27th Alberta Legislature

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27th Alberta Legislature
Majority parliament
April 14, 2008 – March 26, 2012
Coat of arms of Alberta.svg
Parliament leaders
Premier Ed Stelmach
December 14, 2006 – October 7, 2011
Alison Redford
October 7, 2011 – March 23, 2014
Cabinets Stelmach cabinet
Redford cabinet
Leader of the
Opposition 		David Swann
December 15, 2008 – September 10, 2011
Raj Sherman
September 12, 2011 – April 23, 2012
Party caucuses
Government Progressive Conservative Association
Opposition Liberal Party
Recognized Wildrose Party
New Democratic Party
Unrecognized Alberta Party
Legislative Assembly
Speaker of the
Assembly 		Ken Kowalski
April 14, 1997 – May 23, 2012
Government
House Leader		 Dave Hancock
March 12, 2008 – September 5, 2013
Members83 MLA seats
Sovereign
Monarch Elizabeth II
February 6, 1952 – September 8, 2022
Lieutenant
Governor 		Hon. Norman Kwong
January 20, 2005 – May 11, 2010
Hon. Donald Ethell
May 11, 2010 – June 12, 2015
Sessions
1st session
April 14, 2008 – December 4, 2008
2nd session
February 10, 2009 – November 26, 2009
3rd session
February 4, 2010 – December 2, 2010
4th session
February 22, 2011 – December 8, 2011
5th session
February 7, 2012 – March 22, 2012
←  26th →  28th

The 27th Alberta Legislative Assembly was in session from April 14, 2008, to March 26, 2012, with the membership of the assembly determined by the results of the 2008 Alberta general election held on March 3, 2008. The Legislature officially resumed on April 14, 2008, and continued until the fifth session was prorogued on March 22, 2012, and dissolved on March 26, 2012, [1] prior to the 2012 Alberta general election on April 23, 2012.

Contents

Alberta's twenty-sixth government was controlled by the majority Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta, led by Premier Ed Stelmach until his resignation on October 7, 2011, where he was succeeded by Alison Redford. The Official Opposition was led by David Swann of the Liberal Party, and later Raj Sherman. The Speaker was Ken Kowalski.

Election aftermath

The result of the 2008 election resulted in the Progressive Conservative party strengthening their ranks and picking up many districts. The results had fooled most of the pundits who were predicting quite the opposite.

Premier Ed Stelmach shuffled the Cabinet on March 13, 2008. The more notable members of his cabinet included Ron Liepert, Lindsay Blackett and Mel Knight. The opposition criticized Stelmach for not reducing the size of cabinet which had become bloated to record levels.

1st Session

The 1st Session of the 27th Alberta Legislature began on April 14, 2008, with the re-election of Ken Kowalski as speaker of the assembly defeating Laurie Blakeman on the first ballot. [2]

The first throne speech during the assembly was read by Normie Kwong the next day. The 1st session was marked by a number of initiatives that cast the government in a negative light.

No Meet Committee

In March 2012 it came to light that the "Select Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing", a committee of the Legislative Assembly had not sat for over three years, despite each member of the committee receiving a $1,000 stipend. The committee was chaired by Ray Prins, a backbench Progressive Conservative MLA for Lacombe-Ponoka who received an additional $38,000 per year for the appointment. The committee's 21 members included individuals from all political parities in the Assembly. [3] In response, Premier Alison Redford instituted a freeze on committee pay and announced members would have to return six months of pay. After public criticism continued, Redford ordered all Progressive Conservative MLAs to pay back all pay received since the committee last met. [4]

Budget

Budget 2012

Budget 2012: Investing in People was presented in the Legislature by Minister of Finance Ron Liepert on February 9, 2012. The budget projected CA$40.3-billion in revenue, with $41.1-billion in expenses and a total deficit of $886-million. [5] The budget would outline government direction towards results-based budgeting and reviews of all government programs and services, and lay the groundwork for three-year funding cycles for municipalities, school boards and post-secondary institutions. [6] The budget projected a path to balance in the next fiscal year, with a projected surplus of $952-million. The projected economic growth for 2012 in Alberta was 3.8%, and West Texas Intermediate benchmark at USD$99.25 per barrel. [7]

Membership in the 27th Alberta Legislative Assembly

MemberPartyConstituencyFirst elected/ previously electedNo.# of term(s)
  Rob Anderson Progressive Conservative Airdrie-Chestermere 20081st term
  Wildrose Alliance
  Jeff Johnson Progressive Conservative Athabasca-Redwater 20081st term
  Janis Tarchuk Progressive Conservative Banff-Cochrane 19974th term
  Ken Kowalski Progressive Conservative Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock 19799th term
  Doug Griffiths Progressive Conservative Battle River-Wainwright 20023rd term
  Genia Leskiw Progressive Conservative Bonnyville-Cold Lake 20081st term
  Alana DeLong Progressive Conservative Calgary-Bow 20013rd term
  Kent Hehr Liberal Calgary-Buffalo 20081st term
  Yvonne Fritz Progressive Conservative Calgary-Cross 19935th term
  Dave Taylor Liberal Calgary-Currie 20042nd term
 Independent
  Alberta Party
  Moe Amery Progressive Conservative Calgary-East 19935th term
  Jonathan Denis Progressive Conservative Calgary-Egmont 20081st term
  Alison Redford Progressive Conservative Calgary-Elbow 20081st term
  Heather Forsyth Progressive Conservative Calgary-Fish Creek 19935th term
 Wildrose Alliance
  Len Webber Progressive Conservative Calgary Foothills 20042nd term
  Wayne Cao Progressive Conservative Calgary-Fort 19974th term
  Ron Stevens Progressive Conservative Calgary-Glenmore 19974th term
  Paul Hinman (2009)Wildrose Alliance2004, [a] 20092nd term*
  Arthur Johnston Progressive Conservative Calgary-Hays 20042nd term
  David Rodney Progressive Conservative Calgary Lougheed 20042nd term
  Teresa Woo-Paw Progressive Conservative Calgary Mackay 20081st term
  Darshan Kang Liberal Calgary-McCall 20081st term
  Manmeet Bhullar Progressive Conservative Calgary-Montrose 20081st term
  David Swann Liberal Calgary-Mountain View 20042nd term
  Kyle Fawcett Progressive Conservative Calgary-North Hill 20081st term
  Lindsay Blackett Progressive Conservative Calgary-North West 20081st term
  Neil Brown Progressive Conservative Calgary-Nose Hill 20042nd term
  Cindy Ady Progressive Conservative Calgary-Shaw 20013rd term
  Harry B. Chase Liberal Calgary-Varsity 20042nd term
  Ron Liepert Progressive Conservative Calgary West 20042nd term
  Broyce Jacobs Progressive Conservative Cardston-Taber-Warner 2001, 20082nd term*
  Leonard Mitzel Progressive Conservative Cypress-Medicine Hat 20042nd term
  Diana McQueen Progressive Conservative Drayton Valley-Calmar 20081st term
  Jack Hayden Progressive Conservative Drumheller-Stettler 20072nd term
  Hector Goudreau Progressive Conservative Dunvegan 20013rd term
  Tony Vandermeer Progressive Conservative Edmonton Beverly Clareview 2001, [b] 20082nd term*
  Doug Elniski Progressive Conservative Edmonton-Calder 20081st term
  Thomas Lukaszuk Progressive Conservative Edmonton-Castle Downs 20013rd term
  Laurie Blakeman Liberal Edmonton-Centre 19974th term
  Janice Sarich Progressive Conservative Edmonton Decore 20081st term
  Naresh Bhardwaj Progressive Conservative Edmonton-Ellerslie 20081st term
  Heather Klimchuk Progressive Conservative Edmonton-Glenora 20081st term
  Hugh MacDonald Liberal Edmonton-Gold Bar 19974th term
  Brian Mason NDP Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood 20004th term
  Peter Sandhu Progressive Conservative Edmonton Manning 20081st term
  David Xiao Progressive Conservative Edmonton McClung 20081st term
  Raj Sherman Progressive Conservative Edmonton Meadowlark 20081st term
 Independent
 Independent Liberal
 Liberal
  Gene Zwozdesky Progressive Conservative Edmonton Mill Creek 1993 [c] 5th term
  Carl Benito Progressive Conservative Edmonton-Mill Woods 20081st term
  Kevin Taft Liberal Edmonton-Riverview 20013rd term
  Fred Horne Progressive Conservative Edmonton-Rutherford 20081st term
  Rachel Notley NDP Edmonton Strathcona 20081st term
  Dave Hancock Progressive Conservative Edmonton-Whitemud 19974th term
  Ted Morton Progressive Conservative Foothills-Rocky View 20042nd term
  Guy Boutilier Progressive Conservative Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo 19974th term
 Independent
 Independent Wildrose Alliance
 Wildrose
  Ed Stelmach Progressive Conservative Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville 19935th term
  Mel Knight Progressive Conservative Grande Prairie Smoky 20013rd term
  Wayne Drysdale Progressive Conservative Grande Prairie Wapiti 20081st term
  George Groeneveld Progressive Conservative Highwood 20042nd term
  Luke Ouellette Progressive Conservative Innisfail-Sylvan Lake 20013rd term
  Ray Danyluk Progressive Conservative Lac La Biche-St. Paul 20013rd term
  Ray Prins Progressive Conservative Lacombe-Ponoka 20042nd term
  George Rogers Progressive Conservative Leduc-Beaumont-Devon 20042nd term
  Pearl Calahasen Progressive Conservative Lesser Slave Lake 19896th term
  Bridget Pastoor Liberal Lethbridge-East 20042nd term
 Progressive Conservative
  Greg Weadick Progressive Conservative Lethbridge-West 20081st term
  Barry McFarland Progressive Conservative Little Bow 19926th term
  Evan Berger Progressive Conservative Livingstone-Macleod 20081st term
  Rob Renner Progressive Conservative Medicine Hat 19935th term
  Richard Marz Progressive Conservative Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills 19974th term
 Vacant
  Frank Oberle Progressive Conservative Peace River 20042nd term
  Mary Anne Jablonski Progressive Conservative Red Deer North 20004th term
  Cal Dallas Progressive Conservative Red Deer South 20081st term
  Ty Lund Progressive Conservative Rocky Mountain House 19896th term
  Iris Evans Progressive Conservative Sherwood Park 19974th term
  Doug Horner Progressive Conservative Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert 20013rd term
  Ken Allred Progressive Conservative St. Albert 20081st term
  Fred Lindsay Progressive Conservative Stony Plain 20042nd term
  Dave Quest Progressive Conservative Strathcona 20081st term
  Arno Doerksen Progressive Conservative Strathmore-Brooks 20081st term
  Lloyd Snelgrove Progressive Conservative Vermilion-Lloydminster 20013rd term
 Independent
  Robin Campbell Progressive Conservative West Yellowhead 20081st term
  Verlyn Olson Progressive Conservative Wetaskiwin-Camrose 20081st term
  George VanderBurg Progressive Conservative Whitecourt-Ste. Anne 20013rd term

Seating plan

AllredSandhuXiaoAndersonForsythLeskiw
McQueenFawcettDallasDenisJohnsonDoerksenQuestTaftPastoorChaseKang
CaoMitzelJohnstonWeadickDrysdaleBrownVandermeerMacDonaldTaylorSwannBlakemanHehrMasonNotley
Kowalski
AdyGroenveldRedfordOuelletteKnightHornerEvansSnelgroveStelmachHancockLiepertRennerZwozdeskyTarchukGoudreauMortonLindsay
BoutilierMarzOlsonRogersWebberKlimchukBlackettCampbellOberleFritzHaydenDanylukJablonskiPrinsHorneSarich
BergerLundVanderBurgMcFarlandRodneyBhardwajWoo-PawBhullarDeLongGriffithsLukaszukCalahasenShermanElniskiAmeryBenitoJacobs

Official Seating Plan (Retrieved December 9, 2009)

Standings changes during the 27th Assembly

Number of members
per party by date		20082009201020112012
Mar 3May 15Jul 18Sep 14Jan 4Apr 12Jun 24Oct 25Nov 22Jan 24Mar 15Sep 12Nov 21Jan 27Mar
Progressive Conservative 7271706867686766
Liberal 9898
Wildrose 0134
New Democratic 2
  Alberta Party 01
 Independent01212101
 Independent Liberal0120
 Independent Wildrose Alliance0110
Total members83828382
Vacant0101
Government Majority616058575351535150
  1. Guy Boutilier began caucusing with the Wildrose Alliance on June 24, 2010, but kept independent status due to a $40,000.00 difference in private members research funding. [8]
  2. Raj Sherman joined the Liberal party, but did not officially join the Liberal caucus, however, he did become the Liberal leader on September 10, 2011.
Membership changes in the 27th Assembly
DateNameDistrictPartyReason
 March 3, 2008See List of MembersElection day of the 27th Alberta general election
 May 15, 2009 Ron Stevens Calgary-Glenmore Progressive Conservative Resigned seat to accept a judicial appointment.
 July 18, 2009 Guy Boutilier Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo IndependentRemoved from the Progressive Conservative caucus.
 September 14, 2009 Paul Hinman Calgary-Glenmore Wildrose Alliance Elected in a by-election.
 January 4, 2010 Rob Anderson Airdrie-Chestermere Wildrose AllianceCrossed the floor from the Progressive Conservative caucus
 January 4, 2010 Heather Forsyth Calgary-Fish Creek Wildrose AllianceCrossed the floor from the Progressive Conservative caucus
 April 12, 2010 Dave Taylor Calgary-Currie IndependentLeft Liberal caucus to sit as an Independent.
 June 24, 2010Guy BoutilierFort McMurray-Wood BuffaloIndependent Wildrose AllianceJoined the Wildrose Alliance as an Independent. [8]
 October 25, 2010Guy BoutilierFort McMurray-Wood BuffaloWildrose AllianceFully joined Wildrose Alliance caucus
 November 22, 2010 Raj Sherman Edmonton-Meadowlark IndependentRemoved from Progressive Conservative caucus
 January 24, 2011Dave TaylorCalgary-Currie Alberta Party Joined Alberta Party
 March 15, 2011Raj ShermanEdmonton-MeadowlarkIndependent LiberalJoined the Liberal Party, but not the caucus.
 June 26, 2011See List of Members Wildrose Caucus name changed from Wildrose Alliance to Wildrose
 September 12, 2011Raj ShermanEdmonton-MeadowlarkLiberalJoined the Liberal caucus. [9]
 November 21, 2011 Bridget Pastoor Lethbridge-East Progressive ConservativeCrossed the floor from the Liberal caucus [10]
 January 27, 2012 Lloyd Snelgrove Vermilion-Lloydminster IndependentLeft the Progressive Conservative caucus due to issues with Premier Redford. [11]
 March 2012 Richard Marz Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills Progressive ConservativeVacated seat [12]

Notes

  1. ↑ Cardston-Taber-Warner
  2. ↑ Edmonton-Manning
  3. ↑ First elected as a Liberal

References

  1. ↑ Journals of the Twenty-Seventh Legislature of the Province of Alberta: Fourth and Fifth Sessions (PDF) (CXIX ed.). Edmonton: Legislative Assembly of Alberta. 2012. p. 119. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Legislative Assembly of Alberta: The 27th Legislature, Hansard" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Legislative Assembly of Alberta. April 14, 2008. pp. 1–2.
  3. ↑ "Alberta MLAs earned thousands for committee that never meets". CBC News . Edmonton. The Canadian Press. March 7, 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  4. ↑ Gerein, Keith (June 15, 2012). "UPDATE: Who's paid back their "no-meet" committee money?". Edmonton Journal . Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Budget 2012: Investing in People - Overview (Fact Card)" (PDF). open.alberta.ca. Government of Alberta. 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Budget 2012: Investing in People - Speech: 2012 Address" (PDF). open.alberta.ca. Government of Alberta. 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Province delivers Budget 2012". CTV News . February 9, 2012. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  8. 1 2 "MLA delays joining Wildrose due to funding". CBC News. July 29, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Liberal leader Sherman now caucus member". CBC News. September 12, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  10. ↑ Cryderman, Kelly (November 21, 2011). "Lethbridge MLA Pastoor crosses floor to join Conservatives". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on November 23, 2011. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Snelgrove resigns from Tory caucus". Edmonton Journal. January 27, 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  12. ↑ "Contact Information for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills". Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
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