5th Alberta Legislature

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5th Alberta Legislature
Majority parliament
February 2, 1922  May 25, 1926
Coat of arms of Alberta.svg
Parliament leaders
Premier Herbert Greenfield
August 13, 1921 November 23, 1925
John Edward Brownlee
November 23, 1925 July 10, 1934
Cabinets Greenfield cabinet
Brownlee cabinet
Leader of the
Opposition
John Robert Boyle
February 2, 1922 April 12, 1924
Charles Richmond Mitchell
February 19, 1925 March 12, 1926
John C. Bowen
March 15, 1926 June 28, 1926
Party caucuses
Government United Farmers of Alberta
Opposition Liberal Party
Crossbench Dominion Labor Party
Conservative Party
Legislative Assembly
Speaker of the
Assembly
Oran McPherson
February 2, 1922 May 25, 1926
Members61 MLA seats
Sovereign
Monarch George V
May 6, 1910 January 20, 1936
Lieutenant
Governor
Hon. Robert George Brett
October 20, 1915 October 29, 1925
Hon. William Egbert
October 29, 1925 May 5, 1931
Sessions
1st session
February 2, 1922 – March 28, 1922
2nd session
July 25, 1922 – July 31, 1922
3rd session
January 23, 1923 – April 21, 1923
4th session
January 28, 1924 – April 12, 1924
5th session
February 19, 1925 – August 6, 1925
6th session
February 11, 1926 – May 22, 1926
  4th   6th

The 5th Alberta Legislative Assembly was in session from February 2, 1922, to May 25, 1926, with the membership of the assembly determined by the results of the 1921 Alberta general election held on July 18, 1921. The Legislature officially resumed on February 2, 1922, and continued until the sixth session was prorogued on May 22, 1926 and dissolved on May 25, 1926, prior to the 1926 Alberta general election. [1]

Contents

Alberta's fifth government was controlled by the majority United Farmers of Alberta led by Premier Herbert Greenfield, who would resign following a push from the party on November 23, 1925, and was replaced by John Edward Brownlee. The Official Opposition was the Alberta Liberal Party led by John Robert Boyle, and later Charles Richmond Mitchell, and eventually future Lieutenant Governor of Alberta John C. Bowen. The Speaker was Oran McPherson.

Speaker

Premier Herbert Greenfield nominated the government's preferred candidate for speaker, Oran McPherson, only to have one of his UFA backbenchers, Alex Moore, nominate Independent Conservative John Smith Stewart; Stewart spared the government embarrassment by declining the nomination. [2]

Bills

Wheat Board

The Legislature would pass An Act to Confer Certain Powers upon the Canadian Wheat Board (Bill 1) during the short second session in August 1922. The bill conferred powers to the create the Alberta Wheat Pool. [3]

Debt Adjustment Act

The Debt Adjustment Act (Bill 49) of 1923 was designed to adjust farmers' debts to a level that they could actually pay, thus allowing them to carry on while still ensuring that creditors received as much as was feasible. [4] In the words of University of Calgary professor David C. Jones, the bill offered "solace, but no real satisfaction". [5] According to Jones, Greenfield's attempts to rescue southern Alberta from agricultural calamity were probably doomed to failure. [6] Even so, Greenfield had called the situation his top priority, and his failure to bring it to a successful resolution cost him politically. [7]

Government Liquor Control Act of Alberta

The Government Liquor Control Act of Alberta (Bill 14) passed in the fourth session in 1924. The bill repealed prohibition which had been instituted following a 1916 referendum. The Government held a referendum on the matter in autumn 1923 which saw Albertans vote decisively for the repeal of prohibition. Bill 14 would be subject to a free vote in the legislature, and while the legislation passed, the new measures were divisive, pitting community leaders who wanted their towns to remain "dry" against those who wanted to apply for liquor licences, and different would-be saloon-keepers against one another in competing for the government-issued licences. [8]

Membership in the 5th Alberta Legislature

5th Alberta Legislature
 DistrictMemberPartyFirst elected/ previously elected
  Acadia Lorne Proudfoot United Farmers 1921
  Alexandra Peter Enzenauer United Farmers1921
  Athabasca George Mills Liberal 1919
  Beaver River Joseph Dechene Liberal1921
  Bow Valley Charles Mitchell Liberal1910, [a] 1913
  Calgary Alex Ross Dominion Labor 1917
  Robert Edwards Independent1921
  Fred White Dominion Labor1921
  Robert Marshall Liberal1921
  Robert Pearson Independent1917
  William M. Davidson (1923)Liberal1917, [b] 1923
  Camrose Vernor Smith United Farmers1921
  Cardston George Stringam United Farmers1921
  Claresholm Thomas Milnes Independent Farmer1921
  Clearwater Joseph State Liberal1917
  Cochrane Alexander Moore United Farmers1919
  Coronation George Johnston United Farmers1921
  Didsbury Austin Claypool United Farmers1921
  Edmonton Andrew McLennan Liberal1921
  John C. Bowen Liberal1921
  Nellie McClung Liberal1921
  John Boyle Liberal1905
  Jeremiah Heffernan Liberal1921
  William T. Henry (1924)Liberal1924
  Edson Charles Cross Liberal1905
  Gleichen John Buckley United Farmers1921
  Grouard Jean Côté Liberal1909
  Leonidas Giroux (1924)United Farmers1924
  Hand Hills Gordon Forster United Farmers1921
  High River Samuel Brown United Farmers1921
  Innisfail Donald Cameron United Farmers1921
  Lac Ste. Anne Charles McKeen United Farmers1921
  Lacombe Irene Parlby United Farmers1921
  Leduc Stanley Tobin Liberal1913
  Lethbridge John Stewart Conservative 1911
  Little Bow Oran McPherson United Farmers1921
  Macleod William Shield United Farmers1921
  Medicine Hat Perren Baker United Farmers1921
  William Johnston (1921)Dominion Labor1921
  Charles Pingle (1925)Liberal1913, [c] 1925
  Nanton Daniel Galbraith United Farmers1921
  Okotoks George Hoadley United Farmers1909 [d]
  Olds Nelson Smith United Farmers1921
  Peace River Donald Kennedy United Farmers1921
  Herbert Greenfield (1921)United Farmers1921
  Pembina George MacLachlan United Farmers1921
  Pincher Creek Earle Cook United Farmers1921
  Ponoka Percival Baker United Farmers1921
  John Brownlee (1921)United Farmers1921
  Red Deer George Smith United Farmers1921
  Redcliff William Smith United Farmers1921
  Ribstone Charles Wright United Farmers1921
  William Farquharson (1922)United Farmers1922
  Rocky Mountain Philip Christophers Dominion Labor1921
  Sedgewick Charles Stewart Liberal1909
  Albert Andrews (1922)United Farmers1922
  St. Albert Télesphore St. Arnaud United Farmers1921
  Stettler Albert Sanders United Farmers1921
  St. Paul Laudas Joly United Farmers1921
  Stony Plain Willard Washburn United Farmers1921
  Sturgeon Samuel Carson United Farmers1921
  Taber Lawrence Peterson United Farmers1921
  Vegreville Archie Matheson United Farmers1921
  Vermilion Richard Reid United Farmers1921
  Victoria William Fedun United Farmers1921
  Wainwright John Love United Farmers1921
  Warner Maurice Conner United Farmers1921
  Wetaskiwin Evert Sparks United Farmers1921
  Whitford Andrew Shandro Liberal1913
  Mike Chornohus (1922)United Farmers1922

Notes:

    Standings changes since the 5th general election

    Changes to party standings during the 5th Alberta Legislature
    July 11, 1921, to November 14, 1922
    Number of members
    per party by date
    19211922
    Jul 11Jul 18Jul 20Aug 1Nov 16Dec 2Dec 4Dec 29Mar 28Jul 3Jul 10Nov 14
      United Farmers 03837363338373840
    Liberal 2151413
      Dominion Labor 0434
     Independent021
      Conservative 01
     Independent Farmer01
    Total members26160595561605958596160
    Vacant5901260123201
    Government MajorityN/A15141311171181191181191211221
    January 15, 1923, to March 18, 1926
    Number of members
    per party by date
    1923192419251926
    Jan 15Aug 10Nov 10Apr 12Jul 11Aug 27Oct 27Jun 6Sep 29Oct 15Oct 17Mar 18
      United Farmers 40
    Liberal 13121112111213109
      Dominion Labor 43
     Independent21
      Conservative 10
     Independent Farmer10
    Total members6160596059605960555453
    Vacant012101010567
    Government Majority211221231221231221231221271281291
    1. Majority includes 1 Dominion Labor MLA appointed to the cabinet.
    Membership changes in the 5th Assembly
    DateMember NameDistrictPartyReason
     July 11, 1921 Charles Stewart Sedgewick Liberal Acclaimed in the 1921 general election
     July 11, 1921 Andrew Shandro Whitford LiberalAcclaimed in the 1921 general election
     July 18, 1921See List of MembersElection day of the fifth Alberta general election
     July 20, 1921 Percival Baker Ponoka United Farmers Died before taking office
     August 1, 1921 Donald Kennedy Peace River United FarmersResigned to run in the 1921 federal election.
     November 16, 1921 Alex Ross Calgary Dominion Labor Resigned to run in a ministerial by-election
     November 16, 1921 Vernor Smith Camrose United FarmersResigned to run in a ministerial by-election
     November 16, 1921 Perren Baker Medicine Hat United FarmersResigned to run in a ministerial by-election
     November 16, 1921 George Hoadley Okotoks United FarmersResigned to run in a ministerial by-election
     December 2, 1921Alex RossCalgaryDominion LaborAcclaimed for December 9, 1921, by-election
     December 2, 1921Vernor SmithCamroseUnited FarmersAcclaimed for December 9, 1921, by-election
     December 2, 1921Perren BakerMedicine HatUnited FarmersAcclaimed for December 9, 1921, by-election
     December 2, 1921George HoadleyOkotoksUnited FarmersAcclaimed for December 9, 1921, by-election
     December 2, 1921 Herbert Greenfield Peace RiverUnited FarmersAcclaimed for December 9, 1921, by-election
     December 2, 1921 John Brownlee PonokaUnited FarmersAcclaimed for December 9, 1921, by-election
     December 4, 1921Andrew ShandroWhitfordLiberalRemoved from office by court order 1921 election voided
     December 29, 1921Charles StewartSedgewickLiberalAppointed to the federal cabinet.
     March 28, 1922 Charles Wright RibstoneUnited FarmersDied from pneumonia
     July 3, 1922 Albert Andrews SedgewickUnited FarmersAcclaimed for July 10, 1922, by-election
     July 10, 1922 William Farquharson RibstoneUnited FarmersElected in a by-election
     July 10, 1922 Mike Chornohus WhitfordUnited FarmersElected in a by-election
     November 14, 1922 Robert Edwards CalgaryIndependentDied
     January 15, 1923 William Davidson CalgaryIndependentElected in a by-election
     August 10, 1923 Joseph State Clearwater LiberalDied
     November 10, 1923 Jean Côté Grouard LiberalAppointed to the Senate of Canada
    April 12, 1924VacantClearwaterVacantDistrict abolished by the United Farmers government.
     July 11, 1924 Leonidas Giroux GrouardLiberalElected in a by-election
     August 27, 1924 John Boyle Edmonton LiberalAppointed to the bench
     October 27, 1924 William Henry EdmontonLiberalElected in a by-election
     June 6, 1925 William Johnston Medicine HatDominion LaborDied
     September 29, 1925 Charles Pingle Medicine HatLiberalElected in a by-election
     October 15, 19251 Charles Cross Edson LiberalResigned to run in the 1925 federal election
     October 15, 19251 Thomas Milnes ClaresholmIndependent FarmerResigned to run in the 1925 federal election
     October 15, 19251 Andrew McLennan EdmontonLiberalResigned to run in the 1925 federal election
     October 15, 19251 Stanley Tobin Leduc LiberalResigned to run in the 1925 federal election
     October 15, 19251 John Stewart Lethbridge Conservative Resigned to run in the 1925 federal election
     October 17, 1925William DavidsonCalgaryIndependentResigned to run in the 1925 federal election
     March 18, 1926 Charles Mitchell Bow Valley LiberalResigned to accept judicial appointment.
     May 1926 George Mills Athabasca Independent LiberalLeft the Liberal caucus to run as an Independent Liberal
    1. Exact date the Speaker received resignation unknown, nomination deadline date for the 1925 federal election used. All were received by Speaker Oran McPherson after September 29 and before October 17.

    Notes

    1. Medicine Hat
    2. North Calgary
    3. Redcliff
    4. First elected as Conservative

    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. 495. ISBN   0-9689217-3-6 . Retrieved 9 August 2020.
    2. Foster 2004, p. 75.
    3. Foster 2004, p. 82.
    4. Foster 1981, pp. 63–64.
    5. Jones 2004, p. 64.
    6. Jones 2004, p. 65.
    7. Jones 2004, p. 63.
    8. Foster 1981, p. 107.

    Works cited

    Further reading