13th Alberta Legislature

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13th Alberta Legislature
Majority parliament
August 17, 1955  May 9, 1959
Coat of arms of Alberta.svg
Parliament leaders
Premier Ernest Charles Manning
May 31, 1943 December 12, 1968
Cabinet Manning cabinet
Leader of the
Opposition
James Harper Prowse
February 21, 1952 April 15, 1958
Grant MacEwan
February 5, 1959 April 17, 1959
Party caucuses
Government Social Credit Party
Opposition Alberta Liberal Party
Crossbench Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
Cooperative Commonwealth
Legislative Assembly
Speaker of the
Assembly
Peter Dawson
February 25, 1937 March 24, 1963
Members61 MLA seats
Sovereign
Monarch Elizabeth II
February 6, 1952 September 8, 2022
Lieutenant
Governor
Hon. John James Bowlen
February 1, 1950 December 16, 1959
Sessions
1st session
August 17, 1955 – August 25, 1955
2nd session
February 9, 1956 – March 29, 1956
3rd session
February 14, 1957 – April 11, 1957
4th session
February 28, 1958 – April 14, 1958
5th session
February 5, 1959 – April 7, 1959
  12th   14th

The 13th Alberta Legislative Assembly was in session from August 17, 1955, to May 9, 1959, with the membership of the assembly determined by the results of the 1955 Alberta general election held on June 29, 1955. The Legislature officially resumed on August 17, 1955, and continued until the fifth session was prorogued on April 7, 1959, and dissolved on May 9, 1959, prior to the 1959 Alberta general election. [1]

Contents

Alberta's thirteenth government was controlled by the majority Social Credit Party for the sixth time, led by Premier Ernest Manning who would go on to be the longest serving Premier in Alberta history. The Official Opposition was led by James Harper Prowse a member of the Alberta Liberal Party until the fifth session when Grant MacEwan became the leader of the Official Opposition. The Speaker was Peter Dawson who would serve until his death during the 15th legislature on March 24, 1963.

Membership in the 13th Alberta Legislature

 DistrictMemberPartyFirst elected/ previously electedNo.# of term(s)
  Acadia-Coronation James Sims Liberal 19551st term
  Alexandra Anders Aalborg Social Credit 19483rd term
  Athabasca Richard Hall Liberal19551st term
  Banff-Cochrane Frank Gainer Coalition19551st term
  Bonnyville Jake Josvanger Liberal19551st term
  Bow Valley-Empress Bryce Stringam Independent19551st term
  Bruce Earl Hardy Social Credit19483rd term
  Calgary Arthur Ryan Smith Conservative 19551st term
  Hugh John MacDonald Liberal19483rd term
  Frederick C. Colborne Social Credit19454th term
  Rose Wilkinson Social Credit19444th term
  Grant MacEwan Liberal19551st term
  Arthur J. Dixon Social Credit19522nd term
  Ernest Watkins (1957) Conservative 19571st term
  Camrose Chester Sayers Social Credit19415th term
  Cardston Edgar Hinman Social Credit19522nd term
  Clover Bar Floyd Baker Social Credit19356th term
  Cypress Harry Strom Social Credit19551st term
  Didsbury James Lawrence Owens Social Credit19551st term
  Drumheller Gordon Taylor Social Credit19405th term
  Edmonton Ernest Manning Social Credit19356th term
  James Harper Prowse Liberal19454th term
  Abe Miller Liberal19551st term
  Harold Tanner Liberal19522nd term
  Joseph Donovan Ross Social Credit19522nd term
  John Page Conservative1940, 19524th term*
  Edgar Gerhart Social Credit19522nd term
  Edson Norman Willmore Social Credit19444th term
  Gleichen George E. Bell Social Credit19444th term
  Grande Prairie Ira McLaughlin Social Credit19444th term
  Grouard Joseph Desfosses Liberal19513rd term
  Hand Hills Wallace Warren Cross Social Credit19356th term
  Lac La Biche Michael Maccagno Liberal19551st term
  Lac Ste. Anne John Mills Liberal19551st term
  Lacombe Allen Patrick Social Credit19522nd term
Leduc Ronald Ansley Independent Social Credit19356th term
  Lethbridge John Landeryou Social Credit19444th term
  Little Bow Peter Dawson Social Credit19356th term
  Macleod James Hartley Social Credit19356th term
  Medicine Hat Elizabeth Robinson Social Credit19532nd term
  Okotoks-High River Ross Ellis Liberal and Conservative Coalition19551st term
  Olds Frederick Niddrie Social Credit19503rd term
  Roderick Macleod (1959)Social Credit19591st term
  Peace River William Gilliland Social Credit19444th term
  Pembina Robin Jorgenson Social Credit19444th term
  Pincher Creek-Crowsnest William Kovach Social Credit19483rd term
  Ponoka Glen Johnston Social Credit19522nd term
  Red Deer Cam Kirby Conservative19542nd term
  Redwater Alfred Macyk Liberal19551st term
  Rocky Mountain House Alfred Hooke Social Credit19356th term
  Sedgewick Jack Hillman Social Credit19522nd term
  Spirit River Adolph Fimrite Social Credit19522nd term
  St. Albert Arthur Soetaert Liberal19551st term
  St. Paul Raymond Reierson Social Credit19522nd term
  Stettler John Clark Social Credit19522nd term
  Galen Norris (1956)Social Credit19561st term
  Stony Plain John McLaughlin Liberal19551st term
  Taber Roy Lee Social Credit19405th term
  Vegreville Stanley Ruzycki Cooperative Commonwealth 19551st term
  Vermilion Russell Whitson Liberal19551st term
  Wainwright Henry Ruste Social Credit19551st term
  Warner Leonard Halmrast Social Credit19454th term
  Wetaskiwin John Wingblade Social Credit19356th term
  Willingdon Nick Dushenski Cooperative Commonwealth19522nd term

Notes:

    Standings changes since the 13th general election

    AffiliationMembers
      Social Credit 37
    Liberal 15
      Progressive Conservative 3
      Co-operative Commonwealth 2
     Liberal + Progressive Conservative11
     Coalition1
     Independent Social Credit1
     Total
    61
    1. The candidate in Okotoks-High River was jointly nominated by the Progressive Conservative and Liberal parties.
    Membership changes in the 13th Assembly
    DateNameDistrictPartyReason
     June 29, 1955See List of MembersElection day of the 13th Alberta general election
     June 3, 1956 John Clark Stettler Social Credit Committed suicide after murdering seven people [2]
     November 15, 1956 Galen Norris StettlerSocial CreditElected in a by-election
     1957 Arthur Smith Calgary Progressive Conservative Vacated his seat to run in the 1957 federal election.
     October 2, 1957 Ernest Watkins CalgaryProgressive ConservativeElected in a by-election
     December 19, 1958 Frederick Niddrie Olds Social CreditDied
     February 9, 1959 Roderick Macleod OldsSocial CreditElected in a by-election

    References

    1. Perry, Sandra E.; Footz, Valerie L. (2006). Massolin, Philip A. (ed.). A Higher Duty: Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies. Edmonton, AB: Legislative Assembly of Alberta. p. 498. ISBN   0-9689217-3-6 . Retrieved August 9, 2020.
    2. Colin MacDonald (June 5, 1956). "Body Alberta MLA Found Lying In Slough". Vol XLIX No 148. The Lethbridge Herald. p. 1.

    Further reading