Alberta general election, 1944
Encyclopedia
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
.
founder and premier William Aberhart
in 1943. Manning steered the party down a more moderate path, largely dispensing with the party's social credit
policies of monetary reform
that it had been unable to implement.
Manning led Social Credit to a third term in government with a resounding victory in the 1944 election, winning over 50% of the popular vote on the first count of ballots. The Conservative
party and former United Farmers continued their strategy of running joint candidates as independents. They were not supported by the Liberals
who left the coalition and lost a significant share of the popular vote.
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
entered the election with only one seat in the legislature belonging to party leader Elmer Roper who had won a 1942 by-election
. Despite winning almost a quarter of the popular vote the party won only two seats in the general election.
Servicemen and veterans from World War II
voted in the first phase of the election on August 4, 1944. There was also a second vote held to elect three Canadian Forces
representatives from amongst the Albertans who were in active service overseas, or those who missed the first vote.
Notes:
1 Compared to the Communist Party results from the previous election.
* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.
. Manning had taken over the Social Credit Party from William Aberhart
who died unexpectedly a year earlier. Social Credit faced opposition from the Independents led by James Walker
who had also just been elected leader and the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation
who had just managed to win a seat in a by-election in Edmonton and win a majority in the 1944 Saskatchewan general election
. Like Social Credit and the Independents they were also contesting their first general election with new leader Elmer Roper
.
The stage for the general election was set when Social Credit won a critical by-election in Red Deer in December 1943. The by-election win gave momentum to Social Credit as they picked it up from the Independents. After the election they decided to speed up their plans and hold the election in the summer time.
Two major changes occurred this election with the way that votes were to be counted and who could vote. Ballots in single member electoral districts were now allowed to be marked with an "X" to indicate a first choice preference. Prior to this election high numbers of ballots had been declared as spoiled because they were not marked with a "1". Preferences beyond the first choice still had to be marked with a number indicating that preference. The 1944 election also marked the first time that Japanese Canadians were eligible to vote in a provincial election. There were two thousand Japanese who had previously been evacuated from British Columbia
to Alberta under war time provisions who were qualified to vote under the eligibility rules.
After the writ was dropped the single biggest issue of the campaign turned out to be a referendum on the future of the Cooperative Commonwealth. The Independents and Social Credit were each asking their supporters to vote "1" and "2" for their respective parties to ensure the Commonwealth is defeated.
became Premier in 1943 after the death of William Aberhart
. Manning steered the party away from its previous policies that included Social Credit monetary theory and media control.
The centre piece of Social Credit's policy in this election was a plan on refunding Alberta's large debt that had been built up under the Liberal and United Farmer administrations.
. Despite being an organized party all candidates ran and those who were elected did so as Independents. The coalition started falling apart when the Alberta Liberal Party
left just before the 4th Legislative Session opened in February 1944.
Walker was elected leader of the Independent Citizens Association at a convention held in Calgary on January 23, 1944. He defeated David Elton in a two way contest. There was considerable interest in the convention as over 300 delegates from across Alberta showed up to vote. Walker was elected on the first ballot winning a decisive victory. This was the first time since the Association had been created that a permanent leader was selected.
. Manning had called the general election to defuse a possible surge in support for the CCF.
The Cooperative Commonwealth provincially had struck a deal with the Labor Progressive to run fusion candidates some electoral districts. The first time this agreement was put to work was in the December 1943 Red Deer by-election where James MacPherson Labor Progressive leader came out and endorsed C.C.F. candidate E.J. Johns. This was the first provincial election to date where the C.C.F. had managed to field a full slate of candidates. They were the only other party in 1944 to do so other than Social Credit.
candidates at the federal level with the Cooperative Commonwealth and rejected by the national council.
The Farmer-Labor election committee was a minor political party created by Victor Johanson. He was a farmer residing near the small town of Bentley
, Alberta
. Johanson was originally selected as a fusion candidate for the Labor Progressive and Cooperative Commonwealth to contest the Rocky Mountain House electoral district. Shortly before the general election was called the Rocky Mountain House Cooperative Commonwealth electoral district association broke away and voted not to support Johanson and nominate their own candidate instead. Johanson decided to create his own Farmer-Labor banner that he and his supporters operated under.
Johanson's Farmer-Labor banner was the least successful of the four single candidate banners that operated in the general election. Johanson would finish last in his district and the provincial standings winning just 0.13% of the total popular vote in the province. After the election Johanson did not return to contest another provincial election and effectively ending the party.
The Farmer-Labor 1944 general election platform consisted of seven policy planks. These planks covered primarily local issues to appeal to coal miners working and living at Nordegg
, Alberta
. Crop insurance and raised commodity prices was also promised to appeal to area farmers. Policy planks were also added to help veterans returning from the war. Improvements for local transportation infrastructure issues rounded out the rest of the Farmer-Labor platform.
The second phase of the general election took place beginning in November 1944 and ending January 1945. Three members of the armed forces commissioned in World War II
were elected to represent Alberta service men and women fighting or stationed overseas. In addition those who were in veterans hospitals at the time of the vote and retired service personnel who already returned from duty but missed the August 4, 1944 vote. This election was not run under the Elections Act and was instead run from an executive council order. This meant that the laws regarding eligibility by age and the Single Transferable Vote system did not apply to the soldiers' vote. Saskatchewan
was the only other province or state to implement an election for service men in World War II
.
The service men vote had been pushed for by the Cooperative Commonwealth opposition. Elmer Roper harshly criticized the Social Credit government for having no plans to make voting options available for men serving overseas. The Social Credit government responded by announcing that there would be an election of the soldiers' representatives, but it had not decided the date of the vote prior to the first phase of general election being completed. The soldiers' Members of the Legislative Assembly
(MLAs) were meant to be non-partisan and sat on the opposition side of the Assembly. The order in council forebode any candidate running in the election from contesting it along party lines. The vote also temporarily increased the number of seats in the Assembly from 57 to 60. One member represented each branch of the service: Army, Navy and Air Force. This was the second at-large soldiers' war time vote held in the province's history, the first being the soldiers' and nurses vote held as the second part of the 1917 Alberta general election
.
The writ period began in late November 1944. A total of 32 candidates registered to run in the election. The seat provided for the Army was hotly contested with 22 candidates, the navy had three candidates and the Air Force had 7 candidates. The polls were open a record length of time as the voting was conducted from January 8, 1945 to January 20, 1945. Polling stations were set up on the front lines and at army bases where Albertans were stationed around the world. Four Chief Returning Officers were appointed to conduct the vote, a record that stands to this day. The vote was conducted under First Past the Post rules with no ballot transfers. The official results from the vote conducted in Alberta were released on January 31, 1945. The votes for the rest of the world were released on January 6, 1945.
An oddity of this vote is that the Government of Alberta did not print an official document detailing the election results or expenses of operating the election for the general public as it did with the rest of the general election that year. This was because the executive council order made by the Social Credit government did not require it. Full printing of the official results did appear in both the Calgary Herald and The Albertan as they were announced by the Chief Electoral Officer at a press conference held in Edmonton on February 5, 1945. The Herald was the only newspaper to break down the results by counting station.
Turnout for this election was generally low; the election came during the closing months of World War II when Germany was on its heels and starting to collapse. In addition to the heavy fighting there were also large numbers of troops in transit during the voting period. Chief Returning Officer Robert Addison estimated that almost 3,300 Alberta soldiers eligible were unable to vote because of being in transit to various fronts. The returns themselves were counted in four places, voting conducted in Alberta was counted and released in Edmonton first, while voting conducted overseas was counted in London
and sent to Edmonton by telegraph. The highest turnout came by Army soldiers fighting in Italy and the lowest turnout was in the Mediterranean with only five service-men voting. No statistics were released on how many service men and woman were eligible to vote in total.
Voters for this election were eligible to cast a ballot if they were residents of Alberta for one full calendar year prior to enlisting in the military. The only other eligibility requirement was that they missed casting a ballot in their home electoral district during the first phase of the election.
The Government of Alberta commissioned four Chief Electoral Officers to help run the election. The election proved to be a logistical challenge as no similar election had ever been conducted on a world wide scale. Robert Addison was in charge of overseeing the election in Edmonton and coordination operations around the world. James Thompson was Chief Returning Office in charge of overseeing the vote in the Mediterranean and the Franco-Belgian Fighting Fronts. A.P. Van Buren was in charge of Canada, United States and Alaska, Newfoundland, Bermuda, Nassau and Jamaica. L.P. Danis was the Chief Returning Officer for France, Belgium and Holland. The jobs of the Chief Electoral Officers included finding out where Albertans were stationed, setting up polling stations, overseeing collection of ballots. In some cases polling stations were set up directly in the trenches causing delays to the election as election staff came under hostile fire.
Not much is known about the election campaigns, as there was very little information published in the press about the election. The results showed there were no clear front runners in all three races. The Navy vote saw Loftus Dudley Ward hold a lead when the first votes for Alberta were released by the Chief Electoral Officer on January 31, 1945. Ward managed to hang on to win despite getting very few overseas votes. In the Air Force vote, Joseph Roy Burton was marginally leading the field after the Alberta votes were released. On the final total Frederick Colbourne won with a surge of overseas votes. James Harper Prowse was the biggest surprise in the Army race as he had only 34 votes before surging to win with 1,050 after the final totals were released.
The Edmonton electoral district returned five members by single transferable vote
on election night. There were twenty candidates in place in the district including four party leaders. Social Credit leader Ernest Manning, who had been appointed Premier in 1943 was easily the most recognizable candidate in the field. Elmer Roper Cooperative Commonwealth leader had won a seat in Edmonton almost two years earlier in a by-election. The other party leaders were James MacPherson Labor Progressive leader and William J. Williams, leader of the Veterans' and Active Force.
had just been appointed by Premier Manning as Provincial Secretary, when he formed his government in 1943. The Independents did not nominate a candidate in this riding. On election night Hooke was easily re-elected winning on the first ballot.
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 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
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...
.
Overview
The election was the first contested by leader Ernest C. Manning. He became leader after the death of Social Credit PartySocial 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....
founder and premier William Aberhart
William Aberhart
William Aberhart , also known as Bible Bill for his outspoken Baptist views, was a Canadian politician and the seventh Premier of Alberta between 1935 and 1943. The Social Credit party believed the reason for the depression was that people did not have enough money to spend, so the government...
in 1943. Manning steered the party down a more moderate path, largely dispensing with the party's social credit
Social Credit
Social Credit is an economic philosophy developed by C. H. Douglas , a British engineer, who wrote a book by that name in 1924. Social Credit is described by Douglas as "the policy of a philosophy"; he called his philosophy "practical Christianity"...
policies of monetary reform
Monetary reform
Monetary reform describes any movement or theory that proposes a different system of supplying money and financing the economy from the current system.Monetary reformers may advocate any of the following, among other proposals:...
that it had been unable to implement.
Manning led Social Credit to a third term in government with a resounding victory in the 1944 election, winning over 50% of the popular vote on the first count of ballots. The Conservative
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
party and former United Farmers continued their strategy of running joint candidates as independents. They were not supported by the Liberals
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...
who left the coalition and lost a significant share of the popular vote.
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
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...
entered the election with only one seat in the legislature belonging to party leader Elmer Roper who had won 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....
. Despite winning almost a quarter of the popular vote the party won only two seats in the general election.
Servicemen and veterans from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
voted in the first phase of the election on August 4, 1944. There was also a second vote held to elect three Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
representatives from amongst the Albertans who were in active service overseas, or those who missed the first vote.
Results
| Party | Party Leader | candidates | Seats | Popular Vote | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | Diss. 9th Alberta Legislative Assembly The 9th Alberta Legislative Assembly lasted from 1940 to 1944. The Social Credit under the leadership of William Aberhart won a second reduced majority.... |
Elected | % Change | First | % | % Change |
Social Credit 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.... |
|
57 | 36 | 35 | 51 | +41.7% | 146,367 | 50.46% | +7.56% |
Independent Independent Citizen's Association Independent Citizen's Association was a short-lived political party and lobby group in Alberta, Canada.The political party had its only representation in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, when John P... |
James H. Walker James H. Walker James H. Walker was a former farmer, provincial level politician and World War I era soldier. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1944. During that time he served as official opposition leader twice and was leader of the Independents.- Early life :Walker... |
36 | 19 | 15 | 3 | -84.2% | 47,239 | 16.28% | -26.19% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canadian Forces Canadian Forces The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."... |
32 | * | * | 3 | * | 7,985 | 2.75% | * |
Cooperative Commonwealth 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... |
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... |
57 | - | 1 | 2 | +50% | 70,307 | 24.24% | +13.13 |
Veteran's & Active Force Veteran's & Active Force The Veterans' and Active Force was a one-man political party that was represented in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada, from 1944 to 1948. It was led by William J. Williams.... |
|
1 | * | * | 1 | * | 3,532 | 1.22% | * |
Labor Progressive Communist Party (Alberta) Communist Party – Alberta is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. It is a provincial branch of the Communist Party of Canada.-History:... 1 |
|
30 | - | - | - | - | 12,003 | 4.14% | +3.79% |
Labor United | |
1 | * | * | - | * | 1,788 | 0.62% | * |
Single Tax | |
1 | * | * | - | * | 480 | 0.16% | * |
Farmer-Labor | |
1 | * | * | - | * | 390 | 0.13% | * |
Others | 0 | 2 | 5 | See the 9th Alberta Legislative Assembly 9th Alberta Legislative Assembly The 9th Alberta Legislative Assembly lasted from 1940 to 1944. The Social Credit under the leadership of William Aberhart won a second reduced majority.... |
|||||||
| Vacant | * | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Totals | 216 | 57 | 57 | 60 | +5.26% | 290,091 | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes:
1 Compared to the Communist Party results from the previous election.
The campaign
The 1944 election, was the first general election contested by Premier Ernest ManningErnest 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...
. Manning had taken over the Social Credit Party from William Aberhart
William Aberhart
William Aberhart , also known as Bible Bill for his outspoken Baptist views, was a Canadian politician and the seventh Premier of Alberta between 1935 and 1943. The Social Credit party believed the reason for the depression was that people did not have enough money to spend, so the government...
who died unexpectedly a year earlier. Social Credit faced opposition from the Independents led by James Walker
James H. Walker
James H. Walker was a former farmer, provincial level politician and World War I era soldier. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1944. During that time he served as official opposition leader twice and was leader of the Independents.- Early life :Walker...
who had also just been elected leader and the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation
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...
who had just managed to win a seat in a by-election in Edmonton and win a majority in the 1944 Saskatchewan general 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....
. Like Social Credit and the Independents they were also contesting their first general election with new leader 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...
.
The stage for the general election was set when Social Credit won a critical by-election in Red Deer in December 1943. The by-election win gave momentum to Social Credit as they picked it up from the Independents. After the election they decided to speed up their plans and hold the election in the summer time.
Two major changes occurred this election with the way that votes were to be counted and who could vote. Ballots in single member electoral districts were now allowed to be marked with an "X" to indicate a first choice preference. Prior to this election high numbers of ballots had been declared as spoiled because they were not marked with a "1". Preferences beyond the first choice still had to be marked with a number indicating that preference. The 1944 election also marked the first time that Japanese Canadians were eligible to vote in a provincial election. There were two thousand Japanese who had previously been evacuated from 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...
to Alberta under war time provisions who were qualified to vote under the eligibility rules.
After the writ was dropped the single biggest issue of the campaign turned out to be a referendum on the future of the Cooperative Commonwealth. The Independents and Social Credit were each asking their supporters to vote "1" and "2" for their respective parties to ensure the Commonwealth is defeated.
Social Credit
Social Credit had been re-elected to with a thin majority government in 1940 after failing to implement its monetary theory policy that had allowed it to sweep to power in the 1935 election. The party was also rebounding in popularity since Ernest ManningErnest 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...
became Premier in 1943 after the death of William Aberhart
William Aberhart
William Aberhart , also known as Bible Bill for his outspoken Baptist views, was a Canadian politician and the seventh Premier of Alberta between 1935 and 1943. The Social Credit party believed the reason for the depression was that people did not have enough money to spend, so the government...
. Manning steered the party away from its previous policies that included Social Credit monetary theory and media control.
The centre piece of Social Credit's policy in this election was a plan on refunding Alberta's large debt that had been built up under the Liberal and United Farmer administrations.
Independents
The Independents led into the election by James Walker had been organized as a coalition of Conservatives, Liberals and United Farmers who grouped together to defeat the Social Credit government in 1937. The coalition which was organized under the parent group, the Independent Citizen's AssociationIndependent Citizen's Association
Independent Citizen's Association was a short-lived political party and lobby group in Alberta, Canada.The political party had its only representation in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, when John P...
. Despite being an organized party all candidates ran and those who were elected did so as Independents. The coalition started falling apart when 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...
left just before the 4th Legislative Session opened in February 1944.
Walker was elected leader of the Independent Citizens Association at a convention held in Calgary on January 23, 1944. He defeated David Elton in a two way contest. There was considerable interest in the convention as over 300 delegates from across Alberta showed up to vote. Walker was elected on the first ballot winning a decisive victory. This was the first time since the Association had been created that a permanent leader was selected.
Cooperative Commonwealth
The Cooperative Commonwealth federation had enjoyed tremendous growth over the past couple of years. In 1942 the provincial branch reorganized at a convention in Edmonton and merged the provincial branch of the Canadian Labor Party into the Cooperative Commonwealth. Prior to that date the two parties had been an affiliated but operated separately. After the merger the party won a by-election to elect their leader to the Assembly in Edmonton on September 22, 1942. Shortly before the writs were dropped in this election the Saskatchewan C.C.F had just swept the 1944 Saskatchewan general electionSaskatchewan 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....
. Manning had called the general election to defuse a possible surge in support for the CCF.
The Cooperative Commonwealth provincially had struck a deal with the Labor Progressive to run fusion candidates some electoral districts. The first time this agreement was put to work was in the December 1943 Red Deer by-election where James MacPherson Labor Progressive leader came out and endorsed C.C.F. candidate E.J. Johns. This was the first provincial election to date where the C.C.F. had managed to field a full slate of candidates. They were the only other party in 1944 to do so other than Social Credit.
Labor Progressive
The Labor Progressive party led by James MacPherson had aimed to run candidates in the major cities and in mining communities. The party had contested elections previously under the Communist banner, but had changed names to be in line with the federal party. In electoral districts where Labor Progressive candidates did not run, the party ran fusion candidates with the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation. A proposal by the Labor Progressive party to run fusionElectoral fusion
Electoral fusion is an arrangement where two or more political parties on a ballot list the same candidate, pooling the votes for that candidate...
candidates at the federal level with the Cooperative Commonwealth and rejected by the national council.
Farmer-Labor
Bentley, Alberta
Bentley is a town located 28 km north-west of Red Deer, in the province of Alberta, Canada.It was named in honour of George Bentley, an early homesteader.-History:...
, 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...
. Johanson was originally selected as a fusion candidate for the Labor Progressive and Cooperative Commonwealth to contest the Rocky Mountain House electoral district. Shortly before the general election was called the Rocky Mountain House Cooperative Commonwealth electoral district association broke away and voted not to support Johanson and nominate their own candidate instead. Johanson decided to create his own Farmer-Labor banner that he and his supporters operated under.
Johanson's Farmer-Labor banner was the least successful of the four single candidate banners that operated in the general election. Johanson would finish last in his district and the provincial standings winning just 0.13% of the total popular vote in the province. After the election Johanson did not return to contest another provincial election and effectively ending the party.
The Farmer-Labor 1944 general election platform consisted of seven policy planks. These planks covered primarily local issues to appeal to coal miners working and living at Nordegg
Nordegg, Alberta
Nordegg is a hamlet in west-central Alberta, Canada within Clearwater County. It is located in the North Saskatchewan River valley in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, at the crossroads of David Thompson Highway and the Highway 734 spur of the Bighorn Highway.- History :The community was...
, 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...
. Crop insurance and raised commodity prices was also promised to appeal to area farmers. Policy planks were also added to help veterans returning from the war. Improvements for local transportation infrastructure issues rounded out the rest of the Farmer-Labor platform.
Farmer-Labor Platform
- Adequate prices for all farm produce.
- Better system for providing for crop losses and improvement in the Prairie Farmers' Assistance Act.
- More liberal grants for roads in rural areas, based on funds collected from car and truck licenses and taxes collected from gasoline sales in each district.
- A hard-surfaced road to the company town of Nordegg. Labor Legislation and a Labor Code of Rights to be administered by the Minister of Labor.
- Old age pensions at a younger age, regardless of property owned. A more liberal monthly pay so that the pensioners can enjoy a better life then at present.
- Rehabilitation of the Armed Forces in Peacetime Production and a higher standard of living than in the past.
- Better opportunities for the youth in the post-war years.
Election night
On election night Manning's Social Credit party won a landslide majority with many rural districts being decided on first ballot results. The opposition was contained in Calgary and Edmonton as Social Credit swept the rural districts. The Independents failing to run a candidate in every riding were seen by the voters as lacking credibility, most of their voters swung to Social Credit as a strategic vote to prevent the Cooperative Commonwealth from electing members. The opposition conceded defeat just twenty six minutes after the polls closed.Soldiers' vote
| Royal Canadian Army Canadian Forces Land Force Command The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers... vote official results |
||||
| Service rank | Name | Votes | % | Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Captain | James Harper Prowse James Harper Prowse James Harper Prowse Jr. , was a serviceman, provincial and federal politician, barrister and solicitor from Canada. Prowse served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1945 to 1959 sitting as an Independent and a Liberal in opposition... |
1,050 | 17.14% | Edmonton |
| Lieutenant Colonel | Eric Wyld Cormack | 1,020 | 16.65% | Alix Alix, Alberta Alix is a village in central Alberta east of Red Deer. Its village mascot is the Alix-Gator, who is featured prominently on many signs and businesses.... |
| Colonel | E.B. Wilson | 514 | 8.39% | Edmonton |
| Sapper | Eric Joseph Poole Eric Joseph Poole Eric Joseph Poole was a building contractor and a Canadian federal politician.-Political career:Poole first ran for political office in the 1935 Canadian federal election as a Social Credit candidate... |
472 | 7.71% | Red Deer Red Deer, Alberta Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and is surrounded by Red Deer County. It is Alberta's third-most-populous city – after Calgary and Edmonton. The city is located in aspen parkland, a region of rolling hills... |
| Brigadier M.C. | Gernard Renvoize Bradbrook | 384 | 6.27% | Calgary |
| Captain | James Blakley Corbet | 236 | 3.85% | Edmonton |
| font style="font-size: 75%;">Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant | A. Begg | 224 | 3.66% | Medicine Hat Medicine Hat, Alberta Medicine Hat, known to locals as "The Hat", is a city of 61,097 people located in the southeastern part of the province of Alberta, Canada. It is enclaved within Cypress County along with the nearby Town of Redcliff, although neither is part of the county.... |
| Captain | William Thomas Sabine | 224 | 3.66% | Edmonton |
| Craftsman | Arthur Frank Balfour | 221 | 3.61% | Calgary |
| Sergeant | Clarence Alexander Mumford | 203 | 3.31% | Calgary |
| Corporal | Donald Hugh McLeod | 201 | 3.28% | Calgary |
| Captain | Robert Hugh Miller | 187 | 3.05% | Edmonton |
| Sergeant | Douglas Sterling McLaughlin | 170 | 2.78% | Kinuso Kinuso, Alberta Kinuso is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada within the Municipal District of Big Lakes, and surrounded by the Swan River Indian Reserve... |
| Sergeant | Alfred Sigman Brooks | 160 | 2.61% | Purple Springs Purple Springs, Alberta Purple Springs is a hamlet in southern Alberta, Canada within the Municipal District of Taber. It is located on Highway 3, approximately east of Taber.- History :... |
| Major | Wilford Addinell | 157 | 2.56% | Edmonton |
| Lieutenant | James Reginald Dowdell | 120 | 1.96% | Edmonton |
| font style="font-size: 75%;">Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant | David Elliot Scott | 118 | 1.93% | Stony Plain Stony Plain, Alberta Stony Plain is a large town in rural Alberta, Canada, just west of Edmonton.Stony Plain is a rapidly growing town with strong historical roots. It is located west of Spruce Grove and surrounded by Parkland County. The town is governed by one mayor and six councillors. The region is dominated by... |
| Major | William Graham Ledingham | 110 | 1.80% | Calgary |
| Corporal | Alex Brown Johnston | 106 | 1.73% | Picture Butte Picture Butte, Alberta Picture Butte is a town in southern Alberta, Canada. It is located north of the city of Lethbridge. It claims the title of "Livestock Feeding Capital of Canada."... |
| font style="font-size: 75%;">Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant | H.A.L. Duffin | 102 | 1.67% | Calgary |
| Warrant Officer Class II | Robert Duncan McIlroy | 92 | 1.50% | Vulcan Vulcan, Alberta Vulcan is a town located midway between the cities of Calgary and Lethbridge on Highway 23, in the prairies of southern Alberta, Canada. The population of the town was 1,940 in 2006, and the population of the county, which is also named Vulcan, was 3,718. The town's economy is mainly tourism and... |
| Support | Bernard LaFleur | 54 | 0.88% | McLennan McLennan, Alberta McLennan is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located north of High Prairie on Highway 2.The town lies on the southern shore of Kimiwan Lake, and north of Winagami Lake... |
| Total Valid Ballots | 6,125 | 100% | ||
The second phase of the general election took place beginning in November 1944 and ending January 1945. Three members of the armed forces commissioned in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
were elected to represent Alberta service men and women fighting or stationed overseas. In addition those who were in veterans hospitals at the time of the vote and retired service personnel who already returned from duty but missed the August 4, 1944 vote. This election was not run under the Elections Act and was instead run from an executive council order. This meant that the laws regarding eligibility by age and the Single Transferable Vote system did not apply to the soldiers' vote. Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
was the only other province or state to implement an election for service men in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The service men vote had been pushed for by the Cooperative Commonwealth opposition. Elmer Roper harshly criticized the Social Credit government for having no plans to make voting options available for men serving overseas. The Social Credit government responded by announcing that there would be an election of the soldiers' representatives, but it had not decided the date of the vote prior to the first phase of general election being completed. The soldiers' Members 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....
(MLAs) were meant to be non-partisan and sat on the opposition side of the Assembly. The order in council forebode any candidate running in the election from contesting it along party lines. The vote also temporarily increased the number of seats in the Assembly from 57 to 60. One member represented each branch of the service: Army, Navy and Air Force. This was the second at-large soldiers' war time vote held in the province's history, the first being the soldiers' and nurses vote held as the second part of the 1917 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1917
The Alberta general election of 1917 was the fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, held on 7 June 1917 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
.
The writ period began in late November 1944. A total of 32 candidates registered to run in the election. The seat provided for the Army was hotly contested with 22 candidates, the navy had three candidates and the Air Force had 7 candidates. The polls were open a record length of time as the voting was conducted from January 8, 1945 to January 20, 1945. Polling stations were set up on the front lines and at army bases where Albertans were stationed around the world. Four Chief Returning Officers were appointed to conduct the vote, a record that stands to this day. The vote was conducted under First Past the Post rules with no ballot transfers. The official results from the vote conducted in Alberta were released on January 31, 1945. The votes for the rest of the world were released on January 6, 1945.
An oddity of this vote is that the Government of Alberta did not print an official document detailing the election results or expenses of operating the election for the general public as it did with the rest of the general election that year. This was because the executive council order made by the Social Credit government did not require it. Full printing of the official results did appear in both the Calgary Herald and The Albertan as they were announced by the Chief Electoral Officer at a press conference held in Edmonton on February 5, 1945. The Herald was the only newspaper to break down the results by counting station.
| Royal Canadian Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968... vote official results |
||||
| Service Rank | Name | Votes | % | Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wing Commander | Frederick C. Colborne Frederick C. Colborne Frederick C. Colborne D.F.C., of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in 1944 and served until 1971.-Political career:... |
252 | 20.88% | Calgary Calgary Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies... |
| Warrant Officer | Joseph Roy Burton | 244 | 20.22% | 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... |
| Sergeant | James Melville Bell | 181 | 14.99% | Edmonton |
| Flight Officer | Niel Allen Bell | 178 | 14.75% | Wayne Wayne, Alberta Wayne was an unincorporated community in southern Alberta in Wheatland County, located south of Rosedale on Highway 10X, northeast of Calgary. It is now administered by the town of Drumheller.... |
| Sergeant | Frank Pierpoint Appleby Frank Pierpoint Appleby Frank Pierpoint Appleby is a former provincial level politician and Royal Air Force officer. from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 to 1986 sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus.-Early life:Appleby enlisted in the Royal... |
149 | 12.34% | Athabasca Athabasca, Alberta Athabasca is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It lies north of Edmonton on Highway 2, on the banks of the Athabasca River. It is the centre of Athabasca County. Until 1913 it was known as Athabasca Landing.- History :... |
| Flight Officer | Claude Andrew Cambell | 126 | 10.44% | Edmonton |
| Flight Officer | Harold E. Bronson | 77 | 6.38% | Cherhill Cherhill, Alberta Cherhill is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within Lac Ste. Anne County. It is located along Highway 43, approximately east of Mayerthorpe and northwest of Edmonton.The hamlet is located in census division No... |
| Total Valid Ballots | 1,207 | 100% | ||
Turnout for this election was generally low; the election came during the closing months of World War II when Germany was on its heels and starting to collapse. In addition to the heavy fighting there were also large numbers of troops in transit during the voting period. Chief Returning Officer Robert Addison estimated that almost 3,300 Alberta soldiers eligible were unable to vote because of being in transit to various fronts. The returns themselves were counted in four places, voting conducted in Alberta was counted and released in Edmonton first, while voting conducted overseas was counted in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and sent to Edmonton by telegraph. The highest turnout came by Army soldiers fighting in Italy and the lowest turnout was in the Mediterranean with only five service-men voting. No statistics were released on how many service men and woman were eligible to vote in total.
Voters for this election were eligible to cast a ballot if they were residents of Alberta for one full calendar year prior to enlisting in the military. The only other eligibility requirement was that they missed casting a ballot in their home electoral district during the first phase of the election.
The Government of Alberta commissioned four Chief Electoral Officers to help run the election. The election proved to be a logistical challenge as no similar election had ever been conducted on a world wide scale. Robert Addison was in charge of overseeing the election in Edmonton and coordination operations around the world. James Thompson was Chief Returning Office in charge of overseeing the vote in the Mediterranean and the Franco-Belgian Fighting Fronts. A.P. Van Buren was in charge of Canada, United States and Alaska, Newfoundland, Bermuda, Nassau and Jamaica. L.P. Danis was the Chief Returning Officer for France, Belgium and Holland. The jobs of the Chief Electoral Officers included finding out where Albertans were stationed, setting up polling stations, overseeing collection of ballots. In some cases polling stations were set up directly in the trenches causing delays to the election as election staff came under hostile fire.
| Royal Canadian Navy Royal Canadian Navy The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces... vote official results |
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| Service rank | Name | Votes | % | Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Petty Officer | Loftus Dudley Ward Loftus Dudley Ward Chief Petty Officer Loftus Dudley Ward, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in 1945. In 1945 there were 3 members of the armed forces elected to the Legislature. These three members did not represent a specific constituency but instead spoke for the... |
293 | 44.87% | Calgary |
| Lieutenant | John P. Dewis | 191 | 29.25% | Canmore Canmore, Alberta Canmore is a town in Alberta, Canada, located approximately west of the City of Calgary near the southeast boundary of Banff National Park. It is located in the Bow Valley within Alberta's Rockies. The town shares a border with Kananaskis Country to the west and south and the Municipal District of... |
| Leading Writer | John Francis McVean | 169 | 25.88% | Edmonton |
| Total Valid Ballots | 653 | 100% | ||
Not much is known about the election campaigns, as there was very little information published in the press about the election. The results showed there were no clear front runners in all three races. The Navy vote saw Loftus Dudley Ward hold a lead when the first votes for Alberta were released by the Chief Electoral Officer on January 31, 1945. Ward managed to hang on to win despite getting very few overseas votes. In the Air Force vote, Joseph Roy Burton was marginally leading the field after the Alberta votes were released. On the final total Frederick Colbourne won with a surge of overseas votes. James Harper Prowse was the biggest surprise in the Army race as he had only 34 votes before surging to win with 1,050 after the final totals were released.
Edmonton
| Edmonton candidate composition | ||
|---|---|---|
| Affiliation | # | |
| Cooperative Commonwealth | 5 |
Independent | 4 |
Labor Progressive | 5 |
Social Credit | 5 |
Veterans' and Active Force | 1 |
The Edmonton electoral district returned five members by 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...
on election night. There were twenty candidates in place in the district including four party leaders. Social Credit leader Ernest Manning, who had been appointed Premier in 1943 was easily the most recognizable candidate in the field. Elmer Roper Cooperative Commonwealth leader had won a seat in Edmonton almost two years earlier in a by-election. The other party leaders were James MacPherson Labor Progressive leader and William J. Williams, leader of the Veterans' and Active Force.
Red Deer
The results of the December 1943 by-election in Red Deer had led Social Credit government to speed up plans for the general election. Incumbent Social Credit MLA David Ure was running for his second term in office.Rocky Mountain House
Farmer-Labor candidate and leader Victor Johanson was nominated at a joint Cooperative Commonwealth Labor Progressive convention on February 17, 1944. Shortly before the election the Cooperative Commonwealth riding association broke off and nominated candidate George Morrison to run under their banner. Incumbent Social Credit MLA Alfred HookeAlfred Hooke
Alfred "Alf" John Hooke was a teacher, provincial politician and author from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit party in government...
had just been appointed by Premier Manning as Provincial Secretary, when he formed his government in 1943. The Independents did not nominate a candidate in this riding. On election night Hooke was easily re-elected winning on the first ballot.
Warner
The Warner electoral district was hotly contested by Independent leader James Walker and Provincial Treasurer Solon Low. Low had been defeated by Walker in the 1940 general election and won a by-election held in the Vegreville electoral district on June 20, 1940. The field of candidates was rounded out by W.M. Madge who ran under the Single Tax banner and R.B. Eshorn of the Cooperative Commonwealth. On election night, Low won a stunning first ballot victory defeating Walker.Members elected
For complete electoral history, see individual districts| District | Elected Member | Party | Incumbent | Party | Result |
|---|
| Acadia-Coronation Acadia-Coronation -1944 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive... |
Clarence Gerhart | Social Credit | Clarence Gerhart | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Alexandra | Selmer Berg | Social Credit | Selmer Berg | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Athabasca Athabasca (provincial electoral district) Athabasca was a provincial electoral district covering north east Alberta, Canada.The riding, was created in 1905 when Alberta first became a province... |
Gordon Lee | Social Credit | Gordon Lee | Social Credit | Re-elected |
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.... |
Arthur Wray Arthur Wray Arthur Henry Wray was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1944 to 1952... |
Social Credit | Frank Laut Frank Laut Frank Laut was a farmer and a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1944 sitting as an Independent.-Political career:... |
Independent | Defeated |
Beaver River Beaver River (provincial electoral district) -1944 general election:- External links :*... |
Lucien Maynard Lucien Maynard Joseph Lucien Paul Maynard was a lawyer and a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served a long career as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1955 sitting with the governing Social Credit caucus.Maynard served as a cabinet minister under Premier's William... |
Social Credit | Lucien Maynard | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Bow Valley-Empress Bow Valley-Empress -1944 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive... |
Wilson Cain | Social Credit | Wilson Cain | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Bruce Bruce (Alberta provincial electoral district) -1944 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive... |
James L. McPherson James L. McPherson James L. McPherson was a Canadian politician.He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1952, representing the Alberta Social Credit Party. He served on the Social Credit Board follwing the 1937 Social Credit backbenchers' revolt.... |
Social Credit | James L. McPherson | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Calgary Calgary (provincial electoral district) Calgary was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada that existed from 1905 to 1913 and was recreated from 1921 to 1959. The district returned from one to six members to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta... |
Andrew Davison Andrew Davison Andrew Davison was a Canadian politician.-Early life:Davison was born in 1886 in Moneymore, County Londonderry, Ireland. He arrived in Alberta in 1895 and received his education in both Edmonton and Calgary.... |
Independent | Andrew Davidson | Independent | Re-elected |
Howard MacDonald Howard MacDonald Howard Burton MacDonald was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1944 to 1955. He held a seat in the electoral district of Calgary as an Independent and later a member of Social Credit.-Political career:MacDonald ran... |
Independent | John J. Bowlen John J. Bowlen John James Bowlen was a Canadian rancher, farmer, provincial politician and the seventh Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.-External links:*... |
Independent | Defeated |
Rose Wilkinson Rose Wilkinson Rose Wilkinson was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. She served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1944 to 1963.-Political career:... |
Social Credit | James Mahaffy James Mahaffy James Caven Mahaffy was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1944. Mahaffy held a seat in the electoral district of Calgary as an Independent. Mahaffy briefly served as Leader of the Opposition.-Political... |
Independent | Retired |
Fred Anderson Fred Anderson (politician) Frederic "Fred" Anderson was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta holding a seat in the Calgary electoral district from 1935 to 1948 as a member of the Social Credit caucus.-Political career:... |
Social Credit | Fred Anderson | Social Credit | Re-elected |
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... |
Cooperative Commonwealth 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... |
Vacant |
Camrose Camrose (provincial electoral district) -1944 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive... |
Chester Sayers Chester Sayers Chester Irving Sayers was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1941 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.-Political career:... |
Social Credit | Chester Sayers | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Cardston Cardston (provincial electoral district) Cardston was a provincial electoral district in southern Alberta, Canada.The riding was created in when Alberta first became a province in 1905.The riding has always occupied the most southern portion of the province along the Canada / United States border... |
Nathan Eldon Tanner Nathan Eldon Tanner Nathan Eldon Tanner was a teacher, business leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and a municipal and provincial politician from the Canadian province of Alberta... |
Social Credit | Nathan Eldon Tanner | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Clover Bar Clover Bar (provincial electoral district) -1944 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive... |
Floyd M. Baker Floyd M. Baker Floyd Milton Baker was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1967 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.-Political career:... |
Social Credit | Floyd Baker | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Cypress Cypress (provincial electoral district) -1944 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive... |
Edith Thurston | Social Credit | Fay Jackson Fay Jackson Fay Jackson is an inspirational, multi-award winning motivational speaker, educator and advocate for mental health in Australia and on the international stage.... |
Independent | Retired |
Didsbury Didsbury (provincial electoral district) Didsbury is a former provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The electoral district returned a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1963.- Members of the Legislative Assembly :-1944 general election:... |
Howard Hammell | Social Credit | Ernest Brown | Independent | Retired |
Drumheller Drumheller (provincial electoral district) Drumheller was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of Alberta represented in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1930 to 1963 and again from 1971 to 1997.-History:... |
Gordon Taylor Gordon Taylor Gordon Edward Taylor was a Canadian politician, businessman and teacher.-Provincial political career:He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1940 provincial election representing Drumheller for Social Credit and continued to sit in the legislature for 39 years... |
Social Credit | Gordon Taylor | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Edmonton Edmonton (provincial electoral district) Edmonton provincial electoral district existed in two incarnations from 1905 - 1909 and again from 1921 - 1955. The district was created when Alberta first became a province.... |
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... |
Cooperative Commonwealth | Elmer Roper | Cooperative Commonwealth | Re-elected |
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... |
Social Credit | Ernest Manning | Social Credit | Re-elected |
John P. Page | Independent | John P. Page | Independent | Re-elected |
William J. Williams | Veteran's & Active Force Veteran's & Active Force The Veterans' and Active Force was a one-man political party that was represented in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada, from 1944 to 1948. It was led by William J. Williams.... |
Hugh John MacDonald Hugh John MacDonald (Alberta politician) Hugh John MacDonald was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1948 to 1959.-Political career:... |
Independent | Retired |
Norman James Norman James Norman James is a sports broadcaster at A News in London, Ontario, Canada. He's also a radio talk show host at am980. Since joining CFPL-TV in September 2002, Norman has been a part of a 6 p.m. newscast that has undergone several branding changes while achieving some of the highest viewer ratings... |
Social Credit | Norman James | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Edson Edson (provincial electoral district) Edson was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of Alberta represented in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1913 to 1986.-History:The electoral district was created during the 1913 Alberta general election from all of Lac St... |
Norman Willmore Norman Willmore Norman Alfred Willmore was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1944 until his death in 1965 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government... |
Social Credit | Angus James Morrison Angus James Morrison Angus James Morrison was provincial-level politician in Alberta, Canada.Morrison was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1940 Alberta general election defeating incumbent Joseph Unwin in a hotly contested race... |
Labor | Retired |
Gleichen | George E. Bell George E. Bell George E. Bell was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1944 to 1963 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.-Political career:... |
Social Credit | Donald James McKinnon | Independent | Defeated |
Grande Prairie Grande Prairie (provincial electoral district) Grande Prairie was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1930 to 1993.-1957 liquor plebiscite:... |
Ira McLaughlin Ira McLaughlin Ira McLaughlin was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1944 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government... |
Social Credit | Lewis O'Brien Lewis O'Brien Lewis J. O'Brien was a former provincial level politician and medical doctor from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1944.-Political career:... |
Independent | Retired |
Grouard Grouard (electoral district) Grouard was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1913 to 1971.-1957 liquor plebiscite:... |
William Fallow | Social Credit | Joseph Tremblay | Liberal | Retired |
Hand Hills | Wallace Warren Cross Wallace Warren Cross Wallace Warren Cross was a medical doctor and long serving politician from Alberta, Canada.Wallace was elected in the 1935 Alberta general election for the Alberta Social Credit Party for the Hand Hills district. He served 6 terms in office retiring from provincial politics in 1959.Wallace became... |
Social Credit | Wallace Warren Cross | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Lac St. Anne | Albert Bourcier | Social Credit | Albert Bourcier | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Lacombe Lacombe (provincial electoral district) -1905 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive... |
Duncan MacMillan | Social Credit | Duncan MacMillan | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Leduc Leduc (provincial electoral district) -1905 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive... |
Ronald Ansley Ronald Ansley Ronald Earl Ansley was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1963 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government and as an Independent.... |
Social Credit | Ronald Ansley | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Lethbridge Lethbridge (provincial electoral district) Lethbridge was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada.The riding has existed twice. The first incarnation was in 1905 when Alberta first became a province. Lethbridge covered a large patch of southern Alberta, It was broken into Lethbridge District and Lethbridge City in 1909... |
John Landeryou John Landeryou John Charles "Jack" Landeryou was a chef, a seniors rights activist, and a Canadian federal and long serving provincial level politician.-Federal politics:... |
Social Credit | Peter M. Campbell | Independent | Retired |
Little Bow Little Bow (electoral district) Little Bow is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.The district, named after the Little Bow River, was created in 1913 from the north-west corner of Lethbridge District and the eastern portions of Okotoks, High River, Nanton and Claresholm... |
Peter Dawson | Social Credit | Peter Dawson | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Macleod Macleod (provincial electoral district) Macleod is a former provincial electoral district that existed from 1905 to 2004 in the province of Alberta.-1905 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:... |
James Hartley James Hartley James "Jim" Hartley was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1967 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government... |
Social Credit | James Hartley | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Medicine Hat Medicine Hat (provincial electoral district) Medicine Hat is an Albertan provincial electoral district, covering most of the city of Medicine Hat.Under the Alberta electoral boundary re-distribution of 2004, the constituency covers the portion of the city north of the South Saskatchewan River, the Trans-Canada Highway and Carry Drive... |
John Lyle Robinson John Lyle Robinson John Lyle Robinson was a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 until his death in 1953 sitting with the Social Credit caucus... |
Social Credit | John Lyle Robinson | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Okotoks-High River Okotoks-High River Okotoks-High River was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1930 to 1971.... |
Ivan Casey | Social Credit | John Broomfield | Independent | Defeated |
Olds Olds (provincial electoral district) Olds was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1963. The district was combined with the Didsbury electoral district to form Olds-Didsbury... |
Norman E. Cook Norman E. Cook Norman E. Cook was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 until his death in 1950... |
Social Credit | Norman E. Cook | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Peace River Peace River (provincial electoral district) Peace River is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting... |
William Gilliland William Gilliland William Floyd Gilliland was a farmer and a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1944 until his death in 1961... |
Social Credit | Eld Martin Eld Martin Eld James Martin was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1944 sitting as an Independent.-Political career:... |
Independent | Defeated |
Pembina Pembina (Alberta provincial electoral district) Pembina was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1971.-1957 liquor plebiscite:... |
Robin Jorgenson Robin Jorgenson Robin Daniel Jorgenson was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1944 to 1967 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government... |
Social Credit | George MacLachlan George MacLachlan George MacLachlan was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada.-Early life:MacLachlan and his family would move to the area of Clyde, Alberta in 1904. The edge of his homestead would later be surveyed by the government and become part of Highway 2, when construction began in 1906... |
Independent | Defeated |
Pincher Creek-Crowsnest Pincher Creek-Crowsnest Pincher Creek-Crowsnest was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1993.-1957 liquor plebiscite:... |
Ernest Duke | Social Credit | Ernest Duke | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Ponoka Ponoka (provincial electoral district) Ponoka was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of Alberta represented in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1986.-History:... |
Ora Moore | Social Credit | Percy McKelvey | Independent | Retired |
Red Deer Red Deer (provincial electoral district) Red Deer was a provincial electoral district representing the city of Red Deer, Alberta in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1986... |
David Ure | Social Credit | David Ure | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Redwater Redwater (provincial electoral district) Redwater was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada from 1940 until 1971 and again from 1993 until 2004.-MLAs:The district elected the following members to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta:-1957 liquor plebiscite:... |
James Popil James Popil James Michael Popil was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1948 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.-Political career:... |
Social Credit | James Popil | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Rocky Mountain House Rocky Mountain House (electoral district) Rocky Mountain House is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is one of 83 current districts mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting since 1959... |
Alfred Hooke Alfred Hooke Alfred "Alf" John Hooke was a teacher, provincial politician and author from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit party in government... |
Social Credit | Alfred Hooke | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Sedgewick Sedgewick (provincial electoral district) Sedgewick was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada from 1909 until 1963-MLAs:The district elected the following members to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta:-Results:-1957 liquor plebiscite:... |
Albert Fee Albert Fee Albert Edward Fee was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1952 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.-Political career:... |
Social Credit | Albert Fee | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Spirit River Spirit River Spirit River can refer to:* Spirit River , a river in northern Alberta, Canada* Spirit River, Alberta, a town in northern Alberta, Canada** Spirit River-Fairview, a defunct electoral district in Alberta, Canada... |
Henry DeBolt | Social Credit | Henry DeBolt | Social Credit | Re-elected |
St. Albert St. Albert (provincial electoral district) St. Albert formally styled Saint Albert is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is one of 83 current districts mandate to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta of Alberta, Canada.... |
Charles Holder Charles Holder Charles Garrett Holder was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1940 and 1944 to 1948 sitting both times as a member of the Social Credit caucus.-Political career:... |
Social Credit | Lionel Tellier Lionel Tellier Lionel R. Tellier was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1944 sitting as an Independent.-Political career:... |
Independent | Retired |
St. Paul St. Paul (provincial electoral district) St. Paul was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1913 to 1993.-1957 liquor plebiscite:... |
Joseph Beaudry | Social Credit | Joseph Beaudry | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Stettler Stettler (provincial electoral district) Stettler was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1993.-1957 liquor plebiscite:... |
William Mackie William Mackie William Henry Mackie was an early settler of the Swan River Colony holding a number of public positions including that of the first Judge of the colony. Mackie was born at Cochin, India and as a child returned to live in Derry before attending school in Twickenham, Middlesex... |
Social Credit | Chester Reynolds | Independent Social Credit | Retired |
Stony Plain Stony Plain (electoral district) Stony Plain originally styled Stonyplain is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting. From 1926 to 1957 Single Transferable Vote was used in the... |
Cornelia Wood Cornelia Wood Cornelia Lucinda Railey Wood was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. She served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta twice the first time being from 1940 to 1955 and the second time being from 1959 to 1967... |
Social Credit | Cornelia Wood | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Taber Taber (provincial electoral district) Taber was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.-1957 liquor plebiscite:... |
Roy Lee Roy S. Lee Roy Smith Lee was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1963 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.-Political career:... |
Social Credit | Roy Lee | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Vegreville Vegreville (provincial electoral district) Vegreville was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1993.-1957 liquor plebiscite:... |
Michael Ponich | Social Credit | Solon Low | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Vermillion | William Cornish | Social Credit | William Fallow | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Wainwright Wainwright (provincial electoral district) Wainwright was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.-1957 liquor plebiscite:... |
William Masson William Masson William Masson was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1955 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.-Political career:... |
Social Credit | William Masson | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Warner | Solon Low Solon Earl Low Solon Earl Low was a Canadian politician in the 20th century.Low was born in Cardston, Alberta, and was a farmer, school teacher and school principal. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1935 provincial that swept the Social Credit Party of Alberta to power... |
Social Credit | James Walker James H. Walker James H. Walker was a former farmer, provincial level politician and World War I era soldier. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1944. During that time he served as official opposition leader twice and was leader of the Independents.- Early life :Walker... |
Independent | Defeated |
Wetaskiwin Wetaskiwin (provincial electoral district) Wetaskiwin is a former provincial electoral district in Alberta that existed from 1905 to 1971.-1905 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:... |
John Wingblade John Wingblade John Alfred Wingblade was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1963 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.-Political career:... |
Social Credit | John Wingblade | Social Credit | Re-elected |
Willingdon | William Tomyn William Tomyn William Tomyn was a politician and teacher from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1952 and again 1959 to 1971 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government both times.-Early life:... |
Social Credit | William Tomyn | Social Credit | Re-elected |