Alberta Party

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The Alberta Party, formally the Alberta Party Political Association from 1998 to 2004, is a political party in the province of Alberta, Canada. The party describes itself as centrist and pragmatic in that it is not dogmatically ideological in its approach to politics.[1][2]

History

Early history

The Alberta Party began in the early 1980s as an alliance of small separatist political parties. The right side of Alberta's political spectrum was fragmented by parties spawned in the wake of the National Energy Program and feelings that Premier Peter Lougheed had done little to prevent the economic collapse they believe it had caused. Some of these parties had already achieved some small success in attaining seats in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, though in the 1982 general election Social Credit, the Alberta Reform Movement and the Western Canada Concept lost their representation in the Legislature. The Heritage Party of Alberta, Representative Party of Alberta and the Confederation of Regions had been founded in the preceding years, which made for a total of five parties to the right of the Progressive Conservatives in 1985.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

On October 30, 1990, this alliance of parties gave way to the creation of a new political party, the Alliance Party of Alberta.[3] This change marked a transition away from trying to build a coalition of parties to full participation in electoral politics. The party participated in two by-elections, and fielded a handful of candidates in the 1993 general election but received only a small percentage of the popular vote in each case.[4] The party did not contest the 1997 provincial election.[5]

File:FormerAlberta partylogo1998to2009.jpg
Alberta Party logo from 1998 to 2008

In 1998, the Alliance Party followed the example of the Saskatchewan Party and the Manitoba Party by changing its name to the Alberta Party Political Association, or the Alberta Party for short.[6]

Shortly before the 2004 election, the Alberta Party attempted to merge with the Alberta Alliance Party (a different organization from the old Alliance Party of Alberta). The merged party would have adopted the Alberta Party platform, and the Alberta Party provincial council would have had seats on the Alberta Alliance Provincial Council. The deal fell through because the Alberta Party would not agree to de-register the Alberta Party name with Elections Alberta.Script error: No such module "Unsubst". On October 1, 2004, shortly before the general election, the party shortened its registered name to "Alberta Party" from "the Alberta Party Political Association".[7]

In the 2004 provincial election, the party nominated candidates in four ridings, winning a total of 2,485 votes, or 0.3% of the provincial total. The party fielded one candidate, Margaret Saunter, for the March 3, 2008 provincial election. Saunter placed last out of a field of six candidates in Edmonton-Centre.

Ideological shift and party renewal

File:Alberta Party.jpg
Alberta Party logo used after the ideological shift from 2009 to 2011

After the rise of the Wildrose Alliance as Alberta's main right-wing alternative to the governing Progressive Conservatives, the right-wing members of the Alberta Party left to join that party. This left a small group of centrists in control of the party. In 2009, former Alberta Greens deputy leader Edwin Erickson, who had been organizing a new "Progress Party", was invited to run as a leadership candidate for the Alberta Party and won by acclamation. In 2010 the Alberta Party board voted to merge with Renew Alberta, a progressive and centrist group that had been organizing to form a new political party.[8]

During the merger process, the party's board agreed to suspend its old policy platform and start anew. To create a new platform different from its more right-wing history, in 2010 the party launched a campaign called "The Big Listen" in order to canvass the public for new policy ideas.[9][10] The party held its first policy convention on November 13 and 14, 2010 to develop substantive policies from the ideas heard during "The Big Listen". At the convention, Erickson stepped down to make way for an acting leader until a leadership contest could be held. A first set of policies was released on November 23, 2010, to coincide with the announcement of the appointment of an acting leader, Sue Huff. These policies centred on five key areas: economy, health, environment, democratic renewal, and education.[11] On January 24, 2011, former Liberal MLA Dave Taylor announced he was joining the Alberta Party, becoming the party's first MLA.[12]

2012 Alberta general election

The party nominated 38 candidates to run in the 28th Alberta general election.[13] None were elected.

Floor crossings

On October 30, 2017, it was announced that former NDP MLA Karen McPherson who had left the Government Caucus earlier in the month would cross to join the Alberta Party as their third ever, and second current MLA. McPherson cited the need to make transformative change in healthcare and management of the economy, as well as the feeling that she could better advocate for her constituents and use her skills and abilities better in the Alberta Party.[14]

In January 2018, former UCP MLA Rick Fraser announced that he would be joining the Alberta Party and running for its leadership race that had been triggered when Greg Clark stepped down. Fraser cited the divisive politics of the UCP for his departure, and the need to find "common sense policies" that "don't divide Albertans, but rather bring them closer together."[15]

Fraser's joining of the Alberta Party tripled the caucus size from the results of the 2015 general election, leaving the Alberta Party as the third largest representation in the Legislature.

2019 Alberta general election

The Alberta Party ran a full slate of candidates for the first time. Although the party gained 9.09% of the popular vote, an increase from 2.29% in 2015, it lost all three ridings it held going into the election and won no seats in the Legislature.[16]

Ideology

For most of its history, the Alberta Party was a right-wing organization. This was until the rise of the Wildrose Alliance as Alberta's main conservative alternative to the governing Progressive Conservatives attracted away the Alberta Party's more conservative members. This left a small rump of comparatively less conservative members in control of the Alberta Party. In 2010, the Alberta Party board voted to merge with Renew Alberta, a progressive group that had been organizing to form a new political party in Alberta.[8] The Alberta Party thus shed its conservative past for a more centrist[17] political outlook. The party has been cited in The Globe and Mail[18] and The Economist[19] as part of the break in one-party politics in Alberta, with the Economist calling it "a split in Canada’s most powerful right-wing political machine."

Leadership elections

2011 leadership election

File:Albertaparty.svg
Alberta Party logo used from 2011 to 2016

The party announced in January 2011 that a leadership convention would be held in Edmonton on May 28, 2011.[20] Four candidates contested the leadership of the party: Glenn Taylor, mayor of Hinton; Tammy Maloney, a social entrepreneur; businessman Randy Royer;[21] and Lee Easton, chair of the English program at Mount Royal University.[22] Chris Tesarski, CEO of Sandbox Energy Corporation, was also a candidate early in the contest.[23] However, on April 15, Tesarski announced that he would not seek the party's leadership, citing disagreements with some aspects of the party's philosophy and some party members' attitudes towards his candidacy.[24] Dave Taylor, the party's only MLA, was also expected to run for the leadership,[25] but did not join the campaign. At the convention, the election was decided on the first ballot when Glenn Taylor won just over 55% of the votes.[26][27]

2013 leadership election

After Glenn Taylor stepped down on September 22, 2012, the party remained without a leader for some months. On May 29, 2013, the party announced that it would be holding a leadership vote to coincide with its Annual General Meeting on September 21, 2013, in Edmonton.[28] Entrepreneur and 2012 Calgary-Elbow election candidate Greg Clark, and self-employed consultant and 2012 Calgary-North West candidate Troy Millington, sought the leadership.[29] Clark won the election, receiving 87% of the 337 votes cast.[30]

2018 leadership election

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". A leadership election was triggered when Greg Clark stepped down as leader on November 18, 2017.[31] The election was held on February 27, 2018, after originally being scheduled to be on February 7.[32] Stephen Mandel became the new leader of the party after achieving 66% of the vote.

2021 leadership election

On June 30, 2019, Stephen Mandel resigned as leader of the Alberta Party.[33] Former PC MLA Jacquie Fenske became the interim leader on February 10, 2020.[34] The Party announced a leadership contest, with a new leader to be elected on October 23, 2021.[35] As only one candidate submitted a valid application by the close of nominations on August 31, 2021, Barry Morishita was acclaimed as leader.[36][37]

On October 15, 2023, Morishita resigned as leader of the party.[38]

On April 14, 2024, the party announced that corporate lawyer, Lindsay Amantea, was the new interim leader.[39][40]

Leaders

Picture Name Start Finish Notes
Howard Thompson 1986 1993
Mark Waters 1993 1997
George Flake 1997 1999
Fred Schorning 1999 2001
George Flake 2001 2004 Second time as leader.
Bruce Stubbs 2004 2009
Robert Leddy 2009 January 28, 2010 First leader of the ideological shift.
Edwin Erickson January 28, 2010 November 22, 2010 Leader for merger with Renew Alberta.
File:Sue Huff in 2011.jpg Sue Huff November 23, 2010 May 28, 2011 Interim leader.
File:Glenntaylor-crop.jpg Glenn Taylor May 28, 2011 September 22, 2012 Elected at a convention in Edmonton; stepped down after failing to win a seat in the 2012 Alberta general election.
File:Greg Clark, Leader of the Alberta Party, 2014.jpg Greg Clark September 21, 2013 February 27, 2018 After remaining leaderless for a year, the party elected Clark at a convention in Edmonton. Clark stepped down as leader on November 18, 2017, and became interim leader until the upcoming leadership election.
File:2013-05-21 Stephen Mandel (cropped).jpg Stephen Mandel February 27, 2018 June 30, 2019
File:Jacquie Fenske.jpg Jacquie Fenske February 10, 2020 August 31, 2021 Interim Leader
File:Barry Morishita in 2020.jpg Barry Morishita September 1, 2021 October 15, 2023 Morishita, President of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (2017-2021)[41] and a former Councillor and Mayor of the City of Brooks, was acclaimed as Leader on August 31, 2021.[42]
Lindsay Amantea April 14, 2024 Interim Leader

Election results

Election Leader Candidates Votes % Seats +/- Place Legislative role Notes
1993 Template:Efn Mark Waters Template:Composition bar 3,548 0.36% Template:Composition bar Steady 0 Increase 7th Template:Eliminated PC majority
1997 did not contest
2001Template:Efn Fred Schorning Template:Composition bar 5,361 0.53% Template:Composition bar Steady 0 Increase 6th Template:Eliminated
2004 Bruce Stubbs Template:Composition bar 2,485 0.30% Template:Composition bar Steady 0 Decrease 8th Template:Eliminated
2008 Template:Composition bar 51 0.01% Template:Composition bar Steady 0 Decrease 9th Template:Eliminated
2012 Glenn Taylor Template:Composition bar 17,172 1.33% Template:Composition bar Steady 0 Increase 5th Template:Eliminated
2015 Greg Clark Template:Composition bar 33,867 2.29%[43] Template:Composition bar Increase 1 Steady 5th No status NDP majority
2019 Stephen Mandel Template:Composition bar 170,872 9.09% Template:Composition bar[43]Template:Efn Decrease 3Template:Efn Increase 3rdTemplate:Efn Template:Eliminated UCP majority
2023 Barry Morishita Template:Composition bar 12,576 0.71% Template:Composition bar Steady 0 Decrease 5th Template:Eliminated

By-elections

Banner By-election Date Candidate Votes % Place
Alliance Party Little Bow March 5, 1992 Larry Haller 399 7.14% 5/6
Three Hills October 26, 1992 Gordon A. Shenton 566 5.47% 5/8
Alberta Party Calgary-Elbow October 27, 2014 Greg Clark 3,406 26.88% 2/5
Edmonton-Whitemud Will Munsey 202 1.43% 5/6
Calgary-Foothills Michelle Glavine 212 1.79% 6/7
Calgary-West Troy Millington 264 2.42% 5/5
Calgary-Foothills September 3, 2015 Mark Taylor 615 4.83% 5/7
Innisfail-Sylvan Lake July 12, 2018 Abigail Douglass 731 7.44% 3/5
Fort McMurray-Conklin Sid Fayed 103 2.57% 3/5
Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche March 15, 2022 Michelle Landsiedel 98 1.68% 5/8
Brooks-Medicine Hat November 8, 2022 Barry Morishita 2,098 16.53% 3/5
Lethbridge-West December 18, 2024 Layton Veverka 237 1.75% 3/3
Edmonton-Strathcona June 23, 2025 Samuel Petrov 115 1.19% 4/6
Edmonton-Ellerslie June 23, 2025 Caroline Currie 203 2.39% 5/6

Notes

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References

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  8. ↑ a b http://www.renewalberta.ca/ Template:Webarchive
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  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Randy Royer
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Lee Easton
  23. ↑ Oil exec to run for Alberta Party leadership
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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External links

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