Grant Notley
Encyclopedia
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.
in 1960 with a history degree. After having been involved with the Alberta New Democratic Party
in campus politics, he became the party's provincial secretary in 1962.
as a candidate for the Alberta NDP
. He was easily defeated finishing last in the four way race losing to incumbent Edgar Gerhart
.
He also ran 1967 provincial elections
, and in a 1969 by-election
. Notley was elected leader of the Alberta NDP in 1968.
Notley ran in the 1971 provincial election
, he won a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
in the electoral district of Spirit River-Fairview
defeating incumbent Adolph Fimrite
. He served as the Member of the Legislative Assembly
(MLA) for Spirit River-Fairview, and was, for eleven years, the sole NDP MLA in the provincial legislature.
As a result of the 1982 provincial election
, he was joined by a second NDP MLA, Ray Martin
, and became leader of the opposition
. Notley spent his political career patiently building the social democratic
NDP in one of Canada's most conservative provinces.
In October 1984, Notley and five other passengers were killed in a plane crash. His death came shortly before the party's breakthrough in the 1986 provincial election
in which the NDP won 16 seats with 29% of the vote.
Notley's daughter, Rachel Notley
, ran for the NDP and was elected in the provincial riding of Edmonton Strathcona in the 27th Alberta general election
. His son, Stephen Notley, writes the popular newspaper and web comic strip
Bob the Angry Flower
.
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. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
from 1971 to 1984 and also served as leader of the Alberta NDP
Alberta New Democratic Party
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 1968 to 1984.
Early life
Notley graduated from the University of AlbertaUniversity of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
in 1960 with a history degree. After having been involved with the Alberta New Democratic Party
Alberta New Democratic Party
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...
in campus politics, he became the party's provincial secretary in 1962.
Political career
Notley ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1963Alberta general election, 1963
The Alberta general election of 1963 was the fifteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 17, 1963 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.The Social Credit Party, led by Ernest C...
as a candidate for the Alberta NDP
Alberta New Democratic Party
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...
. He was easily defeated finishing last in the four way race losing to incumbent Edgar Gerhart
Edgar Gerhart
Edgar Henry Gerhart was a lawyer judge and provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1952 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government...
.
He also ran 1967 provincial elections
Alberta general election, 1967
The Alberta general election of 1967 was the sixteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on May 23, 1967 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
, and in a 1969 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
. Notley was elected leader of the Alberta NDP in 1968.
Notley ran in the 1971 provincial 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....
, he won a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
in the electoral district of Spirit River-Fairview
Spirit River-Fairview
Spirit River-Fairview was a provincial electoral district in Northwestern Alberta. In 1971 the district created by a merger of the Spirit River and Dunvegan electoral districts. The district was abolished in 1986 and recreated into Dunvegan....
defeating incumbent Adolph Fimrite
Adolph Fimrite
Adolph Olaf Fimrite was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1952 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government...
. He served as the Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
(MLA) for Spirit River-Fairview, and was, for eleven years, the sole NDP MLA in the provincial legislature.
As a result of the 1982 provincial 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....
, he was joined by a second NDP MLA, 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...
, and became leader of the 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...
. Notley spent his political career patiently building the social democratic
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...
NDP in one of Canada's most conservative provinces.
In October 1984, Notley and five other passengers were killed in a plane crash. His death came shortly before the party's breakthrough in 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....
in which the NDP won 16 seats with 29% of the vote.
Notley's daughter, Rachel Notley
Rachel Notley
Rachel 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...
, ran for the NDP and was elected in the provincial riding of Edmonton Strathcona in the 27th Alberta general election
27th Alberta general election
The Alberta general election of 2008 was the twenty-seventh general election for the province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 3, 2008 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. His son, Stephen Notley, writes the popular newspaper and web comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
Bob the Angry Flower
Bob the Angry Flower
Bob the Angry Flower is a black-and-white comic strip that tells the exploits of an easily angered anthropomorphic flower named Bob and his interactions with the world, often in search of either global domination or love...
.