, supported the CCF and ran for re-election (unsuccessfully) in the 1935 federal election
as CCF candidates the UFA was also the governing party in the Alberta legislature and was more ambivalent. The CCF did not run in the 1935 provincial election
because of its ties with the UFA. The UFA was defeated badly and fell into disarray. Federally, Eight of the UFA's Members of Parliament
in the Canadian House of Commons
ran as UFA-CCF candidates in the 1935 federal election - and we all defeated largely because of their association with the unpopular UFA government. In 1936, William Irvine
, a CCF founder and defeated UFA Member of Parliament, was elected the Alberta CCF's first president. In 1937, the UFA decided to leave electoral politics entirely and, in 1938, the CCF committed itself to run candidates in the next provincial and elections setting up local riding clubs for that purpose. Former UFA MLA Chester Ronning
became the Alberta CCF's first leader in the 1940 provincial election
but despite winning 11% of the vote the party was unable to win any seats in the Alberta legislature - the CCF was unable to win the support of the UFA's conservative supporters, or put a dent in support for the agrarian
populism
of the Social Credit Party of Alberta
.
The Alberta Labour Party
federated with the CCF in 1935, but continued to run its own candidates in provincial elections. In 1942, the Alberta CCF clubs formally merged with the Labour Party and Elmer Roper
became the new leader after becoming the party's first Alberta MLA as a result of an upset victory in a 1942 by-election
. In the next two years party membership soared from 2,500 to over 12,000.
In the 1944 election
, the CCF received 24% of the vote, but was able to win only 2 seats, due to the single transferable vote
system and the dominance of Social Credit which received over 50% of ballots cast. Roper was joined in the legislature by Aylmer Liesemer
, a Calgary schoolteacher. The rise of support for the CCF after 1942 mobilized the business community to pull out of efforts to build an anti-Social Credit party and instead back the Social Credit government, now led by Ernest Manning
, as a bulwark against the socialists. Unlike the Saskatchewan CCF
, which had won office in the 1944 Saskatchewan election
on a platform calling for social programs, the Alberta CCF was more radical campaigned on provincial ownership of the province's resources and utilities. Irvine also advocated an alliance with the communist
Labour-Progressive Party
under Alberta's single transferable vote
electoral system.
Through the 1940s and 1950s, the CCF's percentage of the vote declined, eventually falling under 10% of the vote, and they were never able to win more than the two seats they managed in 1944. The party was kept to two MLAs through the 1950s. Roper lost his seat in the 1955 election
and the party's two MLAs were both defeated in the 1959 election
leaving it shut out of the legislature.
in 1961, becoming the New Democratic Party
of Canada. In Alberta, the NDP was founded in 1962 under the leadership of Neil Reimer
who had been national director of the Energy and Chemical Workers Union. The NDP was unable to build on the CCF's provincial base, and, with the exception of a 1966 by-election victory, did not win any seats until the 1971 election
when Grant Notley
, who had taken over the party in 1968, was elected to the legislature.
With the election of the Alberta Progressive Conservatives
in 1971, Social Credit gradually collapsed. The Alberta Liberal Party
suffered in the late 1970s and early 1980s due to its shared name and links with the federal Liberal Party of Canada
government of Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau
, which was very unpopular in Alberta.
The decline of Social Credit and unpopularity of the Liberals gave the New Democrats an opportunity to become the focus of opposition to the Lougheed
-led Conservatives. Popularity of the NDP gradually increased under leader Grant Notley
, who led the party from 1968 until his death in a plane crash in 1984, and was the party's sole MLA until 1982.
In 1971, the NDP surpassed the 10% barrier, climbing to 18.75% in the 1982 election
. The party became the Official Opposition
in 1982, though with only two seats.
In the 1986 election
, under Ray Martin
, the party, now known as the "NDs," won almost 30% of the vote and 16 seats. This was to be the apex of New Democrat support. Party membership, which had rarely been more than 5,000 in the 1970s, reached 20,000 following the 1986 provincial election
.
. While they were still the Official Opposition in the legislature by virtue of having more seats than the Liberals, the NDs' popular support fell behind the Liberals (26% to the Liberal's 28%) for the first time in decades.
In the 1993 election
, their popular vote fell by more than half to 11%, and they lost all their seats in the legislature
.
The party was able to regain their foothold in the legislature winning two seats in the 1997
and 2001 elections
.
, a former city councillor. He was elected leader in September 2004, while serving as interim leader after the resignation of Raj Pannu
. Mason represents the riding of Edmonton Highlands-Norwood
.
In the 2004 Alberta general election
the party doubled its seats from two to four - the re-elected Mason and Pannu, returning former leader Ray Martin, and newcomer David Eggen
. The party received 10.2% of the vote province-wide.
In the 2008 Alberta general election, the party was reduced to two seats. Brian Mason was re-elected as was newcomer Rachael Notley. Ray Martin and David Eggen were narrowly defeated. The party received 8.52% of the popular vote.
At its 2008 provincial convention, the party overwhelmingly rejected a proposal by the Environment Caucus recommending a party task force be mandated to “investigate a variety of options for political cooperation with the Alberta Liberals and/or Greens.” and “to prepare a motion to be considered” at the next Party Convention.
The proposal was opposed by NDP leader Brian Mason.
Alberta Federation of Labour
president Gil McGowan had, independently from the Environment Caucus, distributed a detailed discussion paper advocating that the NDP form a one or two election cooperation pact with the Alberta Liberal Party
and Green Party of Alberta
in which parties would not run against each other in certain ridings in hopes of defeating Progressive Conservative candidates. The Way Forward: An AFL proposal for a united alternative to the Conservatives
McGowan was unable to speak to the NDEnvirocaucus motion on cooperation before the question was "called". However, just after the resolution was soundly defeated, and during his report to the Convention as AFL President, he addressed the issue. He urged Party members to admit, in the face of 40 years of Tory government and the recent disappointing election results, that there is a problem and that significant change is called for.
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, which was originally founded as the Alberta section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
. From the mid-1980s to 2004, the party abbreviated its name as the "New Democrats" (ND).
Origins and early years
The Co-operative Commonwealth FederationCo-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
(CCF) was founded in Calgary on 1 August 1932 but organised in fits and starts in Alberta due to lack of support from the United Farmers of Alberta
United Farmers of Alberta
The United Farmers of Alberta is an association of Alberta farmers that has served many different roles throughout its history as a lobby group, a political party, and as a farm-supply retail chain. Since 1934 it has primarily been an agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary...
(UFA). While most UFA Members of Parliament, led by William Irvine
William Irvine (Canadian politician)
William Irvine was a Canadian politician, journalist and clergyman. He served in the Canadian House of Commons on three different occasions, as a representative of Labour, the United Farmers of Alberta and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
, the first president of the Alberta CCF, supported the CCF and ran for re-election (unsuccessfully) in the 1935 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1935
The Canadian federal election of 1935 was held on October 14, 1935 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 18th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of William Lyon Mackenzie King won a majority government, defeating Prime Minister R.B. Bennett's Conservative Party.The central...
as CCF candidates the UFA was also the governing party in the Alberta legislature and was more ambivalent. The CCF did not run in the 1935 provincial election
Alberta general election, 1935
The Alberta general election of 1935 was the eighth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 22, 1935 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
because of its ties with the UFA. The UFA was defeated badly and fell into disarray. Federally, Eight of the UFA's Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
ran as UFA-CCF candidates in the 1935 federal election - and we all defeated largely because of their association with the unpopular UFA government. In 1936, William Irvine
William Irvine
William Irvine may refer to:*William Irvine , Clerk of the Rolls for Scotland*William Irvine , American Revolutionary War general, congressman from Pennsylvania...
, a CCF founder and defeated UFA Member of Parliament, was elected the Alberta CCF's first president. In 1937, the UFA decided to leave electoral politics entirely and, in 1938, the CCF committed itself to run candidates in the next provincial and elections setting up local riding clubs for that purpose. Former UFA MLA Chester Ronning
Chester Ronning
Chester Alvin Ronning, CC, AOE was a Canadian diplomat and politician.Ronning was born in Fangcheng, China, the son of Norwegian Lutheran missionaries, and graduated from the University of Alberta in 1916 with a B.Sc.He returned to China to serve as a missionary from 1922 to 1927 and then returned...
became the Alberta CCF's first leader in the 1940 provincial election
Alberta general election, 1940
The Alberta general election of 1940 was the ninth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, was held on March 21, 1940 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
but despite winning 11% of the vote the party was unable to win any seats in the Alberta legislature - the CCF was unable to win the support of the UFA's conservative supporters, or put a dent in support for the agrarian
Agrarianism
Agrarianism has two common meanings. The first meaning refers to a social philosophy or political philosophy which values rural society as superior to urban society, the independent farmer as superior to the paid worker, and sees farming as a way of life that can shape the ideal social values...
populism
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
of the Social Credit Party of Alberta
Social Credit Party of Alberta
The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values....
.
The Alberta Labour Party
Canadian Labour Party
The Canadian Labour Party was an early, unsuccessful attempt at creating a national labour party in Canada. Although it ran candidates in the federal elections of 1917, 1921, 1925 and 1926, it never succeeded in its goal of providing a national forum for the Canadian labour movement...
federated with the CCF in 1935, but continued to run its own candidates in provincial elections. In 1942, the Alberta CCF clubs formally merged with the Labour Party and Elmer Roper
Elmer Ernest Roper
Elmer Ernest Roper was a politician in Alberta, Canada. He served as leader of the Alberta Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, the mayor of Edmonton, and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He was also a candidate for the Canadian House of Commons.-Early life:Roper was born in...
became the new leader after becoming the party's first Alberta MLA as a result of an upset victory in a 1942 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
. In the next two years party membership soared from 2,500 to over 12,000.
In the 1944 election
Alberta general election, 1944
The Alberta general election of 1944 was the tenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. The Assembly was dissolved on July 8, 1944 and the vote for was held on August 8, 1944 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
, the CCF received 24% of the vote, but was able to win only 2 seats, due to the single transferable vote
Single transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
system and the dominance of Social Credit which received over 50% of ballots cast. Roper was joined in the legislature by Aylmer Liesemer
Aylmer Liesemer
Aylmer "Alymer" "A.J.E" John Eggert Liesemer was a retired politician and teacher in Alberta, Canada.-Early life:Liesemer was born in Didsbury, Alberta in 1905...
, a Calgary schoolteacher. The rise of support for the CCF after 1942 mobilized the business community to pull out of efforts to build an anti-Social Credit party and instead back the Social Credit government, now led by Ernest Manning
Ernest Manning
Ernest Charles Manning, , a Canadian politician, was the eighth Premier of Alberta between 1943 and 1968 for the Social Credit Party of Alberta. He served longer than any premier in the province's history, and was the second longest serving provincial premier in Canadian history...
, as a bulwark against the socialists. Unlike the Saskatchewan CCF
Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It currently forms the official opposition, but has been a dominant force in Saskatchewan politics since the 1940s...
, which had won office in the 1944 Saskatchewan election
Saskatchewan general election, 1944
The Saskatchewan general election of 1944 was the tenth provincial election in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on June 15, 1944 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
on a platform calling for social programs, the Alberta CCF was more radical campaigned on provincial ownership of the province's resources and utilities. Irvine also advocated an alliance with the communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
Labour-Progressive Party
Labour-Progressive Party
For the Labour-Progressive Coalition Government in New Zealand see the Fifth Labour Government of New ZealandThe Labor-Progressive Party was the legal political organization of the Communist Party of Canada between 1943 and 1959....
under Alberta's single transferable vote
Single transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
electoral system.
Through the 1940s and 1950s, the CCF's percentage of the vote declined, eventually falling under 10% of the vote, and they were never able to win more than the two seats they managed in 1944. The party was kept to two MLAs through the 1950s. Roper lost his seat in the 1955 election
Alberta general election, 1955
The Alberta general election of 1955 was the thirteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 29, 1955 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
and the party's two MLAs were both defeated in the 1959 election
Alberta general election, 1959
The Alberta general election of 1959 was the fourteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 18, 1959 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
leaving it shut out of the legislature.
The 1960s and 1970s
The CCF merged with the Canadian Labour CongressCanadian Labour Congress
The Canadian Labour Congress, or CLC is a national trade union centre, the central labour body in English Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated.- Formation :...
in 1961, becoming the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
of Canada. In Alberta, the NDP was founded in 1962 under the leadership of Neil Reimer
Neil Reimer
Neil Reimer , was an activist, trade unionist and former political figure in Canada.After leaving the University of Saskatchewan in 1942 at the age of 19, Reimer went to work at the Consumers Co-operative Refinery, in Regina, Saskatchewan. He immediately joined a Congress of Industrial...
who had been national director of the Energy and Chemical Workers Union. The NDP was unable to build on the CCF's provincial base, and, with the exception of a 1966 by-election victory, did not win any seats until the 1971 election
Alberta general election, 1971
The Alberta general election of 1971 was the seventeenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 30, 1971 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
when Grant Notley
Grant Notley
Walter Grant Notley was a provincial politician in Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 to 1984 and also served as leader of the Alberta NDP from 1968 to 1984....
, who had taken over the party in 1968, was elected to the legislature.
With the election of the Alberta Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
in 1971, Social Credit gradually collapsed. The Alberta Liberal Party
Alberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
suffered in the late 1970s and early 1980s due to its shared name and links with the federal Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
government of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
, which was very unpopular in Alberta.
The decline of Social Credit and unpopularity of the Liberals gave the New Democrats an opportunity to become the focus of opposition to the Lougheed
Peter Lougheed
Edgar Peter Lougheed, PC, CC, AOE, QC, is a Canadian lawyer, and a former politician and Canadian Football League player. He served as the tenth Premier of Alberta from 1971 to 1985....
-led Conservatives. Popularity of the NDP gradually increased under leader Grant Notley
Grant Notley
Walter Grant Notley was a provincial politician in Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 to 1984 and also served as leader of the Alberta NDP from 1968 to 1984....
, who led the party from 1968 until his death in a plane crash in 1984, and was the party's sole MLA until 1982.
In 1971, the NDP surpassed the 10% barrier, climbing to 18.75% in the 1982 election
Alberta general election, 1982
The Alberta general election of 1982 was the twentieth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 2, 1982 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. The party became the Official Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
in 1982, though with only two seats.
The 1980s
Notley was leading the NDP to what many thought would be a major breakthrough when he was killed in an airplane crash in 1984.In the 1986 election
Alberta general election, 1986
The Alberta general election of 1986 was the twenty-first general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on May 8, 1986 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
, under Ray Martin
Ray Martin (politician)
Raymond Martin is a politician in Alberta, Canada and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Born in 1941 in Delia, Alberta, Martin attended the University of Alberta in Edmonton. He was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity...
, the party, now known as the "NDs," won almost 30% of the vote and 16 seats. This was to be the apex of New Democrat support. Party membership, which had rarely been more than 5,000 in the 1970s, reached 20,000 following the 1986 provincial election
Alberta general election, 1986
The Alberta general election of 1986 was the twenty-first general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on May 8, 1986 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
.
The 1990s
The New Democrats were unable to gain additional seats in the 1989 electionAlberta general election, 1989
The Alberta general election of 1989 was the twenty-second general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 20, 1989 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. While they were still the Official Opposition in the legislature by virtue of having more seats than the Liberals, the NDs' popular support fell behind the Liberals (26% to the Liberal's 28%) for the first time in decades.
In the 1993 election
Alberta general election, 1993
The Alberta general election of 1993 was the twenty-third general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 15, 1993 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta...
, their popular vote fell by more than half to 11%, and they lost all their seats in the legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
.
The party was able to regain their foothold in the legislature winning two seats in the 1997
Alberta general election, 1997
The Alberta general election of 1997 was the twenty-fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 11, 1997 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
and 2001 elections
Alberta general election, 2001
The Alberta general election of 2001 was the twenty-fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 12, 2001 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
.
Recent developments
In 2004, the party reverted to the traditional "NDP" abbreviation. The current leader of the Alberta NDP is Brian MasonBrian Mason
Brian Mason is a Canadian politician and leader of the Alberta New Democrats . Mason was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood in a 2001 byelection, and his career in politics spans more than 20 years.Mason first became politically active...
, a former city councillor. He was elected leader in September 2004, while serving as interim leader after the resignation of Raj Pannu
Raj Pannu
Raj Pannu is a Canadian educator and politician, who led the Alberta New Democratic Party from 2000 to 2004.Pannu was born in Punjab, India completing an undergraduate degree before immigrating to Canada in 1962...
. Mason represents the riding of Edmonton Highlands-Norwood
Edmonton Highlands-Norwood
Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. The district was created in 2004 when it was merged with Edmonton-Highlands and Edmonton-Norwood....
.
In the 2004 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 2004
The Alberta general election of 2004 was the twenty-sixth general election for the province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 22, 2004 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
the party doubled its seats from two to four - the re-elected Mason and Pannu, returning former leader Ray Martin, and newcomer David Eggen
David Eggen
David Eggen is a Canadian politician. He is a former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the riding of Edmonton-Calder.- Educator :...
. The party received 10.2% of the vote province-wide.
In the 2008 Alberta general election, the party was reduced to two seats. Brian Mason was re-elected as was newcomer Rachael Notley. Ray Martin and David Eggen were narrowly defeated. The party received 8.52% of the popular vote.
At its 2008 provincial convention, the party overwhelmingly rejected a proposal by the Environment Caucus recommending a party task force be mandated to “investigate a variety of options for political cooperation with the Alberta Liberals and/or Greens.” and “to prepare a motion to be considered” at the next Party Convention.
The proposal was opposed by NDP leader Brian Mason.
Alberta Federation of Labour
Alberta Federation of Labour
The Alberta Federation of Labour is the Alberta provincial trade union federation of the Canadian Labour Congress. It was founded in 1912 and has a membership of approximately 125,000 from 31 unions.-External links:*...
president Gil McGowan had, independently from the Environment Caucus, distributed a detailed discussion paper advocating that the NDP form a one or two election cooperation pact with the Alberta Liberal Party
Alberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
and Green Party of Alberta
Green Party of Alberta
The Green Party of Alberta, also known as the Alberta Greens, was a provincial political party in the province of Alberta, Canada.The Alberta Greens were formed in 1986 and received official party status on April 6, 1990...
in which parties would not run against each other in certain ridings in hopes of defeating Progressive Conservative candidates. The Way Forward: An AFL proposal for a united alternative to the Conservatives
McGowan was unable to speak to the NDEnvirocaucus motion on cooperation before the question was "called". However, just after the resolution was soundly defeated, and during his report to the Convention as AFL President, he addressed the issue. He urged Party members to admit, in the face of 40 years of Tory government and the recent disappointing election results, that there is a problem and that significant change is called for.
Party leaders
- Chester RonningChester RonningChester Alvin Ronning, CC, AOE was a Canadian diplomat and politician.Ronning was born in Fangcheng, China, the son of Norwegian Lutheran missionaries, and graduated from the University of Alberta in 1916 with a B.Sc.He returned to China to serve as a missionary from 1922 to 1927 and then returned...
(1940–1942) - Elmer RoperElmer Ernest RoperElmer Ernest Roper was a politician in Alberta, Canada. He served as leader of the Alberta Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, the mayor of Edmonton, and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He was also a candidate for the Canadian House of Commons.-Early life:Roper was born in...
(1942–1955) - Neil ReimerNeil ReimerNeil Reimer , was an activist, trade unionist and former political figure in Canada.After leaving the University of Saskatchewan in 1942 at the age of 19, Reimer went to work at the Consumers Co-operative Refinery, in Regina, Saskatchewan. He immediately joined a Congress of Industrial...
(1962–1968) - Grant NotleyGrant NotleyWalter Grant Notley was a provincial politician in Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 to 1984 and also served as leader of the Alberta NDP from 1968 to 1984....
(1968–1984) - Ray MartinRay Martin (politician)Raymond Martin is a politician in Alberta, Canada and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Born in 1941 in Delia, Alberta, Martin attended the University of Alberta in Edmonton. He was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity...
(1984–1994) - Ross HarveyRoss HarveyRoss Harvey is a Canadian politician and former member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 1993.- Biography :...
(1994–1996) - Pam BarrettPam BarrettPam Barrett was a politician who left politics in February 2000, after having a life-changing near-death experience.-Early political career:...
(1996–2000) - Raj PannuRaj PannuRaj Pannu is a Canadian educator and politician, who led the Alberta New Democratic Party from 2000 to 2004.Pannu was born in Punjab, India completing an undergraduate degree before immigrating to Canada in 1962...
(2000–2004) - Brian MasonBrian MasonBrian Mason is a Canadian politician and leader of the Alberta New Democrats . Mason was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood in a 2001 byelection, and his career in politics spans more than 20 years.Mason first became politically active...
(since 2004)
Current Alberta New Democrat MLAs
- Brian MasonBrian MasonBrian Mason is a Canadian politician and leader of the Alberta New Democrats . Mason was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood in a 2001 byelection, and his career in politics spans more than 20 years.Mason first became politically active...
(Edmonton Highlands-NorwoodEdmonton Highlands-NorwoodEdmonton-Highlands-Norwood is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. The district was created in 2004 when it was merged with Edmonton-Highlands and Edmonton-Norwood....
) - Rachel NotleyRachel NotleyRachel Notley is a Canadian lawyer and politician, currently a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Notley's legal career has focused on labour law, with a specialty in workers' compensation advocacy and workplace health and safety issues...
(Edmonton-StrathconaEdmonton-Strathcona (provincial electoral district)Edmonton-Strathcona is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. It shares the same name as the federal electoral district of Edmonton—Strathcona....
)
See also
- List of articles about Alberta CCF/NDP members
- List of Alberta general elections
- List of Alberta political parties
- Alberta New Democratic Party leadership electionsAlberta New Democratic Party leadership electionsThis page lists the results of leadership elections held by the Alberta New Democratic Party. The position of party leader was not officially created until the 1963 convention...