Lavern Ahlstrom
Encyclopedia
Lavern Ahlstrom is a retired provincial level politician and former leader of the Alberta Social Credit Party.
in the 1979 Alberta general election
finishing second to Progressive Conservative
Jack Campbell
.
He ran for a second time in the 1986 Alberta general election
, this time for the Representative Party of Alberta
finishing third. In that election he was once again defeated by Campbell. He would run again in the 1993 Alberta general election
once again for Social Credit finishing a strong second to Progressive Conservative Ty Lund
.
In the 1997 Alberta general election
he would go against Lund for a second time coming up with his best electoral result ever, finishing a close second again. He would attempt another run against Lund in the 2001 Alberta general election
this time being defeated finishing second in a landslide. He would run for the last time in the 2004 Alberta general election
this time as party leader finishing in a second place tie.
. Ahlstrom's leadership of the Alberta Social Credit Party has been notable for the party re-embracing elements of Social Credit
economic and monetary theory. Electoral wise he led the party to a better showing running 43 candidates in the 2004 Alberta general election
earning 1.2% of the popular vote. The last election contested under his leadership was the Drumheller-Stettler
by election held in June 2007. Social Credit finished a very strong third vastly improving their showing in the district over 2004.
He resigned as leader and was replaced by Len Skowronski
in November 2007.
Political career
Ahlstrom first became involved with Social Credit in the 1970s. He has been a perennial candidate for the party with some moderately successful showings during his career. Ahlstrom first ran for office in electoral district of Rocky Mountain HouseRocky Mountain House, Alberta
Rocky Mountain House is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada, approximately west of the City of Red Deer. It is located at the confluence of the Clearwater and North Saskatchewan Rivers, and at the crossroads of Highway 22 and Highway 11 .- History :The town has a long history dating to the...
in the 1979 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1979
The Alberta general election of 1979 was the nineteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 14, 1979 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
finishing second to 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...
Jack Campbell
John Murray Campbell
John "Jack" Murray Campbell is a former provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1979 to 1989.-Political career:...
.
He ran for a second time in the 1986 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1986
The Alberta general election of 1986 was the twenty-first general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on May 8, 1986 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
, this time for the Representative Party of Alberta
Representative Party of Alberta
The Representative Party of Alberta was a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada formed by Raymond Speaker in 1984. The party was right of center, conservative in ideology and considered a modern version of Social Credit without the monetary reforms....
finishing third. In that election he was once again defeated by Campbell. He would run again in the 1993 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1993
The Alberta general election of 1993 was the twenty-third general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 15, 1993 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta...
once again for Social Credit finishing a strong second to Progressive Conservative Ty Lund
Ty Lund
Ty Lund is a Canadian politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, representing the constituency of Rocky Mountain House as a Progressive Conservative.-Early life:...
.
In the 1997 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1997
The Alberta general election of 1997 was the twenty-fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 11, 1997 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
he would go against Lund for a second time coming up with his best electoral result ever, finishing a close second again. He would attempt another run against Lund in the 2001 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 2001
The Alberta general election of 2001 was the twenty-fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 12, 2001 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
this time being defeated finishing second in a landslide. He would run for the last time in the 2004 Alberta general 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....
this time as party leader finishing in a second place tie.
Leader of Social Credit
Ahlstrom was elected leader of Social Credit after James Alberts departed in 2001 after a poor showing in the 2001 Alberta general electionAlberta general election, 2001
The Alberta general election of 2001 was the twenty-fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 12, 2001 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. Ahlstrom's leadership of the Alberta Social Credit Party has been notable for the party re-embracing elements of 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"...
economic and monetary theory. Electoral wise he led the party to a better showing running 43 candidates in the 2004 Alberta general 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....
earning 1.2% of the popular vote. The last election contested under his leadership was the 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...
by election held in June 2007. Social Credit finished a very strong third vastly improving their showing in the district over 2004.
He resigned as leader and was replaced by Len Skowronski
Len Skowronski
Leonard "Len" Skowronski is the leader of the provincial Social Credit Party in Alberta, Canada. He was elected at a leadership convention held on November 3, 2007 in Red Deer to replace Lavern Ahlstrom who resigned....
in November 2007.