View source for Ed Stelmach

{{Short description|Premier of Alberta from 2006 to 2011}}
{{pp-move-indef}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix     = [[The Honourable]]
| name                 = Ed Stelmach
| honorific-suffix     = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|ECA|AOE|size=100%}}
| image                = Ed Stelmach2.jpg
| caption              = Stelmach in 2006
| order                = 13th
| office               = Premier of Alberta
| term_start           = December 14, 2006
| term_end             = October 7, 2011
| predecessor          = [[Ralph Klein]]
| successor            = [[Alison Redford]]
| monarch              = [[Elizabeth II]]
| lieutenant_governor  = [[Normie Kwong]]<br />[[Donald Ethell]]
| 1blankname           = {{nowrap|[[List of Alberta provincial ministers#Deputy Premier|Deputy]]}}
| 1namedata            = {{unbulleted list|[[Ron Stevens]]|[[Doug Horner]]}}
| office1              = [[Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta#Party leaders|Leader]] of the [[Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta]]
| term_start1          = December 3, 2006
| term_end1            = October 1, 2011
| predecessor1         = [[Ralph Klein]]
| successor1           = [[Alison Redford]]
{{Collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |Alberta Executive Council
 |titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office2              = [[Alberta International and Intergovernmental Relations|Minister of Intergovernmental Relations]]
| premier2             = [[Ralph Klein]]
| term_start2          = November 25, 2004
| term_end2            = March 23, 2006
| predecessor2         = [[Halvar Jonson]]
| successor2           = [[Gary Mar]]
| office3              = [[List of Alberta provincial ministers#Minister of Transportation|Minister of Transportation]]
| premier3             = [[Ralph Klein]]
| term_start3          = March 16, 2001
| term_end3            = November 25, 2004
| predecessor3         = ''Himself'' {{small|(as [[List of Alberta provincial ministers#Minister of Infrastructure|Minister of Infrastructure]])}}
| successor3           = [[Lyle Oberg]] {{small|(Infrastructure and Transportation)}}
| office6              = [[List of Alberta provincial ministers#Minister of Infrastructure|Minister of Infrastructure]]
| premier6             = [[Ralph Klein]]
| term_start6          = May 26, 1999
| term_end6            = March 16, 2001
| predecessor6         = ''Position established''
| successor6           = [[Ty Lund]]
| office7              = [[List of Alberta provincial ministers#Minister of Agriculture|Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Development]]
| premier7             = [[Ralph Klein]]
| term_start7          = March 29, 1997
| term_end7            = May 26, 1999
| predecessor7         = [[Walter Paszkowski]]
| successor7           = [[Ty Lund]]{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
{{Collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |Parliamentary constituencies
 |titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office9              = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly#Canada|Member]] of the<br />[[Legislative Assembly of Alberta]] <br /> for [[Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville]]<br />{{small|([[Vegreville-Viking]]; 1993–2004)}}
| term_start9          = June 15, 1993
| term_end9            = April 23, 2012
| predecessor9         = ''Riding established''
| successor9           = [[Jacquie Fenske]]{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
| birth_name           = Edward Michael Stelmach
| birth_date           = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1951|5|11}}
| birth_place          = [[Lamont, Alberta]], Canada
| death_date           =
| death_place          =
| party                = [[Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta|Progressive Conservative]]
| spouse               = {{marriage|Marie Warshawski|1973}}
| children             = 4
| occupation           = {{hlist|Politician|farmer|businessman}}
| alma_mater           = [[University of Alberta]] (attended)
| signature            = Ed Stelmach Signature2.svg
}}

'''Edward Michael Stelmach''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|ECA|AOE}} ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|t|ɛ|l|m|æ|k}}; born May 11, 1951) is a [[politics of Canada|Canadian politician]] who served as the 13th [[premier of Alberta]], from 2006 to 2011. The grandson of [[Ukrainians|Ukrainian]] immigrants, Stelmach was born and raised on a farm near [[Lamont, Alberta|Lamont]] and fluently speaks the distinctive [[Canadian Ukrainian|Canadian dialect]] of [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]]. He spent his entire pre-political adult life as a farmer, except for some time spent studying at the [[University of Alberta]]. His first foray into politics was a 1986 municipal election, when he was elected to [[Lamont County]] council. A year into his term, he was appointed [[reeve (Canada)|reeve]].  He continued in this position until his entry into provincial politics.

In the [[1993 Alberta general election|1993 provincial election]], Stelmach was elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for [[Vegreville-Viking]] (later [[Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville]]). A [[Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta|Progressive Conservative]], he served in the [[List of Alberta provincial ministers|cabinets]] of [[Ralph Klein]]—at various times holding the portfolios of Intergovernmental Relations, Transportation, Infrastructure, and Agriculture, Food, and Rural Development—where he developed a reputation as a low-key politician who avoided the limelight. When Klein resigned the party's leadership in 2006, Stelmach was among the first to present his candidature to replace him. After a third-place finish on the first ballot of the [[2006 Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leadership election|leadership race]], he won an upset second ballot victory over former provincial treasurer [[Jim Dinning]].

Stelmach's premiership was heavily focused on management of the province's oil reserves, especially those of the [[Athabasca Oil Sands]]. He rejected calls from environmentalists to slow the pace of development in the [[Fort McMurray]] area, and similarly opposed calls for [[carbon tax]]es. Other policy initiatives included commencing an overhaul of the province's health governance system, amendments to the Alberta human rights code, a re-introduction of all-party committees to the Legislature, and the conclusion of a major labour agreement with Alberta's teachers. His government also attracted controversy for awarding itself a 30% pay increase shortly after its re-election, and featured strained relations with [[Calgary]], one of Klein's former strongholds. Despite this, Stelmach increased the Progressive Conservatives' already substantial majority in the [[2008 Alberta general election|2008 election]]. With the advent of the [[late-2000s recession]], Stelmach had to cope with a deteriorating economic situation and the Alberta government's first budget deficit in 16 years.

Stelmach was succeeded as Premier by [[Alison Redford]] on October 7, 2011. He joined the board of [[Covenant Health (Alberta)|Covenant Health]] a year later, and has been its chair since January 2016.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gerein |first=Keith |date=February 16, 2016 |title=Former Alberta premier Ed Stelmach tackles new role as Covenant Health board boss |language=en-CA |work=Edmonton Journal |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/former-alberta-premier-tackles-new-role-as-covenant-health-board-boss |access-date=2022-03-25}}</ref>

==Background==
Edward Michael Stelmach was born on a farm near [[Lamont, Alberta]], the grandson of immigrants from [[:uk:Завидче|Zavyche]], Ukraine. His grandparents settled near [[Andrew, Alberta]] in 1898, after bypassing [[Saskatchewan]] because they did not care for the terrain.<ref name="Profile">{{cite news |title=Profile: 'Steady Eddie' takes power on his terms |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/story.html?id=b9b5fc9b-cafd-4587-8175-603702bd9224&k=0 |work=Edmonton Journal |date=December 3, 2006 |access-date=2008-06-21 |first=Sarah |last=O'Donnell |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222609/http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/story.html?id=b9b5fc9b-cafd-4587-8175-603702bd9224&k=0 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> His parents, Nancy (née Koroluk) and Michael N. Stelmach, had five children, of whom Edward was the youngest, ten years younger than his closest sibling.<ref name="Profile"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-3448600810.html |title=Stelmach, Hon. Edward Michael (Vegreville-Viking) Minister of Transportation - Canadian Parliamentary Guide 2005 &#124; HighBeam Research |access-date=2014-03-20 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415232528/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-3448600810.html |archive-date=April 15, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Stelmach was raised speaking [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]], and did not learn English until he started attending school.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Köhler|first=Nicolas|date=March 26, 2008|title=Alberta's Ed Stelmach Up to the Job? {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/albertas-ed-stelmach-up-to-the-job|access-date=2021-04-20|website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca}}</ref> He was raised a [[Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church|Ukrainian Catholic]], and continues to attend church regularly, sing in the church choir, and act as a volunteer caretaker for the cemetery.<ref>{{cite news|title=Stelmach shares his Catholic faith |url=http://www.wcr.ab.ca/news/2007/0903/stelmach090307.shtml |work=Western Catholic Reporter |date=September 3, 2007 |access-date=2008-06-21 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090510010239/http://www.wcr.ab.ca/news/2007/0903/stelmach090307.shtml |archive-date=May 10, 2009 }}</ref> Through high school, he worked as a well-digger and a [[Fuller Brush Company|Fuller Brush]] salesman, where he said his grasp of Ukrainian helped him make sales.<ref name="Profile"/> After graduating high school—his grade 12 yearbook called him a future Prime Minister of Canada—he attended the [[University of Alberta]], intending to become a lawyer.<ref name="Profile"/> He continued there, working as an assistant manager at [[Woodward's]], until 1973, when his oldest brother, Victor, died.<ref name="Profile"/>  While his family had intended for Victor to take over the farm that his grandparents had settled 75 years before, Stelmach dropped out of university, returned home, and bought the land from his parents.<ref name="Profile"/> He continues to farm the land today.<ref name="Profile"/>

As a teenager, he met Marie Warshawski at the wedding of a mutual friend. They married in 1973, and have three sons and a daughter.<ref name="Profile"/>

Stelmach entered politics in 1986 with his election to the council of Lamont County; one year later, he was appointed county [[reeve (Canada)|reeve]], a position he held until his entry into provincial politics in 1993.<ref>{{cite book |publisher=Alberta Association of Municipal Districts & Counties |title=Serving Martha & Henry: Rural Municipal Government in Alberta 1983-1998 |year=1998}}</ref><ref name="Bio">{{cite web |url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=mla_bio&rnumber=55 |title=Stelmach's Legislature biography |publisher=[[Legislative Assembly of Alberta]] |access-date=2008-01-21}}</ref>

==MLA and minister==
Stelmach ran for the [[Legislative Assembly of Alberta]] as a [[Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta|Progressive Conservative]] in the [[1993 Alberta general election|1993 provincial election]], defeating incumbent [[Alberta New Democratic Party|New Democrat]] [[Derek Fox (Canadian politician)|Derek Fox]] in the [[electoral district (Canada)|riding]] of [[Vegreville-Viking]].<ref name="93 election"/> Stelmach became a member of the [[Deep Six (Alberta politics)|Deep Six]], a group of enthusiastically fiscally conservative rookie MLAs;<ref>{{cite news|first=Kelly |last=Cryderman |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=cbee085d-204c-46cf-836d-a5105cdcbafb |title=Oberg not urging support for Klein, riding association told |work=Edmonton Journal |date=March 23, 2006 |access-date=2008-06-28 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222127/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=cbee085d-204c-46cf-836d-a5105cdcbafb |archive-date=May 9, 2009 }}</ref> in addition to supporting Premier [[Ralph Klein]]'s aggressive deficit-cutting, Stelmach practiced fiscal restraint himself, incurring low office expenses and declining a government vehicle.<ref name="See">{{cite news|first=Jeremy |last=Klaszus |url=http://www.ffwdweekly.com/article/news-views/news/ed-stelmach-forgotten-years/ |title=Ed Stelmach: The Forgotten Years |work=Fast Forward Weekly |date=February 28, 2008 |access-date=2008-09-04 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720112011/http://www.ffwdweekly.com/article/news-views/news/ed-stelmach-forgotten-years/ |archive-date=July 20, 2008 }}</ref>  During his first term, Stelmach served as Deputy [[Parliamentary Whip|Whip]] and, later, Chief Government Whip for the P.C. caucus.<ref name="See"/>  As a [[backbencher]], he sponsored the ''Lloydminster Hospital Act Repeal Act''. This was a government bill that dissolved the then-existing [[Lloydminster]] hospital board in preparation for an arrangement compliant with both the Alberta government's new system of regional health authorities and the [[Saskatchewan]] government's system. Lloydminster sits on the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and the hospital, although built and operated by the Alberta government, sits on the Saskatchewan side.<ref>{{cite hansard | url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files%5Cdocs%5Chansards%5Chan%5Clegislature_23%5Csession_4%5C19960220_2000_01_han.pdf | house=[[Legislative Assembly of Alberta]] | date=February 20, 1996 |title=Lloydminster Hospital Act Repeal Act|pages=105–106}} Retrieved on July 4, 2008</ref> It passed the legislature with little debate.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/pro/bills/s-bill96.htm |title=Bill Status Report - 23rd Legislature 4th Session (1996) |publisher=[[Legislative Assembly of Alberta]] |access-date=2008-06-16 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070803201517/http://www.assembly.ab.ca/pro/bills/s-bill96.htm |archive-date=August 3, 2007 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In 1996, shortly before an April by-election in [[Redwater (provincial electoral district)|Redwater]], Stelmach was accused of "[[pork barrel]] politics" for presenting, along with colleague [[Peter Trynchy]] and P.C. candidate Ross Quinn, a large cheque to a local seniors centre. Stelmach said that he had only stepped in to help the riding after its MLA, [[Nicholas Taylor (politician)|Nicholas Taylor]], had been appointed to the [[Senate of Canada|Senate]].<ref name="See"/>

After the [[1997 Alberta general election|1997 provincial election]], Klein appointed Stelmach Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural development.<ref>{{cite news |first=Christopher |last=Guly |title=Son of Ukrainian Canadian homesteaders becomes Alberta's agriculture minister|work=Ukrainian Weekly |date=April 27, 1997 |url=http://www.ukrweekly.com/old/archive/1997/179709.shtml |access-date=2008-02-06 }}</ref> While he held this office, his department encouraged the establishment of [[feedlot]]s.<ref name="See"/> The opposition parties charged that the government was not regulating these sufficiently, but Stelmach responded that [[municipalities]] had the authority necessary to effectively regulate them.<ref name="See"/> On the [[Canadian Wheat Board]] controversy, Stelmach sided with farmers who wanted an end to the federal body's monopoly on grain sales in the western provinces.<ref name="See"/> Legislatively, Stelmach sponsored five bills while in the Agriculture, Food, and Rural Development portfolio, all of which passed through the legislature.<ref name="1997 bills">{{cite web|url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/pro/bills/s-bill97.htm |title=Bill Status Report - 24th Legislature 1st Session (1997) |publisher=[[Legislative Assembly of Alberta]] |access-date=2008-07-03 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070803201506/http://www.assembly.ab.ca/pro/bills/s-bill97.htm |archive-date=August 3, 2007 }}</ref><ref name="1998 bills">{{cite web |url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/pro/bills/s-bill98.htm |title=Bill Status Report - 24th Legislature 2nd Session (1998) |publisher=[[Legislative Assembly of Alberta]] |access-date=2008-07-03 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509083140/http://www.assembly.ab.ca/pro/bills/s-bill98.htm |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>  1997's ''Meat Inspection Amendment Act'' required meat inspectors to acquire a [[search warrant]] before entering a private dwelling, but also allowed for fines to be voluntarily paid without requiring a court case.<ref name="May 6">{{cite hansard |url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files%5Cdocs%5Chansards%5Chan%5Clegislature_24%5Csession_1%5C19970506_2000_01_han.pdf |date=May 6, 1997 |house=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|title=Meat Inspection Amendment Act, 1997|page=386}} Retrieved on July 4, 2008</ref> It was called by [[Alberta Liberal Party|Liberal]] agriculture critic [[Ken Nicol (politician)|Ken Nicol]] "a really good bill".<ref name="May 6"/> The ''Livestock and Livestock Products Amendment Act'' of the same year eliminated government guarantee of the Livestock Patrons' Assurance Fund, designed to protect cattle producers from payment defaults by livestock dealers, in favour of leaving the Fund entirely in the hands of the industry.<ref>{{cite hansard |url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files%5Cdocs%5Chansards%5Chan%5Clegislature_24%5Csession_1%5C19970603_1330_01_han.pdf |date=June 3, 1997 |house=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|title=Livestock and Livestock Products Amendment Act, 1997|pages=960–961}} Retrieved on July 4, 2008</ref> It too was supported by the Liberals, with Nicol calling it ''"very easy for us to accept"''.<ref>{{cite hansard |url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files%5Cdocs%5Chansards%5Chan%5Clegislature_24%5Csession_1%5C19970611_2000_01_han.pdf |date=June 11, 1997 |house=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|title=Livestock and Livestock Products Amendment Act, 1997|page=1230}} Retrieved on 2008-07-04</ref>  In 1998, Stelmach sponsored the ''Agriculture Statutes (Penalties) Amendment Act'', which overhauled the penalty system for violation of various agricultural statutes, setting maximum fines and leaving the precise amount up to judges on a case-by-case basis.<ref name="Feb 4">{{cite hansard |url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files%5Cdocs%5Chansards%5Chan%5Clegislature_24%5Csession_2%5C19980204_2000_01_han.pdf |date=February 4, 1998 |house=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|title=Agriculture Statutes (Penalties) Amendment Act|pages=188–191}} Retrieved on 2008-07-04</ref> It also passed with Liberal support, as MLA [[Ed Gibbons]] said that it ''"really makes a lot of sense"''.<ref name="Feb 4"/> Another 1998 bill was the ''Marketing of Agricultural Products Amendment Act'', which allowed provincial agricultural marketing boards to revise their marketing plans, and was supported by the opposition.<ref name="Feb 4"/>  Finally, Stelmach initiated the ''Agriculture Statutes (Livestock Identification) Amendment Act'', which allowed the government to delegate the inspection of [[livestock branding|branding]] to the cattle industry.<ref name="April 9">{{cite hansard |url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files%5Cdocs%5Chansards%5Chan%5Clegislature_24%5Csession_2%5C19980409_1330_01_han.pdf |date=April 9, 1998 |house=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|title=Agriculture Statutes (Livestock Identification) Amendment Act|pages=1500–1505}} Retrieved on July 4, 2008</ref> The bill was the subject of considerable debate on second [[reading (legislature)|reading]],<ref name="April 9"/> but was ultimately supported by the Liberals on the third and final reading.<ref>{{cite hansard |url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files%5Cdocs%5Chansards%5Chan%5Clegislature_24%5Csession_2%5C19980427_2000_01_han.pdf |date=April 27, 1998 |house=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|title=Agriculture Statutes (Livestock Identification) Amendment Act|pages=1754–1755}} Retrieved on 2008-07-04</ref>

In 1999, Klein shifted Stelmach to the new Infrastructure portfolio, where he made traffic safety a priority, increasing fines for traffic offenses, sometimes by as much as 700%.<ref name="See"/> He also briefly aroused controversy by proposing reversing the slow and fast lanes on provincial highways, on the grounds that this would equalize the rate at which the lanes broke down and therefore save on maintenance costs; nothing came of the proposal.<ref name="See"/>  He established a fund for capital projects, but was criticized for not doing enough to address the deterioration of the province's infrastructure.<ref name="See"/> In 2001, Klein separated Transportation out of the Infrastructure portfolio and appointed Stelmach to it, where the new minister advocated the use of [[public-private partnership]]s to build [[ring road]]s around [[Edmonton]] and [[Calgary]].<ref name="See"/> He also introduced a program of [[graduated driver licensing]] and initiated a review of traffic safety programs.<ref name="See"/>  Stelmach was re-elected by his largest majority yet during the [[2001 Alberta general election|2001 election]],<ref name="2001 results"/> and retained the Transportation portfolio until 2004, when he was reassigned to the position of Minister of Intergovernmental Relations.<ref name="See"/> He resigned this position in 2006 in order to contest the [[2006 Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leadership election|P.C. leadership election]] (Klein had required that ministers intending to campaign to succeed him resign from cabinet).<ref>{{cite news|title=Alta. cabinet minister Stelmach quits position |url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060321/stelmach_post_060321/20060321?hub=Canada |publisher=CTV.ca |date=March 21, 2006 |access-date=2008-02-06 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311032319/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060321/stelmach_post_060321/20060321?hub=Canada |archive-date=March 11, 2007 |df=mdy }}</ref>

As minister, Stelmach kept a low profile. Mark Lisac, who was the [[Edmonton Journal]]'s provincial affairs columnist during much of Stelmach's time in cabinet, later recalled that Stelmach "never did anything that was flashy or controversial in any way" and that "not a thing" stood out about Stelmach's ministerial service.<ref name="See"/> This low-key style earned Stelmach the moniker "Steady Eddie", which would follow him to the Premier's office.<ref name="steady"/>

==2006 leadership election==
{{Main|2006 Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leadership election}}

Stelmach was the first candidate to declare his intention to run for the P.C. leadership, and picked up endorsements from nineteen members of his caucus (including cabinet ministers [[Pearl Calahasen]] and [[Iris Evans]]).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/artists-for-dinning-mla-pham-for-morton-1.579468 |title=Artists for Dinning, MLA Pham for Morton |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=November 29, 2006 |access-date= 2015-11-19}}</ref>  However, former provincial Treasurer [[Jim Dinning]] had twice as many caucus endorsements (despite not having held elected office since 1997) and was generally considered the race's front-runner.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://thetyee.ca/Bigstory/2006/11/27/Alberta_leader/ |work=The Tyee |date=November 27, 2006 |title=Albertans Turf Five in Race for New Leader |access-date=2008-06-16}}</ref><ref name="CTV">{{cite news|title=Opponents pledge support for Alta.'s Stelmach |url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061202/alberta_tories_061203?s_name=&no_ads= |publisher=CTV.ca |date=December 3, 2006 |access-date=2008-06-16 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509081242/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061202/alberta_tories_061203?s_name=&no_ads= |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy }}</ref> Stelmach ran a low-profile campaign, touring the province in a custom-painted [[campaign bus]], while most media attention was focussed on the rivalry between {{proper name|Dinning}} and the socially conservative [[Ted Morton]].<ref name="steady">{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/steady-eddie-made-slow-climb-to-lead-alberta-tories-1.575587 |title=Steady Eddie made slow climb to lead Alberta Tories |date=December 3, 2006 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref>

According to the race's rules, the three candidates receiving the most votes on the first ballot would move on to a second ballot, which would use a [[preferential ballot|preferential]] voting system to select a winner. Stelmach finished third on the first ballot with 15.3% of the vote, 3,329 votes ahead of fourth place [[Lyle Oberg]] and 10,647 votes behind second place Morton.  However, the fourth, fifth, and sixth place candidates (Oberg, [[Dave Hancock]], and [[Mark Norris (Canadian politician)|Mark Norris]]) all endorsed Stelmach for the second ballot. On this ballot, he finished in first place on the first count, fewer than five hundred votes ahead of Dinning. A majority of Morton's votes went to Stelmach on the second count, and he was elected leader.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Financing===
Stelmach raised more than $1.1&nbsp;million for his leadership campaign.<ref name="donors">{{cite news |first=Joel |last=Kom |title=Stelmach criticized for donation secrecy |work=Calgary Herald |url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=2c092641-5f4f-4dad-a9d3-21d364691b4a&k=22355 |date=February 28, 2007 |access-date=2008-02-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222212/http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=2c092641-5f4f-4dad-a9d3-21d364691b4a&k=22355 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> After his victory, he revealed the names of the donors of 85% of this money, but declined to release the names of eighty supporters, citing their requests for privacy.  These supporters had donated a total of more than $160,000.<ref name="donors"/> Party rules did not require any disclosure, and the disclosures by candidates varied—Norris named all of his donors, while Morton did not reveal any.<ref name="donors"/>  Stelmach's partial disclosure was deemed insufficient by opposition leaders and [[Democracy Watch (Canada)|Democracy Watch]], whose head suggested that Albertans should assume that Stelmach's anonymous donors placed him in a [[conflict of interest]] until he proved otherwise.<ref name="donors"/> Stelmach also acknowledged receiving a $10,000 donation from the Beaver Regional Waste Management Service's Commission, a landfill operator owned by five municipalities in Stelmach's riding.<ref name="Beaver">{{cite news |first=Jason |last=Markusoff |title=Donation Unethical, Premier Admits |work=Edmonton Journal |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=ae672a2d-cd8c-41fa-91f3-112659138e7a |date=June 5, 2007 |access-date=2008-02-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509223047/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=ae672a2d-cd8c-41fa-91f3-112659138e7a |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> While asserting that the donation was legal, Stelmach admitted that it was "clearly unethical", blamed overzealous campaign volunteers for soliciting it, and returned it after the end of the campaign.<ref name="Beaver"/>

In the wake of the leadership campaign, Stelmach, along with Oberg, Hancock, and Norris, organized two $5,000 per plate dinners in January 2007 to pay campaign debts.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jason |last=Fekete |title=For $5,000, Albertans can have exclusive chat with Stelmach |work=National Post |url=https://nationalpost.com/story.html?id=9b650e28-dcaf-43b9-9aab-90b8ea9664f7&k=62833 |date=January 11, 2007 |access-date=2008-02-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130129142959/http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=9b650e28-dcaf-43b9-9aab-90b8ea9664f7&k=62833 |archive-date=January 29, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> After critics argued that the dinners were essentially selling access to the premier and two senior ministers, Stelmach cancelled them.<ref>{{cite news |first=Darcy |last=Henton |title=Stelmach cancels $5,000 receptions |work=Edmonton Sun |url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/01/11/3300721.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090510013113/http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/01/11/3300721.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 10, 2009 |date=January 11, 2007 |access-date=2008-02-12 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

==Premier==

===2008 election===
{{Main|2008 Alberta general election}}

Stelmach was sworn in as Premier December 14, 2006.<ref name="sworn">{{cite news |title=Stelmach sworn in as Alberta's 13th premier|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/stelmach-sworn-in-as-alberta-s-13th-premier-1.584114 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=December 14, 2006 |access-date=2014-03-28 }}</ref> On February 4, 2008, immediately after [[Lieutenant Governor of Alberta|Lieutenant Governor]] [[Norman Kwong]] read the [[throne speech]] to open the legislative session, Stelmach requested a dissolution of the legislature with [[2008 Alberta general election|an election to follow March 3]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Dean |last=Bennett |title=Stelmach makes it official: Albertans will go to polls March 3 in general election |work=Maclean's magazine |url=http://www.macleans.ca/canada/wire/article.jsp?content=n0204157A |date=February 4, 2008 |access-date=2008-02-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509210734/http://www.macleans.ca/canada/wire/article.jsp?content=n0204157A |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Shortly before the writ was dropped, a group calling itself Albertans for Change began to buy print and television ads that attacked Stelmach for lacking a plan and portrayed him as unfit to lead the province.<ref>{{cite news |title=Attack ads take premier to task for 'lack of plan' |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/attack-ads-take-premier-to-task-for-lack-of-plan-1.757643 |date=January 16, 2008 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref> The group was funded by the Alberta Building Trades Council and the [[Alberta Federation of Labour]], which led to a series of ads purchased by the [[National Citizens Coalition]] and Merit Contractors, in which it was accused of "putting your <nowiki>[union members']</nowiki> money where <nowiki>[union leadership's]</nowiki> mouths are."<ref>{{cite news |first=Kevin |last=Crush |title=New attack ads aim at union's attack ads |work=Edmonton Sun |url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2008/01/24/pf-4792285.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203220753/http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2008/01/24/pf-4792285.html |url-status = dead|archive-date=December 3, 2008 |date=January 24, 2008 |access-date=2008-02-12 }}</ref> [[File:Ed Stelmach luncheon.jpg|thumb|left|Stelmach speaking at a luncheon in April 2007]]

Despite a campaign that was called disorganized and uninspired,<ref>{{cite news |title=Stelmach's first campaign as premier hits a few bumps in the first week |work=The Canadian Press |date=February 9, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Neil |last=Waugh |title=Post-debate posturing unproductive |work=Edmonton Sun |url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Columnists/Waugh_Neil/2008/02/24/4872401-sun.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228101604/http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Columnists/Waugh_Neil/2008/02/24/4872401-sun.html |url-status = dead|archive-date=February 28, 2008 |date=February 24, 2008 |access-date=2008-03-04}}</ref> Stelmach's Progressive Conservatives won 72 seats in the 83-seat Legislative Assembly, an increase from the 62 that the party had won in the [[2004 Alberta general election|previous election]] and only two seats short of [[Ralph Klein]]'s [[2001 Alberta general election|2001 landslide]].<ref name="2008 results">{{cite news |first=Don |last=Braid |title=Stelmach rivals Klein, Lougheed in victory |work=Calgary Herald |url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/story.html?id=8e1dff1e-22a8-415f-917d-7d5630b6bbec&k=87013 |date=March 4, 2008 |access-date=2008-03-04 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222102/http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/story.html?id=8e1dff1e-22a8-415f-917d-7d5630b6bbec&k=87013 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>  Political analysts attributed the party's win to its ability to present Stelmach as ''"a cautious, straightforward and hard-working man with a plan for Alberta's future"''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/it-s-ed-s-empire-after-alberta-election-sweep-1.731740 |title=It's 'Ed's Empire' after Alberta election sweep |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=March 4, 2008 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref>

The voter turnout in the election was 41%, the lowest in Alberta's history, and roughly a quarter of these had to swear an oath on election day after discovering they weren't on the voter's list.<ref name="Ouster">{{cite news|url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/Premier+ouster+Alberta+chief+electoral+officer/1309684/story.html |title=Premier mum on ouster of Alberta's chief electoral officer |first=Renata |last=D'Aliesio |date=February 20, 2009 |access-date=2009-04-30 |work=Calgary Herald |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509092853/http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Premier%2Bouster%2BAlberta%2Bchief%2Belectoral%2Bofficer/1309684/story.html |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |url-status = dead}}</ref>  Opposition politicians and media blamed Stelmach's government for these problems, arguing that riding-level returning officers, who were nominated by Progressive Conservative constituency associations and who were responsible for voter enumeration, were not appointed early enough.<ref name="Ouster"/> According to the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]], "about half" of the 83 returning officers in the 2008 election had ties to the P.C. Party;<ref name="returning officers">{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/elections-alberta-disputes-stelmach-s-claim-about-returning-officers-1.736954 |title=Elections Alberta disputes Stelmach's claim about returning officers |date=February 14, 2008 |access-date=2014-03-28 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref> the returning officer in Stelmach's Fort Saskatchewan–Vegreville riding had donated between $500 and $1,000 to Stelmach's leadership campaign.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/features/albertavotes/story.html?id=72ce50a3-2c2b-40ee-8dca-d90f1e88582c&k=50221 |first=Archie |last=McLean |title=Tories abound in ranks of returning officers |date=February 12, 2008 |access-date=2009-04-30 |work=Edmonton Journal |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222604/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/features/albertavotes/story.html?id=72ce50a3-2c2b-40ee-8dca-d90f1e88582c&k=50221 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Alberta Chief Returning Officer Lorne Gibson, as one of his 182 post-election recommendations to the government, suggested that the appointment of returning officers be handled by his own, non-partisan, office.<ref name="Ouster"/> He had previously made this suggestion in 2006, but the government had not acted on it.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2008/02/12/4842786.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509212015/http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2008/02/12/4842786.html |url-status = dead|archive-date=May 9, 2009 |title=Returning officer 'shenanigans' |first=Jeremy |last=Loome |date=February 12, 2008 |access-date=2009-04-30 |work=Edmonton Sun}}</ref> He also recommended following the election that his office, rather than the government's Justice department, be responsible for prosecuting election-related offenses; the latter did not lay charges in any of 19 alleged campaign finance violations Gibson brought to its attention.<ref name="Simons">{{cite news|first=Paula |last=Simons |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/columnists/Gibson+affair+sends+terrible+message/1315151/story.html |title=Gibson affair sends terrible message |date=February 21, 2009 |access-date=2009-04-30 |work=Edmonton Journal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509085919/http://www.edmontonjournal.com/columnists/Gibson%2Baffair%2Bsends%2Bterrible%2Bmessage/1315151/story.html |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |url-status = dead}}</ref> In February 2009, Gibson appeared before the legislature's all-party committee on legislative offices to answer questions about the conduct of the election; there, he echoed opposition claims that the government, and not his office, was to blame for most problems. Shortly after, the committee voted 8–3 against re-appointing him, with all Progressive Conservatives on the committee opposing his re-appointment and all opposition MLAs supporting it.<ref name="Simons"/> Opposition leaders [[David Swann]] and [[Brian Mason]] suggested that Gibson was being punished for criticizing the government.<ref name="Ouster"/>

===Energy and environmental policy===
Much of Stelmach's term as Premier was dominated by questions related to the [[Athabasca Oil Sands]]. The rapid development of these reserves was fuelling the Alberta economy's strong growth, but also raised environmental questions. After winning the Premiership, Stelmach emphasized that he had no intention of taking measures that would slow down oilsands development and suggested that the economy would find its own appropriate growth rate.<ref name="UofA">{{cite news |title=Stelmach won't 'brake' oilsands growth |work=Edmonton Journal |date=December 5, 2006 |first=Archie |last=McLean}}</ref> He aggressively defended Alberta's oil at home and abroad, and called the idea that it was extracted at an unacceptably high environmental cost "a myth".<ref>{{cite news|title=Stelmach fights 'dirty' image of oilsands in Washington |work=National Post |first=Jason |last=Markusoff |date=January 16, 2008 |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=242318 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080118080504/http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=242318 |url-status = dead|archive-date=January 18, 2008 |access-date=2008-06-12 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Stelmach defends oilsands in Washington |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/stelmach-defends-oilsands-in-washington-1.707445 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=January 16, 2008 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref> When [[Liberal Party of Canada]] leader [[Stéphane Dion]] proposed a federal [[carbon tax]] to reduce emissions of [[greenhouse gases]], Stelmach rejected the policy on the basis that it would hurt the economy and would unfairly penalize the western provinces.<ref name="canada.com">{{cite news |url=http://www.canada.com/cityguides/kamloops/story.html?id=8080dbc6-543b-4be1-905e-7be4f63c357a |title=Carbon tax would hurt West: premiers |work=Calgary Herald |first=Jason |last=Fekete |date=May 29, 2008 |access-date=2008-06-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222558/http://www.canada.com/cityguides/kamloops/story.html?id=8080dbc6-543b-4be1-905e-7be4f63c357a |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Instead, he championed the development of [[Carbon capture and storage|carbon capture]] technology.<ref>{{cite news |title=Saskatchewan, Alberta leading the way in carbon capture, storage |work=Vancouver Sun |url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=78704a50-8dfd-4975-9c69-b79465f2a0c7 |date=May 30, 2008 |first=James |last=Wood |access-date=2008-06-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509223108/http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=78704a50-8dfd-4975-9c69-b79465f2a0c7 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In July 2008, Stelmach announced $2&nbsp;billion worth of funding for carbon capture initiatives, for which he was applauded by industry groups.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/calgarybusiness/story.html?id=cdbc1331-af15-495f-892f-bdaabe07bf2b |title=Carbon capture plan lauded |work=Calgary Herald |date=July 9, 2008 |access-date=2008-07-14 |first=Geoffrey |last=Scotton |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222337/http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/calgarybusiness/story.html?id=cdbc1331-af15-495f-892f-bdaabe07bf2b |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> However, the [[Canadian Federation of Independent Business]] called it "a huge amount of money to spend on something that isn't proven",<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=85c49bb4-5d8f-4f06-a572-cf411165206a |title=Critics leery of carbon storage |work=Calgary Herald |first=Renata |last=D'Aliesio |date=July 10, 2008 |access-date=2008-07-14 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222342/http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=85c49bb4-5d8f-4f06-a572-cf411165206a |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and [[Mike Hudema]] of [[Greenpeace]] suggesting that there were better environmental uses of the money available.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2008/07/10/6115901-sun.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080711160200/http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2008/07/10/6115901-sun.html |url-status = dead|archive-date=July 11, 2008 |title=Carbon-capture plan full of hot air, say critics |work=Edmonton Sun |date=July 10, 2008 |first=Jeremy |last=Loome |access-date=2008-07-14}}</ref>

[[File:Syncrude mildred lake plant.jpg|thumb|right|Stelmach has been a proponent of development of the [[Athabasca Oil Sands|oil sands]].]]
Though Stelmach pledged not to do anything to curb the development of the oilsands, he did promise to review royalty rates—the rates paid by oil companies for the privilege of extracting Alberta's oil. He also committed to reducing the proportion of [[bitumen]] that left Alberta to be upgraded out of province, likening the export of bitumen to "scraping off the [[top soil]]" from farmland.<ref name="UofA"/> Soon after becoming Premier, he commissioned the [[Alberta Royalty Review]] panel to make recommendations on the province's royalty regime; opposition politicians had accused the government of undercharging substantially.  Stelmach rejected many of the panel's recommendations, and claimed to increase royalty rates by approximately 20% (25% less than recommended by the panel), however instead of an increase in royalties on oil and gas, Alberta collected $13.5 billion less from 2009 to 2014.<ref name="Alberta Energy">{{citation |url=http://www.energy.alberta.ca/About_Us/1704.asp |work=Alberta Energy |title=Natural Gas and By-product Royalties |access-date=8 May 2015 |year=2014}}</ref> Just after the [[2008 Alberta general election|2008 election]], Stelmach's government announced a five-year royalty break worth $237&nbsp;million per year to encourage development that it feared would have become uneconomical under the new plan.<ref>{{cite news |first=Renata |last=D'Aliesio |title=Billion Dollar Royalty Break |work=Edmonton Journal |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=915c98fb-eee0-4f90-9c0e-10eb94da7b11&k=78771 |date=April 11, 2008 |access-date=2008-02-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415005324/http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=915c98fb-eee0-4f90-9c0e-10eb94da7b11&k=78771 |archive-date=April 15, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> He was less decisive in increasing in-province bitumen upgrading; in 2008 he conceded that Alberta would continue upgrading between sixty and sixty-five percent of the bitumen it produced for the foreseeable future, rather than the seventy-two percent target he had previously announced for 2016.<ref name="pipeline">{{cite news |title=Tory leader panned over pipeline |date=February 24, 2008 |work=Edmonton Journal |first=Jason |last=Fekete}}</ref> This admission came in the wake of his government's approval of three new [[Pipeline transport|pipeline]]s designed to export bitumen.<ref name="pipeline"/>

In January 2008, Stelmach unveiled the province's "made in Alberta"—as distinct from imposed by the federal government or by international treaty—plan to cut carbon emissions in order to fight [[global warming]].  The plan called for reducing [[greenhouse gas emissions]] by 14% (from 2007 levels) by 2050.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jonathan |last=Fowlie |title=Alberta premier on defensive over climate change|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/alberta-premier-on-defensive-over-climate-change |work=National Post |date=January 28, 2008 |access-date=2021-10-28 }}</ref> Environmental groups and opposition parties suggested that this was insufficient in light of [[British Columbia]]'s plan to cut emissions by 80% (from 2007 levels) during the same period, but Stelmach argued that Alberta's position as a supplier of oil to the rest of the country justified higher emissions.<ref>{{cite news |title=Stelmach says Albertans approve of climate plan |url=https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.727232 |work=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=January 28, 2008 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref> This was followed in June by the unveiling of the government's campaign to ask Albertans to make "one simple act"—such as [[composting]], using reusable shopping bags, and replacing [[incandescent light bulb]]s with the more efficient [[compact fluorescent lamp|fluorescent bulbs]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Going green shouldn't be hard: Stelmach |work=Edmonton Journal |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=44db859b-dba3-4af6-9caa-1f37ea530f1c |date=June 11, 2008 |first=Alexandra |last=Zabjek |access-date=2008-06-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509223037/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=44db859b-dba3-4af6-9caa-1f37ea530f1c |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Opponents argued that the emphasis on personal responsibility by individuals did nothing to address the greater environmental damage caused by the development of the [[Athabasca Oil Sands]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Graham |last=Thompson |work=Edmonton Journal |title=One Simple Act simple self-mockery |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/opinion/story.html?id=ec05749e-04b8-4f2d-aa67-bf2bbc2a1c9a |date=June 11, 2008 |access-date=2008-06-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222217/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/opinion/story.html?id=ec05749e-04b8-4f2d-aa67-bf2bbc2a1c9a |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

In late April 2008 hundreds of ducks landed in a northern Alberta [[tailings pond]] belonging to [[Syncrude]], where most died.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/hundreds-of-ducks-trapped-on-toxic-alberta-oilsands-pond-1.699019 |title=Hundreds of ducks trapped on toxic Alberta oilsands pond |date=April 29, 2008 |access-date=2014-03-28 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref> The incident was a blow to Stelmach's efforts to convince the world that Alberta's oil sands were environmentally friendly.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/syncrude-faces-scrutiny-after-ducks-land-on-toxic-pond |title=Syncrude faces scrutiny after ducks land on toxic pond |first=Hanneke |last=Brooymans |work=National Post |date=April 30, 2008 |access-date=2021-10-28}}</ref> The number of ducks that died was originally reported at around 500, but in March 2009 Syncrude revealed that the number was in fact more than 1,600. In response to accusations from opposition and environmental groups that his government, which had known the actual number since the summer of 2008, had participated in covering it up to save face, Stelmach asserted that it had refrained from making the higher number public for fear of jeopardizing its investigation of whether Syncrude had violated any provincial regulations in the incident.<ref name="coverup">{{cite news|url=https://edmontonjournal.com/Business/Stelmach+denies+coverup+dead+duck+debacle/1455252/story.html |title=Stelmach denies coverup in dead duck debacle |first=Darcy |last=Henton |date=April 2, 2009 |access-date=2009-05-02 |work=Edmonton Journal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509085757/http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Business/Stelmach%2Bdenies%2Bcoverup%2Bdead%2Bduck%2Bdebacle/1455252/story.html |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |url-status = dead}}</ref>  Investigations were centred around the questions of whether Syncrude had immediately reported the incident as required (the government had first heard of it from an anonymous tip, though Syncrude reported it several hours later) and whether the company had the required measures in place to prevent ducks from landing on its tailings ponds (it had noisemakers designed to deter waterfowl, but these had not been set up at the time of the incident due to winter weather conditions).<ref>{{cite news|title=Syncrude not off the hook for duck incident: Stelmach |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=493749 |first=Kelly |last=Cryderman |date=May 5, 2008 |access-date=2009-05-02 |work=National Post |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20090509144013/http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=493749 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 }}</ref>  Syncrude was eventually charged with "failing to have systems in place to divert waterfowl", which carries a maximum fine of $800,000.<ref name="coverup"/>

Partially in an effort to counter-act negative publicity from oil sands-related issues—for example, the March 2009 edition of ''[[National Geographic Magazine]]'' contained a 20-page article portraying Alberta's oil sands operations as being highly environmentally damaging<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prentice-defends-oilsands-following-national-geographic-article-1.810270 |title=Prentice defends oilsands following National Geographic article |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=February 25, 2009 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref>—in 2009 Stelmach's government spent $25&nbsp;million on a [[rebranding]] campaign for the province. Among other things, it replaced the "Alberta Advantage" slogan that had long been in use with "Alberta: Freedom to create.  Spirit to achieve."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/province-dumps-alberta-advantage-for-new-brand-1.819777 |title=Province dumps 'Alberta Advantage' for new brand |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=March 25, 2009 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref> The campaign became the subject of some ridicule when the ''[[Edmonton Journal]]'' revealed that one of the photos used in it was not taken in Alberta, but at a [[North Sea]] beach in [[Northumberland]]. While the government initially claimed that it had intentionally used a foreign image to represent Alberta's engagement with the world, it later admitted that this was not the case, and that the photo had been used in error.  Stelmach responded to the image, which showed two children running along a beach, by saying that ''"children, no matter where they are around the world, they are the next generation. And air quality, water quality, no matter where we live on this big globe, we're all responsible, and that's the message we're trying to portray."''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/we-screwed-up-alberta-admits-after-using-british-beach-photo-in-ads-1.816049 |title='We screwed up', Alberta admits after using British beach photo in ads |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=April 24, 2009 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref>

===Energy and Utilities Board affair and land use policy===
In June 2007, the government-mandated [[Alberta Energy and Utilities Board]] admitted that it had hired [[private investigators]] to spy on landowners who opposed the construction of a major power line in the [[Rimbey]] area.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Farrell |title='Heads must roll' Mason says |work=Edmonton Journal |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=6cbdaa1e-ce15-4a60-b6ec-a8cb7d73b816 |date=August 17, 2007 |access-date=2008-02-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222122/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=6cbdaa1e-ce15-4a60-b6ec-a8cb7d73b816 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>  Stelmach initially downplayed the incident, but ordered a judicial investigation once the province's Information and Privacy Commissioner initiated an investigation of his own.<ref>{{cite news |title=Alberta energy board's use of private eyes under investigation |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-energy-board-s-use-of-private-eyes-under-investigation-1.678821 |date=June 26, 2007 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref> This investigation found that the EUB had violated provincial law and infringed on the landowners' privacy, while the judicial investigation criticized the EUB's tactics as "repulsive". The opposition parties called for the dismissal of the entire EUB and Energy Minister [[Mel Knight]]; Stelmach instead opted to appoint a new EUB chair.<ref>{{cite news |first=Geoffrey |last=Scotton |title=Calgary lawyer put on EUB death watch |work=Calgary Herald |url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/calgarybusiness/story.html?id=bec54f74-61f5-48a7-a184-1f3cb2d99fb3&k=62699 |date=September 18, 2007 |access-date=2008-02-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222332/http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/calgarybusiness/story.html?id=bec54f74-61f5-48a7-a184-1f3cb2d99fb3&k=62699 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
[[File:Mike Hudema EUB protest.jpg|thumb|left|Activist [[Mike Hudema]] holding a depiction of Stelmach while protesting Bill 46.]]
Stelmach's government also responded with legislation entitled the ''Alberta Utilities Commission Act'' (Bill 46), which would split the EUB into two parts: the Alberta Utilities Commission (responsible for regulating utilities) and the Energy Resources Conservation Board (responsible for regulating oil and gas). The legislation was controversial, as elements of the EUB's governing legislation that provided for public notice and consultation in the event of energy construction projects were left out. Opposition parties and advocacy groups charged that this was an assault on both landowners' rights and the environment.<ref>{{cite news |title=Environmentalists dressed as spies protest Bill 46 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/environmentalists-dressed-as-spies-protest-bill-46-1.661141 |date=November 15, 2007 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref> The legislation ultimately passed, and took effect at the beginning of 2008.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marathon legislative session breaks record |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |url=https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.651396 |date=December 5, 2007 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref>

Stelmach clashed with rural landowners again in 2009 when his government introduced the ''Land Assembly Project Area Act'', designed to make it easier for the government to acquire large blocks of land for public purposes such as [[ring road]]s or [[reservoir]]s. The act allowed the government to identify land that it may be interested in [[Eminent domain|expropriating]] at some point in the future and to indefinitely prohibit any development on that land that could conflict with the government's purposes.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bill 19 toxic to rural landowners |url=http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/ideas/story.html?id=17b0ebf6-d3df-47ab-9484-2378f625a3ba |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118195238/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/ideas/story.html?id=17b0ebf6-d3df-47ab-9484-2378f625a3ba |url-status = dead|archive-date=January 18, 2013 |first=Paula |last=Simons |date=March 14, 2009 |access-date=2009-04-30 |work=Edmonton Journal }}</ref> Despite vigorous opposition from landowners and the opposition parties, the bill passed the legislature in late April.<ref>{{cite news|title=Land assembly bill passes, despite calls for changes |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/Land+assembly+bill+passes+despite+calls+changes/1548655/story.html |first=Darcy |last=Henton |work=Edmonton Journal |date=April 30, 2009 |access-date=2009-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502175525/http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Land%2Bassembly%2Bbill%2Bpasses%2Bdespite%2Bcalls%2Bchanges/1548655/story.html |archive-date=May 2, 2009 |url-status = dead}}</ref>

===Fiscal policy===
Ralph Klein's major focus for much of his premiership had been the elimination of the provincial [[Government budget deficit|deficit]], and the government ran a record $8.9&nbsp;billion surplus during Stelmach's first year in office.<ref name="Citizen">{{cite news |url=http://www2.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=a4ffc7a5-bd13-4159-a44b-ab2fbd32d413&k=98334 |title=Alberta records $8.9B surplus |first=Jason |last=Markusuoff |work=[[Ottawa Citizen]] |date=June 21, 2007 |access-date=2009-05-01 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222629/http://www2.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=a4ffc7a5-bd13-4159-a44b-ab2fbd32d413&k=98334 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>  Alberta was in the midst of a major [[economic expansion]] driven by high energy prices and major oilsands development.  This growth continued into 2007–2008, when the government's surplus was $4.6&nbsp;billion.<ref name="surplus 07">{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-posts-4-6b-surplus-for-2007-2008-1.766631 |title=Alberta posts $4.6B surplus for 2007–2008 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=June 24, 2008 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref>  Both of these surpluses were higher than expected, and Stelmach's government followed a policy of placing one third of unanticipated surpluses into savings and two-thirds into construction projects.<ref name="Citizen"/> Critics, including Liberal MLA [[Laurie Blakeman]] and the [[Canadian Taxpayers Federation]], charged that the government was not saving enough money in anticipation of a fall in energy prices.<ref name="surplus 07"/>

In her April 2008 budget, Stelmach's Finance Minister [[Iris Evans]] forecast a $1.6&nbsp;billion surplus for 2008–2009. By August, she had revised this prediction to $8.5&nbsp;billion. The major reason for this change is an increase in oil prices: while she had estimated in April that they would average $78 per barrel over the fiscal year, by August increases—including a high of $147 per barrel in July—have led her to make a new estimate of a $119.25 per barrel average. By November, prices had fallen to $55 per barrel, and Evans estimated a $2&nbsp;billion surplus. By February 2009, the government of Alberta appeared poised to run a $1&nbsp;billion deficit. In April 2009, Evans released her budget for 2009–2010, in which she anticipated a $4.6&nbsp;billion deficit. This is the largest deficit in Alberta's history, and its first in sixteen years. The government's fiscal plan includes deficits until 2012–2013, when it again anticipates a surplus.<ref name="Timeline">{{cite news |url=http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/national/story.html?id=1474369 |title=Boom to bust: an economic timeline of Alberta |date=April 7, 2009 |access-date=2009-05-01 |first=Ashley |last=Terry |publisher=Global Television |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509201344/http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/national/story.html?id=1474369 <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=May 9, 2009}}</ref>

Stelmach's approach to this deteriorating fiscal situation, part of a [[Late-2000s recession|global recession]], was to invest heavily in infrastructure in an effort to stimulate the economy and take advantage of low construction costs.  He went as far as to advocate borrowing for capital construction, a departure from the Klein government's notoriously anti-debt approach.<ref name="Timeline"/>  However, his government was also one of only two in Canada (the other being [[Saskatchewan]]'s) to cut overall spending in the 2009–2010 budget. This approach drew the ire of Liberal leader [[David Swann]], who supported increased government spending for [[economic stimulus]] purposes, but drew support from some economists and was defended by Evans on the basis that capital spending was at twice the per capital level of the Canadian average.<ref>{{cite news |title=Alta. cuts while most governments spend big on stimulus |url=http://www2.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=1478474 |first=David |last=Akin |publisher=CanWest News Services |date=April 8, 2009 |access-date=2009-05-02 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509223103/http://www2.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=1478474 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

===Teachers pension liability===
During his first year in office, Stelmach and his education minister [[Ron Liepert]] concluded a deal with the [[Alberta Teachers Association]] (ATA) in which the province agreed to contribute $2.1&nbsp;billion towards the $6.6&nbsp;billion unfunded pension liability.  This liability resulted from insufficient contributions to the teachers' pension plan during the period leading up to 1992. In exchange, the ATA agreed to a five-year contract extension. The deal was applauded by the opposition [[Alberta Liberal Party|Liberals]] and [[Alberta New Democratic Party|New Democrats]], but was criticized by the [[Canadian Taxpayers Federation]], which called for a [[plebiscite]] on the issue.<ref>{{cite news |title=Province offers teachers pension settlement |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/province-offers-teachers-pension-settlement-1.637248 |access-date=2014-03-28 |date=November 15, 2007}}</ref>

===Pay increases===
Shortly after winning an increased majority in the [[2008 Alberta general election|2008 election]], Stelmach's cabinet approved substantial raises for themselves, increasing the salary paid to cabinet ministers from $142,000 to $184,000 and that paid to the Premier from $159,450 to $213,450. The increases also affect the [[severance package|severance]] paid to ministers who resign or are defeated in elections—under the program implemented by [[Ralph Klein]]'s government to replace the previously existing [[pension]] program, departing MLAs receive three months' pay for every year they served, with the level of the pay based on their three highest-earning years.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/premier-speaker-in-line-for-1m-payouts-1.734513 |title=Premier, Speaker in line for $1M payouts |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=June 5, 2008 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref> The increases were attacked by the [[Canadian Taxpayers Federation]] and the opposition parties, but Stelmach defended the raises as the first received by cabinet ministers in fifteen years and as being necessary to attract qualified people to politics.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/stelmach-unrepentant-over-hefty-cabinet-pay-hikes-1.734516 |title=Stelmach unrepentant over hefty cabinet pay hikes |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=June 2, 2008 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref>

In early 2009, in response to the [[Late-2000s recession]], Stelmach announced that his caucus would decline an automatic 4.9% cost of living pay increase.  The following week, the legislature's all-party Standing Committee on Member Services extended this to all MLAs by voting unanimously to freeze MLA salaries for the fiscal year.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/Committee+votes+freeze+MLAs+salaries/1253036/story.html |title=Committee votes to freeze MLAs' salaries |first=Darcy |last=Henton |date=February 4, 2009 |access-date=2009-04-30 |work=Edmonton Journal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509085924/http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Committee%2Bvotes%2Bfreeze%2BMLAs%2Bsalaries/1253036/story.html |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |url-status = dead}}</ref>

===Health policy===
Stelmach's policy on health care was highlighted by his removal of the province's health care premiums effective the end of 2008.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-budget-to-eliminate-health-care-premiums-by-2009-1.695584 |title=Alberta budget to eliminate health-care premiums by 2009 |date=April 22, 2008 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref>  Critics had denounced the premiums as being regressive, both because they were the same amount regardless of the payer's income and because people with better-paying jobs often had their premiums covered by their employer. The opposition [[Alberta Liberal Party|Liberal]] and [[New Democratic Party of Alberta|New Democratic]] parties had long called for their removal.<ref name="premiums">{{cite news |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=5d9ebfde-6d2b-465d-9aba-ebe543cb5ff5&k=91174 |work=Edmonton Journal |title=Stelmach gov't pledges to axe health-care premiums |date=February 4, 2008 |access-date=2008-06-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122112949/http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=5d9ebfde-6d2b-465d-9aba-ebe543cb5ff5&k=91174 |archive-date=January 22, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> This elimination was announced in a [[throne speech]] immediately before the dissolution of the [[Legislative Assembly of Alberta|legislature]] for the [[2008 Alberta general election|2008 election]], although it was initially promised to take effect by 2012.<ref name="premiums"/> During this campaign, Stelmach promised to increase the capacity of Alberta universities to train doctors and nurses over four years, eventually resulting in the graduation of 225 more doctors, 350 more [[registered nurse]]s, and 220 [[licensed practical nurse]]s.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/stelmach-unveils-plan-to-train-more-doctors-and-nurses-1.718725 |title=Stelmach unveils plan to train more doctors and nurses |date=February 5, 2008 |access-date=2014-03-28 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref> After the registrar of the [[Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons]] called the plan unfeasible, Health Minister [[Dave Hancock]] clarified that most of the increase would in fact come from the immigration of foreign doctors to Alberta, rather than from in-province training.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/alta-campaign-features-promises-accusations-1.274861 |publisher=CTV.ca |title=Alta campaign features promises, accusations |date=February 6, 2008 |access-date=2008-06-12 |url-status = live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509081248/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080205/stelmach_080205/20080206/ |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy }}</ref>

Following the election, Stelmach's new Minister of Health, [[Ron Liepert]], released the government's new health plan. In it, Liepert refused to characterize the problems in the health care system as being the result of [[doctor shortage]]s, and instead promised structural reforms. He indicated that these may include consolidating [[Health regions of Canada|health authorities]], closing rural hospitals, and de-listing some health services from coverage under the province's [[universal health care|public health insurance]] scheme.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |title=Stelmach's Health Plan |url=http://cbc.ca/edmonton/media/video/newsatsix/20080417HEALTH_PLAN_realplayer_1.ram |date=April 16, 2008 |access-date=2008-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625145719/http://www.cbc.ca/edmonton/media/video/newsatsix/20080417HEALTH_PLAN_realplayer_1.ram <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=June 25, 2008}}</ref> In May, the government took the first step in implementing these structural reforms by combining the province's nine health authorities into one health "superboard".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=4b0743f0-2046-4b13-8be7-7e2e4ca7e10d |work=Edmonton Journal |first=Jason |last=Markusoff |title=Tories create health superboard |date=May 16, 2008 |access-date=2008-06-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222347/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=4b0743f0-2046-4b13-8be7-7e2e4ca7e10d |archive-date=May 9, 2009 }}</ref>

In June 2008, three senior health officials announced that they would be leaving the province's employment at the expiration of their contracts in August. Liepert blamed their departures on better offers from other employers, although New Democrat leader [[Brian Mason]] speculated that the government's health restructuring may have been to blame.<ref>{{cite news |title=Alberta loses 4 top public health doctors over salaries |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-loses-4-top-public-health-doctors-over-salaries-1.702514 |date=June 10, 2008 |access-date=2014-03-28 }}</ref> Detractors pointed out that the optics of allowing the employees to depart for more money elsewhere soon after the government had approved a substantial pay hike for cabinet ministers were not good.<ref>{{cite news |author=Canadian Press |title=Alberta loses three senior physicians |work=The Calgary Sun |date=June 11, 2008 }}</ref>

As the province's fiscal situation worsened in late 2008, the government adapted its health policy. In December, Liepert announced a new seniors drug plan that made drugs free for seniors making less than $21,325 but required those making more to pay as much as $7,500 for their drugs. In response to protests from seniors, he amended the plan in April 2009 to reduce both the income level at which seniors would have to start paying and the amount which those seniors would have to pay. Liepert said that the plan, $10 million more expensive than the one he had announced in December, would see 60% of seniors pay less than they did under the status quo.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=16bda824-937a-4e3f-8e69-23e826012fde |title=Tories retreat on drug plan |first=Michelle |last=Lang |work=Calgary Herald |date=April 24, 2009 |access-date=2015-11-19 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120183233/http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=16bda824-937a-4e3f-8e69-23e826012fde |archive-date=November 20, 2015 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The same month, Stelmach's government's budget revealed changes to which medical services it would cover: those de-listed included [[chiropractic]] services, at an annual savings of $53 million, and [[Sex reassignment surgery|sex change]] operations, at an annual savings of $700,000.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2009/04/16/9139286.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509204135/http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2009/04/16/9139286.html |url-status = dead|archive-date=May 9, 2009 |first=Kerry |last=Diotte |work=Edmonton Sun |date=April 16, 2009 |title=Stelmach questions inter-governmental health transfers arrangement |access-date=2009-05-02}}</ref> While the [[Canada Health Act]] requires the federal government to financially penalize provinces that do not support all "medically necessary" procedures, Liepert maintained that the de-listed services were not "medically necessary" from the perspective of the act, and said that he anticipated no trouble from the federal government.<ref>{{cite news |title=Alberta 'can't carry the country,' says premier asking for federal cash|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-can-t-carry-the-country-says-premier-asking-for-federal-cash-1.847282|date=April 16, 2009 |publisher=The Canadian Press |access-date=2009-05-02 |first=Jim |last=Macdonald}}</ref>

During the [[2009 H1N1 pandemic]], Stelmach initially announced that the government would make the [[H1N1 vaccine|vaccine]] available to all Albertans, though vaccine shortages resulted in a limited number of clinics, which experienced long lineups.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://calgaryherald.com/health/Stelmach+defends+wait+times+Calgary+H1N1+clinics/2152342/story.html |title=Stelmach defends long lineups at Calgary H1N1 clinics |work=Calgary Herald |last=Lang |first=Michelle |author2=Renata D'Aliesio |date=October 29, 2009 |access-date=2009-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091102021207/http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Stelmach%2Bdefends%2Bwait%2Btimes%2BCalgary%2BH1N1%2Bclinics/2152342/story.html |archive-date=November 2, 2009 |url-status = dead}}</ref>  In response, Liberal leader [[David Swann]] accused the government of managing limited vaccine supplies poorly by not giving priority to the most vulnerable groups.  Liepert defended the government's record by saying that high risk populations had been given priority, but that the government's policy was to turn nobody away; he blamed many of the problems on the federal government's delivery to the province of fewer doses of the vaccine than promised.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://calgaryherald.com/health/Stelmach+defends+health+leadership+amid+revamp/2174513/story.html |title=Stelmach defends health leadership amid revamp |date=November 3, 2009 |access-date=2009-11-07 |work=Calgary Herald |last=Lang |first=Michelle |author2=Renata D'Aliesio |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091105035703/http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Stelmach%2Bdefends%2Bhealth%2Bleadership%2Bamid%2Brevamp/2174513/story.html |archive-date=November 5, 2009 |url-status = dead}}</ref>  Further controversy erupted when it was revealed that hockey players on the [[Calgary Flames]] were vaccinated with vaccine received directly from Alberta Health Services, which prompted Stelmach to announce an investigation.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-flames-skip-flu-vaccine-lineups-1.809497 |title=Calgary Flames skip flu vaccine lineups |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=November 3, 2009 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref>  Two Alberta Health Services employees were fired as a result of the investigation.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/2nd-health-worker-fired-for-flames-h1n1-vaccination-1.785124 |title=2nd health worker fired for Flames H1N1 vaccination |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=November 6, 2009 |access-date=2015-11-19}}</ref>

===Human Rights, Citizenship, and Multiculturalism Act===
In spring 2009, Stelmach's government announced its intention to overhaul the Alberta ''Human Rights, Citizenship, and Multiculturalism Act''.<ref name="human rights">{{cite news |url=http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=84bb24c7-ecb4-448f-b853-6e76426a0f02 |first=Jason |last=Fekete |title=Alberta Tories gear up for human rights code overhaul |work=Calgary Herald |date=March 18, 2009 |access-date=2009-05-02 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329003759/http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=84bb24c7-ecb4-448f-b853-6e76426a0f02 |archive-date=March 29, 2014 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>  In 1998's ''[[Vriend v. Alberta]]'', the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] had found that the legislation's failure to include sexual orientation among the grounds on which discrimination was prohibited violated the [[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms]] and had "read in" this protection. However, the text of the act continued not to mention sexual orientation.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-childish-in-lack-of-gay-rights-protection-activist-says-1.747924 |title=Alberta 'childish' in lack of gay rights protection, activist says |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=April 2, 2008 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref> Gay rights activists and opposition politicians hoped that the government's proposed changes to the act would change this.<ref name="human rights"/>

This section had been used to try to prosecute [[Ezra Levant]] for publishing the cartoons at the centre of the [[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy]] in his ''[[Western Standard]]'' magazine, and to successfully prosecute the ''[[Red Deer Advocate]]'' for publishing a letter to the editor entitled "Homosexual agenda wicked".<ref name="HR changes">{{cite news |title=Alberta Tories move to enshrine gay rights |url=http://www.canada.com/story_print.html?id=a568105f-5ff9-4fb7-abe8-d5ceeaeb861d&sponsor= |first=Jason |last=Fekete |date=April 29, 2009 |access-date=2009-05-02 |work=Calgary Herald |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160115093018/http://www.canada.com/story_print.html?id=a568105f-5ff9-4fb7-abe8-d5ceeaeb861d&sponsor= |archive-date=January 15, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

The changes that were eventually tabled included the enshrining of sexual orientation as protected grounds but not the removal of the section dealing with "exposing to contempt." This omission was criticized, Levant said that it made him "deeply embarrassed as a conservative," but Stelmach said that his caucus was comfortable that another provision, requiring that the impugned section should not "be deemed to interfere with the free expression of opinion on any subject", protected Albertans against its abusive use.<ref name="HR changes"/> The proposal also included a section entitling parents to advance notice from schools if their children were going to be taught "subject-matter that deals explicitly with religion, sexuality or sexual orientation" and the right to remove their children from such classes.<ref name=optclass/> Stelmach called this a "very, very fundamental right" and suggested that it would allow parents to opt out of having their children learn about [[evolution]], though his Education Minister [[Dave Hancock]] argued that the new wording didn't extend beyond current practice. [[Alberta Teachers' Association]] President [[Frank Bruseker]] expressed concern that this would make the teaching of science and geography in public schools very difficult, and suggested that parents who did not wish to have their children exposed to evolution should [[home school]] them or send them to [[private school]]. New Democratic Party leader [[Brian Mason]] suggested that the changes would make Alberta "sound like [[Arkansas]]".<ref name=optclass>{{cite news |title=Evolution classes optional under proposed Alberta law |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/evolution-classes-optional-under-proposed-alberta-law-1.783950 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=April 30, 2009 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref>

===Democratic reform===
[[File:Day276alegislatureb.JPG|thumb|right|Stelmach returned all-party committees to the [[Legislative Assembly of Alberta]], where they had not existed since early in [[Ralph Klein]]'s tenure.]]

Klein's government had received criticism for reducing the importance of the legislature by sitting it fewer days than any other province's legislature and for directing business through standing policy committees of the Progressive Conservative caucus. These committees met in private, unlike the legislature's all-party committees, which fell almost entirely out of use during the Klein years. In April 2007, Stelmach initiated the creation of four new legislative "policy field committees" which would include opposition representation.<ref>{{cite news |first=Sheila |last=Pratt |title=Stelmach gov't takes first steps towards democratic reform |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/opinion/story.html?id=070341d8-f23f-4061-ae7d-5ad8fed99826 |work=Edmonton Journal |date=May 6, 2007 |access-date=2008-02-06 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222117/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/opinion/story.html?id=070341d8-f23f-4061-ae7d-5ad8fed99826 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The same month, his government introduced new legislation on [[conflicts of interest]], such that former cabinet ministers would have to wait one year before doing business with the government or lobbying it on behalf of third parties (up from six months). It also created a similar cooling-off period for senior bureaucrats, which lasted six months.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-to-tighten-conflict-of-interest-rules-for-top-bureaucrats-legislators-1.693317 |title=Alberta to tighten conflict-of-interest rules for top bureaucrats, legislators |date=April 19, 2007 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref>  However, an [[Order in Council]] passed by Stelmach's cabinet shortly before the [[2008 Alberta general election|2008 election]] delayed the implementation of these rules until one month after the election, meaning that cabinet ministers who retired or lost their bids for re-election would be exempt from the new rules.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jason |last=Markusoff |title=Ex-MLAs, aides get a free ride out |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=97b4a799-f7f7-4478-9fb3-3a105633e8d0 |work=Edmonton Journal |date=February 7, 2008 |access-date=2008-02-06 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222222/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=97b4a799-f7f7-4478-9fb3-3a105633e8d0 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

===Relationship with Calgary===
Critics of Stelmach suggest that, as a farmer from the central part of the province, he is biased against Calgary and urban Alberta in general. They pointed to the fact that the city, which was considered the heartland of [[Jim Dinning]]'s support during the leadership race, had only three members ([[Ron Liepert]], [[Ron Stevens]], and [[Greg Melchin]]) in his first eighteen-member cabinet (Stelmach supporters pointed out that [[Edmonton]] had only one minister, [[Dave Hancock]]).<ref>{{cite news |first=Jason |last=Markusoff |title=Stelmach defends cabinet choices |work=Edmonton Journal |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=7d861094-ab76-457b-8301-a57c28f5c12f&k=0 |date=December 15, 2006 |access-date=2008-02-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080119171144/http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=7d861094-ab76-457b-8301-a57c28f5c12f&k=0 |archive-date=January 19, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Stelmach names smaller cabinet |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/stelmach-names-smaller-cabinet-1.600083 |date=December 15, 2006 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref> Stelmach also found himself in a feud with Calgary mayor [[Dave Bronconnier]] during his first year as premier as Bronconnier accused Stelmach of failing to keep a promise to the city regarding infrastructure spending during his first budget.<ref name="monolith">{{cite news |first=Nicholas |last=Kohler |title=Cracks in the Tory monolith |work=Maclean's magazine |url=http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20070521_105232_105232&source=srch |date=May 21, 2007 |access-date=2008-02-12 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509210725/http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20070521_105232_105232&source=srch |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Dawn |last=Walton |title=Calgary poised to go Liberal, party leader says |work=Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/calgary-poised-to-go-liberal-party-leader-says/article17979859/ |date=February 9, 2008 |access-date=2015-11-19 |location=Toronto}}</ref> Several Stelmach supporters suggested that the mayor, a [[Alberta Liberal Party|Liberal]], might be angling to take over as leader of the official opposition if [[Kevin Taft]] fumbled.<ref name="monolith"/> During the by-election to fill [[Ralph Klein]]'s [[Calgary Elbow]] seat, P.C. candidate Brian Heninger went so far as to tell a voter he'd like to choke his party's leader (Stelmach told media that this was the sort of enthusiasm he wanted from his MLAs).<ref>{{cite news |author=Canadian Press |title=Disgruntled Voters in Alberta |work=Edmonton Sun |url= http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/06/10/4250096.html
 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070613211328/http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/06/10/4250096.html
 |url-status = dead
 |archive-date= June 13, 2007
 |date=June 10, 2007 |access-date=2008-02-12 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Jason |last=Fekete |title=Throttling Ed's A-OK |work=Calgary Herald |url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=ca8ea762-7411-431c-8eaf-e62115013842&k=64362 |date=June 11, 2007 |access-date=2007-06-11 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222553/http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=ca8ea762-7411-431c-8eaf-e62115013842&k=64362 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>  Heninger was defeated by [[Alberta Liberal Party|Liberal]] [[Craig Cheffins]] and, in the [[2008 Alberta general election|2008 election]], Calgary was the only area of the province in which Stelmach lost seats on his way to an increased majority.<ref name="2008 results"/>

After Deputy Premier [[Ron Stevens]] resigned his [[Calgary-Glenmore]] seat to accept a judgeship, a 2009 by-election elected outgoing [[Wildrose Alliance Party]] (WRA) leader [[Paul Hinman]] to replace him.  Hinman had been the WRA's only MLA until he lost his [[Cardston-Taber-Warner]] to Progressive Conservative [[Broyce Jacobs]] in the 2008 election.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/wildrose-alliance-wins-calgary-glenmore-byelection-1.794120 |title=Wildrose Alliance wins Calgary-Glenmore byelection |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=September 14, 2009 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref>  Shortly after Hinman's election, polls showed that the Wildrose Alliance, under new leader [[Danielle Smith]], was the second most popular party province-wide, and led the Conservatives 34 percent to 30 percent in Calgary.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://erg.environics.net/media_room/default.asp?aID=713 |title=The Wildrose Alliance is gaining ground; Conservative support shrinking. |publisher=Environics Research Group |date=November 5, 2009 |access-date=2009-11-07 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091109112709/http://erg.environics.net/media_room/default.asp?aID=713 |archive-date=November 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

===Politics and public opinion===
Critics at first compared Stelmach to [[Harry Strom]], the last [[Social Credit Party of Alberta|Social Credit]] premier of the province.  Strom was regarded as honest but ineffective and lacking charisma; he survived only long enough as Premier to lose the [[1971 Alberta general election|1971 election]] soundly. Thus ended the last long one-party rule, and observers asked if history would repeat with Stelmach.<ref>{{cite news |first=Dawn |last=Walton |title=Stelmach confronts ghost of Harry Strom |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/stelmach-confronts-ghost-of-harry-strom/article18179043/|date=December 4, 2006 |access-date=2015-11-19 |location=Toronto}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Ross |last=Moroz |title=Vuepoint |work=Vue Weekly |url=http://www.vueweekly.com/article.php?id=6276 |date=May 16, 2007 |access-date=2008-02-12 |url-status = usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509101353/http://www.vueweekly.com/article.php?id=6276 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> After Stelmach's landslide win in the [[2008 Alberta general election|2008 election]], however, the comparisons largely ceased.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=353578 |title=Alberta wins |work=National Post |date=March 5, 2008 |access-date=2009-04-30 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20090509144037/http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=353578 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 }}</ref>

In late 2009, the Conservatives' plunging  popularity at the polls and the surge in support for the right-wing Wildrose Alliance led to speculation that Stelmach would receive lukewarm support at his mandatory [[leadership review]], to be held at the November 2009 Progressive Conservative convention. Klein's resignation came in the wake of his receiving only 55% support at such a review, and Klein suggested that Stelmach should resign if he received less than 70%.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/news/provincial/Leadership_test_69370697.html |title=Leadership test for Ed |work=[[Red Deer Advocate]] |date=November 6, 2009 |access-date=2009-11-25 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130116163251/http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/news/provincial/Leadership_test_69370697.html |archive-date=January 16, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The question was whether party leaders would blame Stelmach for the party's decline and look for new leadership in the face of Stelmach's own weakening poll numbers.  Instead, Stelmach met the criterion set up by his critics and won 77.4% support, a strong endorsement.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/stelmach-wins-77-support-for-leadership-1.799329 |title=Stelmach wins 77% support for leadership |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=November 7, 2009 |access-date=2014-03-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Stelmach receives 77.4% support |url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/alberta/2009/11/07/11671286.html |work=Edmonton Sun |date=November 7, 2009 |access-date=2009-11-25}}</ref>

===Resignation===
On January 25, 2011, Stelmach announced that he would not seek re-election; he also promised a leadership race before the next election.<ref>Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach to step down.  Globe and Mail.  {{cite web |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/alberta-premier-ed-stelmach-to-step-down/article1882290/ |title=Conservative showdown prompts Stelmach's resignation - the Globe and Mail |website=[[The Globe and Mail]] |access-date=2011-01-25 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128200528/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/alberta-premier-ed-stelmach-to-step-down/article1882290/ |archive-date=January 28, 2011 |df=mdy }}</ref> He did not specify his date of resignation at that time, however he submitted his letter of resignation in June, writing that he would leave office on October 1. In the early hours of October 2, 2011, [[Alison Redford]] was declared the new leader of the party, and Stelmach resigned as premier on October 7.<ref>{{cite news |title=Alison Redford sworn in as Alberta Premier |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alison-redford-sworn-in-as-alberta-premier-1.981694 |publisher=[[CBC News]] |date=October 7, 2011 |access-date=2015-11-19}}</ref>

==Awards and recognitions==

* [[Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise]], Class III (Ukraine, 2009)<ref>{{Cite web |title=20 November 2009—Government of Ukraine Honours Four Albertans · CIUS-Archives |url=https://cius-archives.ca/items/show/292 |access-date=2022-03-25 |website=cius-archives.ca}}</ref>
* [[Alberta Order of Excellence]] (2020)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=72746DB76EAF0-E504-4359-36AF92F579BC3AFA|title=Seven Albertans joining Alberta Order of Excellence|date=July 3, 2020|publisher=Government of Albera}}</ref>

==Electoral record==

{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="3" align=center|'''[[2008 Alberta general election]] results ([[Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville]])'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.ab.ca/55.htm |title=2008 provincial election results, Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville |publisher=Elections Alberta |access-date=2008-06-26 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301032254/http://results.elections.ab.ca/55.htm |archive-date=March 1, 2009 }}</ref>
| colspan="2"|<span style="font-size: 90%;">'''Turnout 53.6%'''</span>
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="1" align="left" valign="top" | '''Affiliation'''
| valign="top" |'''Candidate'''
| valign="top" |'''Votes'''
| valign="top" align="right"|'''%'''
{{Canadian party colour|AB|PC|row}}
|[[Alberta Progressive Conservative Party|Progressive Conservative]]
|Ed Stelmach
|align="right"|11,162
|align="right"|77.6%
{{Canadian party colour|AB|Liberal|row}}
|[[Alberta Liberal Party|Liberal]]
|Earl J. Woods
|align="right"|1,343
|align="right"|9.3%
{{Canadian party colour|AB|NDP|row}}
|[[Alberta New Democratic Party|NDP]]
|Clayton Marsden
|align="right"|1,235
|align="right"|8.6%
{{CANelec|AB|Greens|Ryan Scheie|551|3.8%}}
|-
| colspan="3"|'''[[2004 Alberta general election]] results ([[Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville]])'''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.ab.ca/Public%20Website/files/Statements/55.pdf |title=2004 provincial election results, Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville |publisher=Elections Alberta |access-date=2008-06-26}}</ref>
| colspan="2"|<span style="font-size: 90%;">'''Turnout 51.5%'''</span>
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="1" align="left" valign="top" | '''Affiliation'''
| valign="top" |'''Candidate'''
| valign="top" |'''Votes'''
| valign="top" align="right"|'''%'''<br />
{{Canadian party colour|AB|PC|row}}
|[[Alberta Progressive Conservative Party|Progressive Conservative]]
|Ed Stelmach
|align="right"|6,160
|align="right"|48.3%
{{Canadian party colour|AB|Liberal|row}}
|[[Alberta Liberal Party|Liberal]]
|Peter Schneider
|align="right"|3,160
|align="right"|24.8%
{{Canadian party colour|AB|NDP|row}}
|[[Alberta New Democratic Party|NDP]]
|Wes Buyarski
|align="right"|1,633
|align="right"|12.8%
{{CANelec|AB|Alliance|Byron King|1411|11.1%}}
{{CANelec|AB|Social Credit|Mark Patterson|379|3.0%}}
|-
| colspan="3"|'''[[2001 Alberta general election]] results ([[Vegreville-Viking]])'''<ref name="2001 results">{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.ab.ca/Public%20Website/files/2001StatmentOfResults/2001_SOR_78.pdf |title=2001 provincial election results, Vegreville-Viking |publisher=Elections Alberta |access-date=2008-06-26}}</ref>
| colspan="2"|<span style="font-size: 90%;">'''Turnout 61.8%'''</span>
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="1" align="left" valign="top" | '''Affiliation'''
| valign="top" |'''Candidate'''
| valign="top" |'''Votes'''
| valign="top" align="right"|'''%'''<br />
{{Canadian party colour|AB|PC|row}}
|[[Alberta Progressive Conservative Party|Progressive Conservative]]
|Ed Stelmach
|align="right"|7,191
|align="right"|60.8%
{{Canadian party colour|AB|Liberal|row}}
|[[Alberta Liberal Party|Liberal]]
|Ross Demkiw
|align="right"|3,391
|align="right"|28.7%
{{Canadian party colour|AB|NDP|row}}
|[[Alberta New Democratic Party|NDP]]
|Greg Kurolok
|align="right"|1,243
|align="right"|10.5%
|-
| colspan="3"|'''[[1997 Alberta general election]] results ([[Vegreville-Viking]])'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/database/maps_choice.asp?Year=1997&Constit=Vegreville-Viking |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090511121735/http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/database/maps_choice.asp?Year=1997&Constit=Vegreville-Viking |url-status = dead|archive-date=May 11, 2009 |title=1997 provincial election results, Vegreville-Viking |publisher=Alberta Online Encyclopedia |access-date=2008-06-26 }}</ref>
| colspan="2"|<span style="font-size: 90%;">'''Turnout 64.2%'''</span>
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="1" align="left" valign="top" | '''Affiliation'''
| valign="top" |'''Candidate'''
| valign="top" |'''Votes'''
| valign="top" align="right"|'''%'''<br />
{{Canadian party colour|AB|PC|row}}
|[[Alberta Progressive Conservative Party|Progressive Conservative]]
|Ed Stelmach
|align="right"|6,090
|align="right"|49.8%
{{Canadian party colour|AB|Liberal|row}}
|[[Alberta Liberal Party|Liberal]]
|Ross Demkiw
|align="right"|3,639
|align="right"|29.8%
{{Canadian party colour|AB|NDP|row}}
|[[Alberta New Democratic Party|NDP]]
|Greg Kurolok
|align="right"|1,684
|align="right"|13.8%
{{CANelec|AB|Social Credit|Clifford Gundermann|810|6.6%}}
|-
| colspan="3"|'''[[1993 Alberta general election]] results ([[Vegreville-Viking]])'''<ref name="93 election">{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/database/maps_choice.asp?Year=1993&Constit=Vegreville-Viking |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090511121718/http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/database/maps_choice.asp?Year=1993&Constit=Vegreville-Viking |url-status = dead|archive-date=May 11, 2009 |title=1993 provincial election results, Vegreville-Viking |publisher=Alberta Online Encyclopedia |access-date=2008-06-26 }}</ref>
| colspan="2"|<span style="font-size: 90%;">'''Turnout 69.7%'''</span>
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="1" align="left" valign="top" | '''Affiliation'''
| valign="top" |'''Candidate'''
| valign="top" |'''Votes'''
| valign="top" align="right"|'''%'''<br />
{{Canadian party colour|AB|PC|row}}
|[[Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta|Progressive Conservative]]
|Ed Stelmach
|align="right"|5,540
|align="right"|41.1%
{{Canadian party colour|AB|NDP|row}}
|[[Alberta New Democratic Party|NDP]]
|[[Derek Fox (Canadian politician)|Derek Fox]]
|align="right"|4,150
|align="right"|30.1%
{{Canadian party colour|AB|Liberal|row}}
|[[Alberta Liberal Party|Liberal]]
|Jerry Wilde
|align="right"|3,797
|align="right"|28.2%
|}

===Party leadership contests===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="3"|'''[[2006 Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leadership election]]'''
|-
!colspan="3" align="left"|'''Second ballot (post redistribution)'''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=e5ebe7a0-7749-4386-9e0c-ee7195f15b31&k=27344 |date=December 3, 2006 |title=Stelmach Stunner |work=Edmonton Journal |author1=Sarah O'Donnell |author2=Jason Markusoff |author3=Archie McLean |author4=Trish Audette |access-date=2008-06-26 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222227/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=e5ebe7a0-7749-4386-9e0c-ee7195f15b31&k=27344 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
|-
! Candidate
! Votes
! Percentage
|-
| Ed Stelmach
|align="right"|77,577
|align="right"|58.3%
|-
| [[Jim Dinning]]
|align="right"|55,509
|align="right"|41.7%
|-
!colspan="3" align="left"|'''Second ballot'''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=9bc8ac30-8b4d-4625-90b1-ae6dc2beb8fe&k=0 |first=Larry |last=Johnsrude |title=Premier Ed |date=December 3, 2006 |work=Edmonton Journal |access-date=2008-06-26 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509223042/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=9bc8ac30-8b4d-4625-90b1-ae6dc2beb8fe&k=0 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
|-
! Candidate
! Votes
! Percentage
|-
| Ed Stelmach
|align="right"|51,764
|align="right"|35.9%
|-
| [[Jim Dinning]]
|align="right"|51,282
|align="right"|35.6%
|-
| [[Ted Morton]]
|align="right"|41,243
|align="right"|28.6%
|-
!colspan="3" align="left"|'''First ballot'''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/features/passingthetorch/news/story.html?id=2ddf1c2c-6d3d-4cec-b390-dbe1f0cbf38a |title=Uneasy leader |work=Edmonton Journal |date=November 26, 2006 |access-date=2008-06-26 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509222107/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/features/passingthetorch/news/story.html?id=2ddf1c2c-6d3d-4cec-b390-dbe1f0cbf38a |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
|-
! Candidate
! Votes
! Percentage
|-
| [[Jim Dinning]]
|align="right"| 29,470
|align="right"| 30.2%
|-
| [[Ted Morton]]
|align="right"| 25,614
|align="right"| 26.2%
|-
| Ed Stelmach
|align="right"| 14,967
|align="right"| 15.3%
|-
| [[Lyle Oberg]]
|align="right"| 11,638
|align="right"| 11.9%
|-
| [[Dave Hancock]]
|align="right"| 7,595
|align="right"| 7.8%
|-
| [[Mark Norris (Canadian politician)|Mark Norris]]
|align="right"| 6,789
|align="right"| 6.9%
|-
| [[Victor Doerksen]]
|align="right"| 873
|align="right"| 0.9%
|-
| Gary McPherson
|align="right"| 744
|align="right"| 0.8%
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Ed Stelmach}}
{{Wikinews|Edward Stelmach elected new Alberta premier | Ed Stelmach sworn in as new Alberta premier}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-prec|can}}
{{succession box
| title=[[Order of precedence in Alberta]]
| years={{As of|2020|lc=on}}
| before=[[Lois Mitchell]], Former [[Lieutenant Governor of Alberta]]
| after=[[Alison Redford]], former premier of Alberta}}
{{s-end}}

{{ABPremiers}}
{{PC Alberta}}
{{Stelmach Ministry}}
{{Klein Ministry}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Stelmach, Edward}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Premiers of Alberta]]
[[Category:Canadian members of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Lamont County]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Ukrainian descent]]
[[Category:Leaders of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta]]
[[Category:Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta MLAs]]
[[Category:Alberta municipal councillors]]
[[Category:Farmers from Alberta]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta]]
[[Category:Members of the Alberta Order of Excellence]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 3rd class]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta]]