1915 Alberta liquor plebiscite

1915 Alberta liquor plebiscite

July 21, 1915 (1915-07-21)
Do you approve of the proposed act, the "Liquor Act" ?
Results
Choice Votes  % Yes 58,295 60.85% No 37,509 39.15% Valid votes 95,804 100.26% Invalid or blank votes 1,649 1.73% Total votes 95,554 100.00%

The 1915 Alberta liquor plebiscite was the first plebiscite to ask voters in Alberta whether the province should implement prohibition by ratifying the proposed Liquor Act. The plebiscite was the culmination of years of lobbying by the province's temperance movements and agricultural groups, and was proposed through the recently implemented form of direct democracy, the Direct Legislation Act. Alberta voters approved the plebiscite on prohibition, which was implemented eleven months after the vote. The June 21, 1915 plebiscite was the first of three province-wide plebiscites held in a seven-year period related to liquor in Alberta.

Background

Prohibition in the North-West Territories

Prohibition was not a new concept for Albertans. Prior to the creation of the Province of Alberta in 1905, prohibition had been in effect in the North-West Territories from 1873 to 1891. ^{[1] [2]} During this time, the federal policy of prohibition aimed to prevent the Territories' Indigenous population from purchasing liquor from American whiskey traders. However, white settlers were allowed to import liquor with readily available approval from the Lieutenant Governor. ^[3]

In 1891, prohibition was repealed in the North-West Territories through the Liquor License Ordinance, which was administered by the Board of License Commissioners rather than the local government. This followed a model already in place in Ontario and Manitoba. ^[4] The ordinance permitted hotels in communities to obtain a license to serve liquor. Communities with less than 500 people were limited to two licensed establishments, with an additional licensed establishment permitted for each additional 500 persons in the community. ^[5] The ordinance also mandated licensed hotels to provide food and lodging. ^[6] Liquor laws were enforced by liquor inspectors, and if an individual was known to drink excessively, an order by two concurring justices of the peace could prevent that person from buying liquor for one year. ^[7]

Prohibition remained a significant national issue in the late 19th century. During the 1896 Canadian federal election, Wilfrid Laurier promised that a Liberal government would give Canadians the opportunity to express their opinion on the sale of liquor. In the non-binding 1898 Canadian prohibition plebiscite, a slim majority of the country approved prohibition, with 51.26 per cent in favor and 44 percent of the Canadian electorate participating. In the North-West Territories, which included present-day Alberta, Saskatchewan, and parts of Manitoba, prohibition was approved by a clear majority of voters, with 68.8 per cent in favor. Despite the slim national majority, Laurier's government chose not to introduce a federal bill to implement prohibition.

Direct legislation

After the confederation of Alberta in 1905, the movement for direct legislation began to take shape. Articles published in The Grain Growers Guide highlighted the benefits of direct legislation, while the United Farmers of Alberta, gaining momentum, exerted pressure on the Liberal government starting in 1909. The Conservative Party also embraced the issue, committing to holding a plebiscite on prohibition during their party convention in March 1912. ^[8] Finally, in 1913, the Direct Legislation Act was passed by the legislature, bringing the concept to fruition. ^{[9] [10] [11]}

Recognizing the potential revenue generated through licensing, the Liberal government hesitated to fully commit to prohibition, ^[10] preferring instead to advocate for incremental reforms aimed at improving conditions related to liquor. ^[10]

Responding swiftly to the introduction of direct legislation, the temperance movement submitted a petition signed by 23,656 individuals calling for a "Prohibitory Liquor Act" to Premier Arthur Sifton. According to the law, the premier was obligated to either pass such legislation or hold a referendum on the issue.

On October 13, 1914, Premier Sifton presented the petition in the 3rd Alberta Legislature. ^[12] To study the petition, a special committee was formed, consisting of Members George P. Smith, John M. Glendenning, and Albert Ewing. ^[13] A week later, on October 19, the committee declared that the petition met the requirements of the Direct Legislation Act, leading the Legislature to move forward with submitting the Liquor Act to a vote of the electors. ^[14]

The referendum was scheduled for July 21, 1915.

Arguments on prohibition

Louise McKinney, President of the Alberta-Saskatchewan Union of the Women's Christian Temperance Movement

Alberta's drive for prohibition was primarily driven forward by two temperance groups: the Women's Christian Temperance Movement (WCTM) and the Temperance and Moral Reform League (TMRL), along with the United Farmers of Alberta. ^[15] While sharing similar ideals, the TMRL was structured as a political party, with a central executive and local organizations in each of Alberta's electoral districts. ^[15] T. H. Miller served as the president of the TMRL leading up to the plebiscite. ^[16] Both the WCTM and TMRL aimed to ensure the election of temperance MLAs, regardless of party affiliation, ^{[17] [18]} and found support among influential figures in Alberta such as Lieutenant Governor George H. V. Bulyea, Premier Alexander Cameron Rutherford, Minister William Henry Cushing, and Conservative leader R. B. Bennett. ^[18] Additional arguments advocating for prohibition were published in William McCartney Davidson's Calgary Albertan . ^[19] In 1908, Louise McKinney was appointed President of the Alberta-Saskatchewan Union of the WCTM, and she played a pivotal role in leading the organization through the prohibition plebiscite. ^[20] Two years later, McKinney made history by becoming the first woman legislator in the British Empire after being elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1917 general election. ^[21]

The public face of the prohibition movement mainly comprised preachers and newspapers. They effectively drew parallels between the struggle of soldiers in the First World War against the "evil" Central Powers and the temperance campaign's battle against the "evil" of liquor. ^[22] Proponents of prohibition also made strong arguments, such as the need to use valuable grains for the war effort rather than alcohol, and highlighted the irresponsible spending and neglect of family obligations by alcoholics. ^{[22] [23]} The TMRL estimated that liquor sales in Alberta cost the public $12,292,215 per year (equivalent to CAD$ 285,340,597in 2021) and allocated a $30,000 budget for their campaign. ^[16] The TMRL organized speakers from across Canada and the United States to discuss the benefits of prohibition, including Newton Rowell, the leader of the Ontario Liberal Party. ^[16] One surprising ally for the prohibition proponents was Bob Edwards, who publicly supported the cause through his newspaper, the Calgary Eye-Opener, despite his reputation as an alcoholic. ^[22]

A Calgary Sunday school promoting the prohibition vote

Arguments against prohibition primarily came from Ukrainian Canadians, French Canadians, and some soldiers. These groups often invited American speakers to discuss the failures of prohibition, but their efforts were labeled as unpatriotic by prohibition proponents, as the United States had not yet entered the First World War. ^[22] Opposition among men aged 18 to 40 was limited, as many were overseas for the war effort. ^[23] Other arguments included the assertion that the Liquor Act was ineffective in shutting down illegal liquor channels. Critics also expressed concerns about potential corruption among government liquor vendors, the transformation of drug stores into liquor stores, and physicians turning into liquor salesmen. ^[16] Additionally, opponents of prohibition pointed out that many American states had repealed their prohibition laws. ^[16] The anti-prohibition groups invited speaker A.C. Windle, who vividly described the potential issues arising from prohibition, such as the loss of economic activity and jobs for bartenders, hotel employees, truck drivers, and others. ^[24]

The two major Alberta newspapers, the Calgary Herald and Edmonton Journal , argued against prohibition and instead advocated for the idea of temperance without legal consequences. ^[19]

Aftermath

The province voted overwhelmingly in favor of the new Liquor Act, and the binding plebiscite implemented prohibition in Alberta effective July 1, 1916, eleven months after the vote. ^[25]

The aftermath was challenging for hotels and clubs, with many of them closing down or being sold prior to the enforcement of the Liquor Act. ^[26] On June 30, 1916, the last day of liquor service, a large number of people crowded into hotels and bars. However, bar operators struggled to estimate the necessary liquor supplies, as they didn't want to be left with excess inventory. ^[26] Red Deer bars ran dry on June 29, and Calgary bars reportedly ran out of beer by noon on June 30. ^[26] Reporters in Edmonton witnessed patrons lining up to purchase liquor to take home instead of consuming it in the bar. ^[26] Historian Hugh Dempsey noted that the day before prohibition was celebrated across Alberta with minimal disruption or arrests, thanks to prepared police officers. ^[27]

Prohibition proved difficult for the government to enforce, as the North-West Mounted Police refused to carry out the resource-intensive law. Consequently, in March 1917, the Alberta government withdrew the North-West Mounted Police and established the Alberta Provincial Police due to the combined challenges of prohibition, reduced manpower from the First World War, and additional domestic wartime responsibilities. Despite prohibition, Albertans found various ways to circumvent the law, such as consuming spirits with alcohol content below 2.5 percent, ^[28] and engaging in private importation although prohibited by federal law during the First World War and again after 1920. ^[29] Additionally, alcohol for medicinal purposes remained available. ^[30] It's worth noting that Alberta's Liquor Act did not prohibit the manufacturing of liquor within the province. ^[28]

The financial impact of prohibition on the Alberta government was significant, as revenue from government-controlled liquor sales dropped to nearly zero in 1916 and only began to recover in 1919 when doctors started writing wholesale prescriptions in response to the Spanish flu pandemic. Rejecting the plebiscite would have reduced the government deficit by at least $1 million annually. ^[31] In 1914, the government had reported an income of $251,575 from liquor licenses. ^[32]

In 1920, the government of Canada held a national plebiscite on prohibition, and Albertans once again voted in favor of maintaining prohibition and banning the importation of liquor across provincial borders, which meant a return to the federal First World War prohibition law. However, the margin was smaller, with 60.55 per cent in favor. ^[33]

In 1923, the Alberta government held another plebiscite, and this time the electorate overwhelmingly approved government-controlled liquor sales and the end of prohibition in Alberta, seven years after it was implemented. ^[33]

Tabulation of results

Province wide returns
Option						Votes [34]	%
	Yes					58,295	60.85%
	No					37,509	39.15%
Total						95,804	100%
Rejected, spoiled and declined						1,649
Returns by district [35]
District		Yes	%	No	%	Total	Yes/no
	Acadia	1,660	81.02%	389	18.98%	2,249	Yes
	Alexandra	811	70.10%	346	29.90%	1,157	Yes
	Athabasca	397	43.67%	512	56.33%	909	No
	Beaver River	280	27.37%	743	72.63%	1,023	No
	Bow Valley	265	47.49%	293	52.51%	558	No
	Centre Calgary	1,442	55.59%	1,152	44.41%	2,594	Yes
	North Calgary	2,189	61.70%	1,359	38.30%	3,548	Yes
	South Calgary	3,994	63.78%	2,268	36.22%	6,262	Yes
	Camrose	1,933	72.45%	735	27.55%	2,668	Yes
	Cardston	761	79.35%	198	20.65%	959	Yes
	Claresholm	664	71.09%	270	28.91%	934	Yes
	Clearwater	57	63.33%	33	36.67%	90	Yes
	Cochrane	614	71.73%	242	28.27%	856	Yes
	Coronation	1,475	70.31%	623	29.69%	2,098	Yes
	Didsbury	1,535	78.76%	414	21.24%	1,949	Yes
	Edmonton	5,700	62.73%	3,386	37.27%	9,086	Yes
	Edmonton South	2,258	66.55%	1,135	33.45%	3,393	Yes
	Edson	511	46.29%	593	53.71%	1,104	No
	Gleichen	818	61.69%	508	38.31%	1,326	Yes
	Grouard	168	26.05%	477	73.95%	645	No
	Hand Hills	1,730	70.33%	730	29.67%	2,460	Yes
	High River	815	72.06%	316	27.94%	1,131	Yes
	Innisfail	784	71.79%	308	28.21%	1,092	Yes
	Lac Ste. Anne	402	39.37%	619	60.63%	1,021	No
	Lacombe	1,471	78.41%	405	21.59%	1,876	Yes
	Leduc	694	58.81%	486	41.19%	1,180	Yes
	Lethbridge City	989	34.58%	1,871	65.42%	2,860	No
	Little Bow	1,029	69.25%	457	30.75%	1,486	Yes
	Macleod	450	52.39%	409	47.61%	859	Yes
	Medicine Hat	2,600	58.52%	1,843	41.48%	4,443	Yes
	Nanton	689	74.17%	240	25.83%	929	Yes
	Okotoks	512	57.66%	376	42.34%	888	Yes
	Olds	958	69.37%	423	30.63%	1,381	Yes
	Peace River	720	61.22%	456	38.78%	1,176	Yes
	Pembina	598	58.74%	420	41.26%	1,018	Yes
	Pincher Creek	384	45.99%	451	54.01%	835	No
	Ponoka	701	64.55%	385	35.45%	1,086	Yes
	Red Deer	1,221	71.49%	487	28.51%	1,708	Yes
	Redcliff	771	48.13%	831	51.87%	1,602	No
	Ribstone	1,118	69.88%	482	30.13%	1,600	Yes
	Rocky Mountain	881	38.76%	1,392	61.24%	2,273	No
	Sedgewick	1,447	72.17%	558	27.83%	2,005	Yes
	St. Albert	315	29.83%	741	70.17%	1,056	No
	Stettler	1,478	68.65%	675	31.35%	2,153	Yes
	St. Paul	239	26.85%	651	73.15%	890	No
	Stony Plain	42	6.70%	585	93.30%	627	No
	Sturgeon	851	49.74%	860	50.26%	1,711	No
	Taber	1,602	66.64%	802	33.36%	2,404	Yes
	Vegreville	1,164	62.88%	687	37.12%	1,851	Yes
	Vermilion	1,164	62.88%	687	37.12%	1,851	Yes
	Victoria	790	56.55%	607	43.45%	1,397	No
	Wainwright	903	62.49%	542	37.51%	1,445	Yes
	Warner	414	56.17%	323	43.83%	737	Yes
	Wetaskiwin	943	65.71%	492	34.29%	1,435	Yes
	Whitford	415	40.81%	602	59.19%	1,017	No

Turnout

The Government of Alberta did not provide an official turnout for the 1915 Alberta liquor plebiscite, however the estimated turnout would have been around 70 per cent of eligible voters. A total of 95,804 people voted in the plebiscite, while the population of the province in 1911 was 374,000, with a voting population of approximately 107,487, which is estimated to have increased to between 136,000 and 140,000 by 1915. ^{[36] [24]}

References

1. Hamill 2014, p. 34.
2. "Majority For Liquor Act In Neighborhood of 20,000". The Calgary Daily Herald . July 22, 1915. p. 1. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
3. Hamill 2014, p. 37–38.
4. Hamill 2014, p. 44.
5. Hamill 2014, p. 45.
6. Hamill 2014, p. 46.
7. Hamill 2014, p. 47.
8. Thomas 1959, p. 138.
9. Hamill 2014, p. 54.
10. Thomas 1959, p. 139.
11. Edmonton Bulletin, March 26, 1913
12. Alberta. Legislative Assembly 1914, p. 23.
13. Alberta. Legislative Assembly 1914, p. 26.
14. Alberta. Legislative Assembly 1914, p. 58.
15. Hamill 2014, pp. 55–56.
16. Hopkins 1916, p. 695.
17. Hamill 2014, p. 56.
18. Sheehan 1980, p. 130.
19. Dempsey 2010, p. 10.
20. Sheehan 1980, p. 120.
21. Sheehan 1980, p. 121.
22. Crerar 2006, p. 391–392.
23. Sheehan 1980, p. 132.
24. Dempsey 2010, p. 11.
25. Dempsey 2010, p. 12.
26. Dempsey 2010, p. 13.
27. Dempsey 2010, p. 15.
28. Hamill 2014, p. 67.
29. Hamill 2014, p. 68.
30. Hamill 2014, p. 69.
31. Hanson 2003, p. 81.
32. Hopkins 1916, p. 698.
33. Sheehan 1980, p. 133.
34. Alberta. Legislative Assembly 1915, pp. 609–610.
35. "Full Results of Plebiscite Vote". Wetaskiwin Times. August 26, 1915. p. 2. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
36. Hamill 2014, p. 77.

Works cited

• Crerar, Duff (2006). "Enthusiasm Embattled". In Wetherell, Donald Grant; Payne, Michael; Cavanaugh, Catherine (eds.). Alberta formed, Alberta transformed. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press. ISBN   978-1-55238-196-0.
• Dempsey, Hugh A. (Spring 2010). "The day Alberta went dry". Alberta History. 58 (2). ISSN   0316-1552. Gale   A233501473.
• Hamill, Sarah E. M. (2014). From Prohibition to Administrative Regulation: The Battle for Liquor Control in Alberta, 1916 to 1939 (Thesis). Edmonton: University of Alberta. doi: 10.7939/R3T727Q37 .
• Hanson, Eric J. (2003). Eric J. Hanson's financial history of Alberta, 1905-1950. Calgary, Alta.: University of Calgary Press.
• Hopkins, J. Castell (1916). The Canadian Annual Review of Public Affairs, 1915. Toronto: The Annual Review Publishing Company.
• Sheehan, Nancy M. (August 1980). "Temperance, Education and The WCTU in Alberta, 1905–1930". The Journal of Educational Thought. 14 (2): 108–124. doi: 10.7939/R3R20S542 . ISSN   0022-0701. JSTOR   23768682.
• Thomas, Lewis Gwynne (1959). The Liberal Party in Alberta . Toronto, Ontario: University of Toronto Press. ISBN   9780802050830.

Primary Sources

• Alberta. Legislative Assembly (1915). Alberta Gazette. Vol. XI. Edmonton: Queen's Printer. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
• Alberta. Legislative Assembly (1914). Journals, Second Session of the Third Legislative Assembly of the Province of Alberta. Vol. X. Edmonton: Queen's Printer.

Further reading

• Hamill, Sarah E. (May 2015). "Prohibition Plebiscites on the Prairies: (Not-So) Direct Legislation and Liquor Control in Alberta, 1915–1932" (PDF). Law and History Review. 33 (2): 377–410. doi:10.1017/S0738248015000097. ISSN   0738-2480. S2CID   147335687.
• McCallum, Riane (2017). "Banish the Bar! Temperance Campaigns in Alberta, Late 1800s - Early 1900s". In Shaw, Amy (ed.). Historictiy: Essays on the History of Southern Alberta (PDF). University of Lethbridge. pp. 85–119.