Premier of Alberta
Encyclopedia
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 October 2, 2011. Redford replaced Ed Stelmach
, who retired after serving as Premier for over four years.
The Premier of the province deals with specific areas relating to Alberta and Alberta's relation on the national scene. The Premier acts as a representative for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
and the Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) are in turn the representatives of the people of Alberta. The Premier also acts as the MLA for a riding, and are elected as the MLA by the constituents of that particular riding. As with most government leaders in a parliamentary system
, the Premier usually wins his or her riding's election quite easily. However, some Premiers have not won their seat, forcing them to run in a by-election in another riding. The most recent case of this was Don Getty
, who lost his Edmonton-Whitemud
seat in the 1989 election
and had to run in Drumheller-Stettler
.
The Premier of Alberta's responsibilities include administering provincial laws, enacting legislation
, and regulating industry. The Premier is responsible for promoting Alberta's interests via the federal government and serves as the chief representative of Alberta to the rest of Canada.
First Minister
A First Minister is the leader of a government cabinet.-Canada:In Canada, "First Ministers" is a collective term that refers to all Canadian first ministers of the Crown, otherwise known as heads of government, including the Prime Minister of Canada and the provincial and territorial premiers...
for the 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...
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...
. He or she is the province's head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
and de facto chief executive. The current Premier of Alberta is Alison Redford
Alison Redford
Alison Merrilla Redford Q.C., MLA, is a Canadian politician, and the 14th and current Premier of Alberta, Canada. Upon winning the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta, in October 2011, she became the first female premier in Alberta...
. She became Premier by winning the Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
leadership elections on October 2, 2011. Redford replaced Ed Stelmach
Ed Stelmach
Edward Michael "Ed" Stelmach, MLA is a Canadian politician and served as the 13th Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 2006 to 2011. The grandson of Ukrainian immigrants, Stelmach was born and raised on a farm near Lamont and speaks fluent Ukrainian. He spent his entire pre-political adult life as a...
, who retired after serving as Premier for over four years.
The Premier of the province deals with specific areas relating to Alberta and Alberta's relation on the national scene. The Premier acts as a representative for 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...
and the Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) are in turn the representatives of the people of Alberta. The Premier also acts as the MLA for a riding, and are elected as the MLA by the constituents of that particular riding. As with most government leaders in a parliamentary system
Parliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
, the Premier usually wins his or her riding's election quite easily. However, some Premiers have not won their seat, forcing them to run in a by-election in another riding. The most recent case of this was Don Getty
Don Getty
Donald Ross Getty, OC, AOE is a retired Canadian politician who served as the 11th Premier of Alberta between 1985 and 1992. A member of the Progressive Conservatives, he served as Energy Minister and Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in the government of Peter Lougheed before...
, who lost his Edmonton-Whitemud
Edmonton-Whitemud
Edmonton-Whitemud is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. In 1989, its constituents unseated the Premier of the day, Donald Getty, by voting for Liberal candidate, Percy Wickman....
seat in the 1989 election
Alberta 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....
and had to run in Drumheller-Stettler
Drumheller-Stettler
Drumheller-Stettler is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The electoral district is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting...
.
The Premier of Alberta's responsibilities include administering provincial laws, enacting legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
, and regulating industry. The Premier is responsible for promoting Alberta's interests via the federal government and serves as the chief representative of Alberta to the rest of Canada.