Politics of Alberta
Encyclopedia
The politics of Alberta
are centred on a provincial government resembling that of the other Canadian
provinces
, namely a constitutional monarchy
and parliamentary democracy. The capital
of the province is Edmonton
, where the Lieutenant Governor
, Premier
, the legislature, and cabinet reside.
The unicameral legislature—the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
—has 83 members. Government is conducted after the Westminster model
. The province's revenue, although including grants from the federal government
, is chiefly derived from management of the provincial resources. Alberta has a system of municipal government similar to that of the other provinces. The most significant exception is that Alberta is the only province in Canada without a provincial sales tax
(see also Sales taxes in Canada
).
Alberta politics since the 1930s have typically been characterized as substantially more right-wing than those of any other Canadian provinces. The provincial government has been formed by a series of right-wing parties for decades, beginning in 1935 with Social Credit
and continuing since 1971 with the Progressive Conservatives. The previous premier of Alberta was Ralph Klein, who, despite making many controversial statements and having had problems with alcohol, remained the leader of the Progressive Conservative party and thus the province, although only 55% of delegates from his party signified their approval of his leadership on the spring of 2006, pushing him into early retirement. Edmonton is the exception as residents have historically voted for more left-of-centre parties, such as the Liberal Party of Alberta and Alberta New Democrats. The 2004 provincial election
was one of a number of examples. Although the Progressive Conservatives won 13 out of 18 seats in Edmonton in 2008, for that election the PC Party had a leader who was more from Edmonton than Calgary and who was perceived to be less connected to the interests of Calgary-headquartered energy corporations.
Alberta's political stability has led to a series of political dynasties. In this, Alberta is a first-past-the-post
system, so even though a party may have a majority of the seats in the legislature, it does not necessarily mean that the government formed matches the wishes of a majority of the population. For example, in the 2004 election, the Progressive Conservative party won 61 of 83 seats (73%) while obtaining only 46.80% of the popular vote, leading many of the opposition parties to include electoral reform
in their policies. In its history, Alberta has seen only four parties form governments, none of which has returned to power after a single incumbent defeat:
Most of the 26 Alberta general elections held have resulted in overwhelming majorities for the governing party, a trend unseen in any other province in Canada. No minority government
has ever been elected in Alberta, nor has any minority ever been brought about due to by-election
s and/or floor crossings
.
Alberta was the heartland of the former Reform Party of Canada
and its successor, the Canadian Alliance
. These parties were the second-largest political parties in the federal Parliament
from 1997 to 2003, and the furthest to the political right. The Canadian Alliance merged with the Progressive Conservative Party
to form today's Conservative Party of Canada
, which is led by the Ontario
-born Stephen Harper
, who moved to Alberta in the 1980s.
Both the provincial Progressive Conservatives and the Reform/Alliance parties reflect Alberta's more socially conservative nature when compared to other provinces. Politicians elected by Albertans tend to oppose social policies such as same-sex marriage
and gun control
. According to a 2001 poll by Leger Marketing, 61.8% of Albertans polled are in favour of the death penalty compared to 52.9% of Canadians, although death penalty has been abolished throughout Canada since 1976. Former Premier Ralph Klein attempted to establish relations with politicians in the United States, including sending a letter of support to US President George W. Bush signifying his approval for the Iraq War.
Some Albertans continue to resent the imposition in the 1980s of the National Energy Program
(NEP) by the Liberal
federal government of Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau
. It was considered to be an intrusion by the federal government in an area of provincial responsibility that led some Albertans to consider separation of the province
from Canada. Notably since that time the Liberal Party of Canada
has been unable to make any headway in the province. There have been occasional surges in interest since then in the idea of seceding from Canada, but this movement is generally considered to be on the political fringe. The NEP was ended when the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
, led by Brian Mulroney
, formed the federal government following the 1984 federal election
.
Albertans are the lowest-taxed people in Canada, mostly because of the province's considerable oil
and gas
income as well as the more conservative financial philosophies of successive governments. It is also the only province in Canada where there is no provincial sales tax. Unlike the other provinces, which use a progressive income tax regime, Alberta uses a flat rate income tax (currently at 10%). Alberta is of late one of few provinces that consistently has not received equalization payments
from the federal government (the others being British Columbia
and (until 2008) Ontario
, the original benchmark provinces). Alberta is now the largest net contributor to the program, which is intended to ensure that all provinces are able to provide similar levels of public services. The province's wealth is largely due to the abundance of natural resources, as a result Alberta is the only province in Canada that has (recently) eliminated its provincial debt.
In the 2006 election
, the federal Conservative Party of Canada won all 28 of the 28 seats in Alberta, providing them with a complete sweep of the province. However, a collapse of the Liberal vote allowed the NDP to win the seat of Edmonton—Strathcona in the election of 2008
, denying the Conservatives a second sweep of the province. No Alberta seats changed parties in the 2011 election, in which the Conservatives went from a minority government to a parliamentary majority. In all three elections, many of the Conservative candidates were elected with large majorities of the vote. Alberta has for decades been considered a conservative fortress, no matter which right-of-centre party they may have chosen to support. Albertans followed strong support for the Progressive Conservatives in the 1980s with the same degree of support for the Reform Party, and the Canadian Alliance in the 1990s, finally delivering a clean sweep for the new Conservative Party of Canada only a few years after its creation in 2003–2004.
However, small disaffection with the Conservative Party of Canada over policies enacted during its minority government such as with equalization
and the Conservatives' reversal on income trusts led to the founding of the nascent federal Party of Alberta
, in 2006. Provincially, while the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta
has been in power for 40 years, they continue to win large electoral majorities, winning 72 out of 83 seats in the March 2008 provincial election. However, for the first time in decades, the PCs are currently facing a challenge from the right wing from the upstart Wildrose Alliance Party, with a November 2009 poll finding the new party having 28% support, just 6 points behind the governing PCs. Wildrose found itself enjoying a double digit polling lead in December 2009 with 39% versus 25% each for the PCs and Alberta Liberals.
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...
are centred on a provincial government resembling that of the other Canadian
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...
provinces
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
, namely a constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
and parliamentary democracy. The capital
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of the province is Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, where the Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta is the viceregal representative in Alberta of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the nine other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
, Premier
Premier of Alberta
The Premier of Alberta is the first minister for the Canadian province of Alberta. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. The current Premier of Alberta is Alison Redford. She became Premier by winning the Progressive Conservative leadership elections on...
, the legislature, and cabinet reside.
The unicameral legislature—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...
—has 83 members. Government is conducted after the Westminster model
Westminster System
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. The province's revenue, although including grants from the federal government
Politics of Canada
The politics of Canada function within a framework of parliamentary democracy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions. Canada is a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is head of state...
, is chiefly derived from management of the provincial resources. Alberta has a system of municipal government similar to that of the other provinces. The most significant exception is that Alberta is the only province in Canada without a provincial sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
(see also Sales taxes in Canada
Sales taxes in Canada
In Canada, three types of sales taxes are levied. These are as follows:*Provincial sales taxes , levied by the provinces*Goods and Services Tax , a value-added tax levied by the federal government...
).
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....
and continuing since 1971 with the Progressive Conservatives. The previous premier of Alberta was Ralph Klein, who, despite making many controversial statements and having had problems with alcohol, remained the leader of the Progressive Conservative party and thus the province, although only 55% of delegates from his party signified their approval of his leadership on the spring of 2006, pushing him into early retirement. Edmonton is the exception as residents have historically voted for more left-of-centre parties, such as the Liberal Party of Alberta and Alberta New Democrats. 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....
was one of a number of examples. Although the Progressive Conservatives won 13 out of 18 seats in Edmonton in 2008, for that election the PC Party had a leader who was more from Edmonton than Calgary and who was perceived to be less connected to the interests of Calgary-headquartered energy corporations.
Alberta's political stability has led to a series of political dynasties. In this, Alberta is a first-past-the-post
First-past-the-post
First-past-the-post voting refers to an election won by the candidate with the most votes. The winning potato candidate does not necessarily receive an absolute majority of all votes cast.-Overview:...
system, so even though a party may have a majority of the seats in the legislature, it does not necessarily mean that the government formed matches the wishes of a majority of the population. For example, in the 2004 election, the Progressive Conservative party won 61 of 83 seats (73%) while obtaining only 46.80% of the popular vote, leading many of the opposition parties to include electoral reform
Electoral reform
Electoral reform is change in electoral systems to improve how public desires are expressed in election results. That can include reforms of:...
in their policies. In its history, Alberta has seen only four parties form governments, none of which has returned to power after a single incumbent defeat:
| 1905–1921 | 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... |
| 1921–1935 | 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... |
| 1935–1971 | 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.... |
| 1971–present | Alberta Progressive Conservatives |
Most of the 26 Alberta general elections held have resulted in overwhelming majorities for the governing party, a trend unseen in any other province in Canada. No minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
has ever been elected in Alberta, nor has any minority ever been brought about due to by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
s and/or floor crossings
Crossing the floor
In politics, crossing the floor has two meanings referring to a change of allegiance in a Westminster system parliament.The term originates from the British House of Commons, which is configured with the Government and Opposition facing each other on rows of benches...
.
Alberta was the heartland of the former Reform Party of Canada
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
and its successor, the Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
. These parties were the second-largest political parties in the federal Parliament
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
from 1997 to 2003, and the furthest to the political right. The Canadian Alliance merged with the Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
to form today's Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
, which is led by the Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
-born Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
, who moved to Alberta in the 1980s.
Both the provincial Progressive Conservatives and the Reform/Alliance parties reflect Alberta's more socially conservative nature when compared to other provinces. Politicians elected by Albertans tend to oppose social policies such as same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage in Canada
On July 20, 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world and the first country in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide with the enactment of the Civil Marriage Act which provided a gender-neutral marriage definition...
and gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
. According to a 2001 poll by Leger Marketing, 61.8% of Albertans polled are in favour of the death penalty compared to 52.9% of Canadians, although death penalty has been abolished throughout Canada since 1976. Former Premier Ralph Klein attempted to establish relations with politicians in the United States, including sending a letter of support to US President George W. Bush signifying his approval for the Iraq War.
Some Albertans continue to resent the imposition in the 1980s of the National Energy Program
National Energy Program
The National Energy Program was an energy policy of the Government of Canada. It was created under the Liberal government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau by Minister of Energy Marc Lalonde in 1980, and administered by the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources.-Description:The NEP was...
(NEP) by the Liberal
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...
federal 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,...
. It was considered to be an intrusion by the federal government in an area of provincial responsibility that led some Albertans to consider separation of the province
Alberta separatism
Alberta separatism is a movement that advocates the secession of the province of Alberta from Canada either by forming an independent nation, or by creating a new federation with one or more of Canada's other three westernmost provinces.-Foundations:...
from Canada. Notably since that time the 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...
has been unable to make any headway in the province. There have been occasional surges in interest since then in the idea of seceding from Canada, but this movement is generally considered to be on the political fringe. The NEP was ended when the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
, led by Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
, formed the federal government following the 1984 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
.
Albertans are the lowest-taxed people in Canada, mostly because of the province's considerable oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
and gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
income as well as the more conservative financial philosophies of successive governments. It is also the only province in Canada where there is no provincial sales tax. Unlike the other provinces, which use a progressive income tax regime, Alberta uses a flat rate income tax (currently at 10%). Alberta is of late one of few provinces that consistently has not received equalization payments
Equalization payments
Equalization payments are cash payments made in some federal systems of government from the federal government to subnational governments with the objective of offsetting differences in available revenue or in the cost of providing services....
from the federal government (the others being British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and (until 2008) Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, the original benchmark provinces). Alberta is now the largest net contributor to the program, which is intended to ensure that all provinces are able to provide similar levels of public services. The province's wealth is largely due to the abundance of natural resources, as a result Alberta is the only province in Canada that has (recently) eliminated its provincial debt.
In the 2006 election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
, the federal Conservative Party of Canada won all 28 of the 28 seats in Alberta, providing them with a complete sweep of the province. However, a collapse of the Liberal vote allowed the NDP to win the seat of Edmonton—Strathcona in the election of 2008
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
, denying the Conservatives a second sweep of the province. No Alberta seats changed parties in the 2011 election, in which the Conservatives went from a minority government to a parliamentary majority. In all three elections, many of the Conservative candidates were elected with large majorities of the vote. Alberta has for decades been considered a conservative fortress, no matter which right-of-centre party they may have chosen to support. Albertans followed strong support for the Progressive Conservatives in the 1980s with the same degree of support for the Reform Party, and the Canadian Alliance in the 1990s, finally delivering a clean sweep for the new Conservative Party of Canada only a few years after its creation in 2003–2004.
However, small disaffection with the Conservative Party of Canada over policies enacted during its minority government such as with equalization
Equalization payments
Equalization payments are cash payments made in some federal systems of government from the federal government to subnational governments with the objective of offsetting differences in available revenue or in the cost of providing services....
and the Conservatives' reversal on income trusts led to the founding of the nascent federal Party of Alberta
Party of Alberta
The Party of Alberta was a Canadian federal political party that was formed in November 2006 and based in Calgary, Alberta. It was actively campaigning towards being registered as a political party with Elections Canada...
, in 2006. Provincially, while the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
has been in power for 40 years, they continue to win large electoral majorities, winning 72 out of 83 seats in the March 2008 provincial election. However, for the first time in decades, the PCs are currently facing a challenge from the right wing from the upstart Wildrose Alliance Party, with a November 2009 poll finding the new party having 28% support, just 6 points behind the governing PCs. Wildrose found itself enjoying a double digit polling lead in December 2009 with 39% versus 25% each for the PCs and Alberta Liberals.
See also
- List of premiers of Alberta
- List of Alberta general elections
- List of political parties in Alberta
- Politics of CanadaPolitics of CanadaThe politics of Canada function within a framework of parliamentary democracy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions. Canada is a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is head of state...
- Political culture of CanadaPolitical culture of CanadaCanadian political culture is in some ways part of a greater North American and European political culture, which emphasizes constitutional law, freedom of religion, personal liberty, and regional autonomy; these ideas stemming in various degrees from the British common law and French civil law...
- Council of the FederationCouncil of the FederationThe Council of the Federation is a council in Canada made up of the premiers of Canada's thirteen provinces and territories. Its main function is to provide a united front amongst the provincial and territorial governments when interacting with Canada's federal government...