Green Party of Alberta
Encyclopedia
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. The party was affiliated with Green Parties throughout the world, and with the federal Green Party of Canada
.
The party had been polling between 3% and 9% from 2006 to 2009. The party often polled ahead of the Wildrose Alliance Party of Alberta
and had also placed third in two polls done by Leger Marketing and the Strategic Counsel ahead of both the Wildrose Party and Alberta New Democratic Party
.
The party dissolved in July 2009 at the request of the new executive when it was unable to file financial returns with Elections Alberta as required by law. The party executive has established a non-profit association in hopes of re-establishing the party after the next election.
, in November 2003. Read has a degree in political science from the University of Calgary. He also served as the President of the Federal Green Party in Alberta from 2001 to 2003, and as the National Campaign Manager for the Green Party of Canada
from 2005 to 2006.
In the 2004 provincial election
, the Greens' support increased by nearly 1000%. 49 ridings had Green candidates, where three candidates received more than 1,000 votes, and one candidate in the riding of Banff-Cochrane
, received 15% of the vote, While Edwin Erickson was the only candidate to place second in the Drayton Valley-Calmar
riding. Eleven others broke the 5% threshold that had previously been a barrier for Green support.
Polling done by various research companies during and leading up to the 2008 provincial election put the Alberta Greens anywhere between 5% and 9%. The Greens had also polled as high as 22% or second place in Northern Alberta during the campaign. The party ran almost a full slate in the 2008 provincial election for the first time in party history and also fielded 18 more candidates than the newly formed Wildrose Alliance Party
which had a seat in the previous legislature.
In the 2008 election, the Greens captured 4.6% of the vote, gaining more than 1.8%. The Greens were also the only opposition party to rise in popular support on election night, The Greens ran on a budget of just under $110,000. The Greens had hoped for a breakthrough, but because of increased Conservative support were unable to achieve this. The best results came from Lacombe-Ponoka
22.9%, Drayton Valley-Calmar
19.3%, and Banff-Cochrane
14.1%. Another accomplishment in 2008 was having more than 2/3 of Green candidates placing fourth or better, compared to just half in 2004. Despite this rise in popular support, the party went from 5.5% in 2004 to 4.9% in 2008 in the city of Calgary.
Fair Vote Canada
released a press release shortly after election night, stating that if proportional representation
had been used, the Greens would have had four seats instead of zero.
On September 27, 2008, at the regular annual general meeting
, the party was subject to what has been described as an attempted takeover. The party executive, with a quorum of members, decided to end the meeting and move it to a time that would allow broader participation by the membership, increased notice for proposed changes, and increased transparency in the issues being brought forward. Another meeting was held the same day, in the same location, and chaired by Sean Maw (who was not a member of the party executive at the time of the meeting). At that second meeting, voting was conducted on executive positions and constitutional amendments. Both sides of the contention claimed their meeting to be valid and the other not, leading to a dispute about the legitimate leadership of the party.
In December 2008, longtime party leader George Read
chose to withdraw his claim to leadership, leaving Joe Anglin
the interim leader.
In the spring of 2009, deputy leader Edwin Erickson
quit the Greens to become involved with the renewal of the Alberta Party
.
On April 1, 2009 the executive of the Party failed to file an Annual Financial Statement with Elections Alberta
, as required by law. As a result the party was deregistered on July 16, 2009 and will be unable to run candidates in the next election.
In the party’s last election platform, the Alberta Greens highlighted subsidized housing and paid tuition for health-care students in the launch of their 2008 election platform.
To tackle affordable housing in the province, the Greens proposed a model of subsidized housing used in Vancouver. In Vancouver they built subsidized housing and then they've given it to housing co-operatives or non-profit organizations to maintain.
On health care, the Greens said they would pay the tuition of those studying to become health-care professionals — if they promise to remain in the province for seven years after they graduate.
The party proposed to institute a province-wide transportation plan focusing on rail lines, including light-rail transit between Calgary and Edmonton, and an upgrade of the rail line to Fort McMurray because they use 20 per cent less fuel than vehicles on roads.
Other platform promises included:
The theme for the campaign was 'Making Albertans Happier, Healthier and Wealthier'.
Source: "Elections Alberta"
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 the province of 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...
.
The Alberta Greens were formed in 1986 and received official party status on April 6, 1990. The party was affiliated with Green Parties throughout the world, and with the federal Green Party of Canada
Green Party of Canada
The Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1983 with 10,000–12,000 registered members as of October 2008. The Greens advance a broad multi-issue political platform that reflects its core values of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and...
.
The party had been polling between 3% and 9% from 2006 to 2009. The party often polled ahead of the Wildrose Alliance Party of Alberta
Wildrose Alliance Party of Alberta
The Wildrose Party, formerly Wildrose Alliance Party, is a conservative provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. It includes free market conservative, libertarian and socially conservative factions and was formed in 2008 following a merger of the Wildrose Party of Alberta and the Alberta...
and had also placed third in two polls done by Leger Marketing and the Strategic Counsel ahead of both the Wildrose Party and 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...
.
The party dissolved in July 2009 at the request of the new executive when it was unable to file financial returns with Elections Alberta as required by law. The party executive has established a non-profit association in hopes of re-establishing the party after the next election.
The last years of the party
The Alberta Greens elected a new leader, George ReadGeorge Read (Canadian politician)
George Read is the former leader of the Green Party of Alberta and formerly a key organizer for the federal Green Party of Canada in Alberta.- Green Party organizing :...
, in November 2003. Read has a degree in political science from the University of Calgary. He also served as the President of the Federal Green Party in Alberta from 2001 to 2003, and as the National Campaign Manager for the Green Party of Canada
Green Party of Canada
The Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1983 with 10,000–12,000 registered members as of October 2008. The Greens advance a broad multi-issue political platform that reflects its core values of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and...
from 2005 to 2006.
In the 2004 provincial 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 Greens' support increased by nearly 1000%. 49 ridings had Green candidates, where three candidates received more than 1,000 votes, and one candidate in the riding of Banff-Cochrane
Banff-Cochrane
Banff-Cochrane is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. This riding is home to the popular tourist destination Banff National Park, environmental issues tend to dominate here....
, received 15% of the vote, While Edwin Erickson was the only candidate to place second in the Drayton Valley-Calmar
Drayton Valley-Calmar
Drayton Valley-Calmar is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.-Boundary history:- Members of the Legislative Assembly :-2001 general election:-2004 general election:...
riding. Eleven others broke the 5% threshold that had previously been a barrier for Green support.
Polling done by various research companies during and leading up to the 2008 provincial election put the Alberta Greens anywhere between 5% and 9%. The Greens had also polled as high as 22% or second place in Northern Alberta during the campaign. The party ran almost a full slate in the 2008 provincial election for the first time in party history and also fielded 18 more candidates than the newly formed Wildrose Alliance Party
Wildrose Alliance Party of Alberta
The Wildrose Party, formerly Wildrose Alliance Party, is a conservative provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. It includes free market conservative, libertarian and socially conservative factions and was formed in 2008 following a merger of the Wildrose Party of Alberta and the Alberta...
which had a seat in the previous legislature.
In the 2008 election, the Greens captured 4.6% of the vote, gaining more than 1.8%. The Greens were also the only opposition party to rise in popular support on election night, The Greens ran on a budget of just under $110,000. The Greens had hoped for a breakthrough, but because of increased Conservative support were unable to achieve this. The best results came from Lacombe-Ponoka
Lacombe-Ponoka
Lacombe-Ponoka is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.-Boundary history:- Members of the Legislative Assembly :-2004 general election:-2004 Senate nominee election district results:...
22.9%, Drayton Valley-Calmar
Drayton Valley-Calmar
Drayton Valley-Calmar is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.-Boundary history:- Members of the Legislative Assembly :-2001 general election:-2004 general election:...
19.3%, and Banff-Cochrane
Banff-Cochrane
Banff-Cochrane is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. This riding is home to the popular tourist destination Banff National Park, environmental issues tend to dominate here....
14.1%. Another accomplishment in 2008 was having more than 2/3 of Green candidates placing fourth or better, compared to just half in 2004. Despite this rise in popular support, the party went from 5.5% in 2004 to 4.9% in 2008 in the city of Calgary.
Fair Vote Canada
Fair Vote Canada
Fair Vote Canada is a nonprofit, multi-partisan advocacy group for electoral reform in Canada. It is active both federally and in those provinces where there are efforts to reform the first-past-the-post electoral system that is used in Canada...
released a press release shortly after election night, stating that if proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
had been used, the Greens would have had four seats instead of zero.
On September 27, 2008, at the regular annual general meeting
Annual general meeting
An annual general meeting is a meeting that official bodies, and associations involving the public , are often required by law to hold...
, the party was subject to what has been described as an attempted takeover. The party executive, with a quorum of members, decided to end the meeting and move it to a time that would allow broader participation by the membership, increased notice for proposed changes, and increased transparency in the issues being brought forward. Another meeting was held the same day, in the same location, and chaired by Sean Maw (who was not a member of the party executive at the time of the meeting). At that second meeting, voting was conducted on executive positions and constitutional amendments. Both sides of the contention claimed their meeting to be valid and the other not, leading to a dispute about the legitimate leadership of the party.
In December 2008, longtime party leader George Read
George Read (Canadian politician)
George Read is the former leader of the Green Party of Alberta and formerly a key organizer for the federal Green Party of Canada in Alberta.- Green Party organizing :...
chose to withdraw his claim to leadership, leaving Joe Anglin
Joe Anglin
Joe Anglin is a municipal level politician from Alberta, Canada. He was elected to Rimbey Town Council in October 2010. He was the leader of the Green Party of Alberta from 2008 until its dissolution in 2009.-Early life:...
the interim leader.
In the spring of 2009, deputy leader Edwin Erickson
Edwin Erickson (Alberta politician)
Edwin Erickson is a Canadian politician from Calgary, Alberta. He was the leader of the Alberta Party from January to October 2010. He has been active in Alberta politics since 2004. Prior to joining the Alberta Party, he served as the Deputy Leader of the Alberta Green Party and placed second as...
quit the Greens to become involved with the renewal of the Alberta Party
Alberta Party
The Alberta Party Political Association, more commonly known as the Alberta Party, is a political party in the province of Alberta, Canada...
.
On April 1, 2009 the executive of the Party failed to file an Annual Financial Statement with Elections Alberta
Elections Alberta
Elections Alberta is the non-partisan organization which oversees general elections and by-elections for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Elections Alberta also oversees Senatorial elections and plebiscites.-History:...
, as required by law. As a result the party was deregistered on July 16, 2009 and will be unable to run candidates in the next election.
Attempt to re-found the party
Following the deregistration of the party, a new independent group dedicated to 'Green Principles' formed the Vision 2012 Society, as required by Elections Alberta, in order to form a new party. The Vision 2012 Society held an annual general meeting on June 25, 2011 in Red Deer to elect an executive, and to raise a petition asking Elections Alberta to register the "Evergreen Party of Alberta".2008 platform
To tackle affordable housing in the province, the Greens proposed a model of subsidized housing used in Vancouver. In Vancouver they built subsidized housing and then they've given it to housing co-operatives or non-profit organizations to maintain.
On health care, the Greens said they would pay the tuition of those studying to become health-care professionals — if they promise to remain in the province for seven years after they graduate.
The party proposed to institute a province-wide transportation plan focusing on rail lines, including light-rail transit between Calgary and Edmonton, and an upgrade of the rail line to Fort McMurray because they use 20 per cent less fuel than vehicles on roads.
Other platform promises included:
- Increasing the number of doctors in the province (thus decreasing hospital waiting times) by paying the university tuition feess for health care workers who stay in the province for seven years.
- Diversifying Alberta's energy economy by supporting renewable resource technology such as solar, wind and geothermal energy.
- Ensuring the lowest post secondary tuition fees in Canada.
- Establishing fixed dates for provincial elections and the right to recall MLAs.
The theme for the campaign was 'Making Albertans Happier, Healthier and Wealthier'.
Election results
| Election | # of candidates nominated | # of seats won | # of total votes | % of popular vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 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... |
11 | 0 | 1,995 | 0.20% |
| 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.... |
7 | 0 | 1,039 | 0.11% |
| 2001 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.... |
10 | 0 | 2,085 | 0.28% |
| 2004 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.... |
49 | 0 | 24,588 | 2.75% |
| 2008 | 79 | 0 | 43,563 | 4.58% |
Source: "Elections Alberta"
Leaders
- Norman ConradNorman ConradNorman Charles Conrad is a Canadian lawyer, politician and author.-Politics:Conrad ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons as a Green Party of Canada candidate in the 1988 federal election. He ran in the Calgary Centre electoral district...
(1987–1990) - Betty PaschenBetty PaschenElizabeth "Betty" Paschen is a Canadian environmentalist and former provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. She served as Leader of the Green Party of Alberta from its founding in 1990 to 1996.-Political career:...
(1990–1995) - David ParkerDavid J. ParkerDavid James Parker is a politician from Alberta, Canada. He is the former leader of the Green Party of Alberta from 1996 to 2001. He has also been a perennial candidate running in federal and provincial elections.-Political career:...
(1995–2003) - George ReadGeorge Read (Canadian politician)George Read is the former leader of the Green Party of Alberta and formerly a key organizer for the federal Green Party of Canada in Alberta.- Green Party organizing :...
(2003–2008) - Joe AnglinJoe AnglinJoe Anglin is a municipal level politician from Alberta, Canada. He was elected to Rimbey Town Council in October 2010. He was the leader of the Green Party of Alberta from 2008 until its dissolution in 2009.-Early life:...
Interim Leader (2008–2009)
See also
- List of Green party leaders in Canada
- List of political parties in Alberta
- List of Alberta general elections
- List of Green politicians who have held office in Canada