25th Alberta Legislature

The 25th Alberta Legislative Assembly was in session from April 9, 2001, to October 25, 2004, with the membership of the assembly determined by the results of the 2001 Alberta general election held on March 12, 2001. The Legislature officially resumed on April 9, 2001, and continued until the fourth session was prorogued and dissolved on October 25, 2004, prior to the 2004 Alberta general election on November 22, 2004.[1]

25th Alberta Legislature
Majority parliament
April 9, 2001  October 25, 2004
Parliament leaders
Premier
(cabinet)
Ralph Klein
(Klein cabinet)
December 14, 1992 December 14, 2006
Leader of the
Opposition
Ken Nicol
March 12, 2001 March 14, 2004
Party caucuses
GovernmentProgressive Conservative Association
OppositionLiberal Party
RecognizedNew Democratic Party
UnrecognizedAlberta Alliance
Legislative Assembly
Speaker of the
Assembly
Ken Kowalski
April 14, 1997 – May 23, 2012
Government
House Leader
Dave Hancock
May 26, 1999 November 24, 2006
Members83 MLA seats
Sovereign
MonarchElizabeth II
February 6, 1952 present
Lieutenant
Governor
Hon. Lois Hole
February 10, 2000 January 6, 2005
Sessions
1st Session
April 9, 2001 – November 29, 2001
2nd Session
February 26, 2002 – December 4, 2002
3rd Session
February 18, 2003 – December 3, 2003
4th Session
February 17, 2004 – October 24, 2004
<24th 26th>

Alberta's twenty-fifth government was controlled by the majority Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta, led by Premier Ralph Klein. The Official Opposition was led by Ken Nicol of the Liberal Party. The Speaker was Ken Kowalski. With the exception of the three MLAs listed below, all members held their seats until dissolution of the legislature.

History

The 25th Legislative Assembly was ushered in with a massive Progressive Conservative majority, with Alberta being dubbed Ralph's World following the 2001 general election. The official opposition Liberals began a turbulent period that would see the party go through four leaders.

The third party Alberta New Democrats also changed leaders in July 2004 with the retirement of Raj Pannu and choice of Brian Mason as new leader.[2]

Towards the end of the legislature for the first time since 1985, a new party caucus was formed. Edmonton-Norwood MLA Gary Masyk would cross the floor to the Alberta Alliance which had been formed in 2002 and registered in 2003 creating the caucus for that party. His reason for leaving was the Premier's interference in the 2004 federal election that coincided with a sharp decline in poll numbers that kept the federal Conservatives from winning the election. His electoral district was also abolished in the 2004 Alberta Boundary Re-distribution.

Support the Progressive Conservatives softened through the reign of the Assembly but still remained high during the 2004 general election.

Bills

Adult Interdependent Relationships Act

The Adult Interdependent Relationships Act (S.A. 2002, c. A-4.5)[3] was passed by the Alberta Legislature on December 4, 2002, and proclaimed in force on June 1, 2003.[4] The act did not amend Alberta's Marriage Act, but did amend 69 other Alberta laws following the 1999 landmark Supreme Court of Canada ruling in the case of M. v. H., which essentially required all provinces to extend the benefits of common-law marriage to same-sex couples, under the equality provisions of Section Fifteen of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.[5] Owing to the conservative political climate in the province, the government of Alberta was slow to respond, but in 2000 Alberta did amend the provincial Marriage Act to specifically limit marriage to different-sex couples. The Act was based on the January 2002 Alberta Law Reform Institute recommendations in Recognition of Rights and Obligations in Same-Sex Relationships which was funded in part by the provincial government.[6]

Electoral Divisions Act

The Electoral Divisions Act (S.A. 2003, c. E-4.1)[7] was passed by the Alberta Legislature during the third session, and received Royal Assent on May 15, 2003. The Act implemented the recommendations of the Final Report of the Electoral Boundaries Commission, chaired by former Social Credit MLA and Alberta's Ethics Commissioner Robert Curtis Clark which delineated the new electoral boundaries for the upcoming 2004 Alberta general election and the 26th Alberta Legislature. The new electoral boundaries retained a total of 83 seats, with Calgary gaining two seats, Edmonton losing one seat, and one of the "special consideration" divisions (due to its isolation, it is allowed to have a population below 75% of the provincial average) was eliminated, leaving Dunvegan-Central Peace the last remaining special consideration district.[8]

Members of the 25th Legislature by district

  District Member Party Notes
  Athabasca-Wabasca Mike Cardinal Progressive Conservative
  Airdrie-Rocky View Carol Haley Progressive Conservative
  Banff-Cochrane Janis Tarchuk Progressive Conservative
  Barrhead-Westlock Ken Kowalski Progressive Conservative
  Bonnyville-Cold Lake Denis Ducharme Progressive Conservative
  Calgary-Bow Alana DeLong Progressive Conservative
  Calgary-Buffalo Harvey Cenaiko Progressive Conservative
  Calgary-Cross Yvonne Fritz Progressive Conservative
  Calgary Currie Jon Lord Progressive Conservative
  Calgary-East Moe Amery Progressive Conservative
  Calgary-Egmont Denis Herard Progressive Conservative
  Calgary Elbow Ralph Klein Progressive Conservative
  Calgary Fish Creek Heather Forsyth Progressive Conservative
  Calgary-Foothills Pat Nelson Progressive Conservative
  Calgary-Fort Wayne Cao Progressive Conservative
  Calgary-Glenmore Ron Stevens Progressive Conservative
  Calgary Lougheed Marlene Graham Progressive Conservative
  Calgary McCall Shiraz Shariff Progressive Conservative
  Calgary Montrose Hung Pham Progressive Conservative
  Calgary-Mountain View Mark Hlady Progressive Conservative
  Calgary-North Hill Richard Magnus Progressive Conservative
  Calgary North West Greg Melchin Progressive Conservative
  Calgary Nose Creek Gary Mar Progressive Conservative
  Calgary Shaw Cindy Ady Progressive Conservative
  Calgary-Varsity Murray Smith Progressive Conservative
  Calgary West Karen Kryczka Progressive Conservative
  Cardston-Taber-Warner Broyce Jacobs Progressive Conservative
  Clover Bar-Fort Saskatchewan Rob Lougheed Progressive Conservative
  Cypress-Medicine Hat Lorne Taylor Progressive Conservative
  Drayton Valley-Calmar Tony Abbott Progressive Conservative
  Drumheller-Chinook Shirley McClellan Progressive Conservative
  Dunvegan Hector Goudreau Progressive Conservative
  Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview Julius Yankowsky Progressive Conservative
  Edmonton-Calder Brent Rathgeber Progressive Conservative
  Edmonton Castle Downs Thomas Lukaszuk Progressive Conservative
  Edmonton Centre Laurie Blakeman Liberal
  Edmonton Ellerslie Debby Carlson Liberal Resigned
Vacant at dissolution
  Edmonton-Glengarry Bill Bonner Liberal
  Edmonton-Glenora Drew Hutton Progressive Conservative
  Edmonton-Gold Bar Hugh MacDonald Liberal
     Edmonton-Highlands Brian Mason NDP
  Edmonton Manning Tony Vandermeer Progressive Conservative
  Edmonton-McClung Mark Norris Progressive Conservative
  Edmonton Meadowlark Bob Maskell Progressive Conservative
  Edmonton Mill Creek Gene Zwozdesky Progressive Conservative
  Edmonton-Mill Woods Don Massey Liberal
  Edmonton-Norwood Gary Masyk Progressive Conservative Crossed the floor
Alberta Alliance
  Edmonton Riverview Kevin Taft Liberal
  Edmonton Rutherford Ian McClelland Progressive Conservative
     Edmonton-Strathcona Raj Pannu NDP
  Edmonton-Whitemud David Hancock Progressive Conservative
  Fort McMurray Guy Boutilier Progressive Conservative
  Grande Prairie-Smoky Mel Knight Progressive Conservative
  Grande Prairie-Wapiti Gordon Graydon Progressive Conservative
  Highwood Don Tannas Progressive Conservative
  Innisfail-Sylvan Lake Luke Ouellette Progressive Conservative
  Lac La Biche-St. Paul Ray Danyluk Progressive Conservative
  Lacombe-Stettler Judy Gordon Progressive Conservative
  Lesser Slave Lake Pearl Calahasen Progressive Conservative
  Leduc Albert Klapstein Progressive Conservative
  Lethbridge-East Ken Nicol Liberal Resigned
Vacant at dissolution
  Lethbridge-West Clint Dunford Progressive Conservative
  Little Bow Barry McFarland Progressive Conservative
  Livingstone-Macleod David Coutts Progressive Conservative
  Medicine Hat Rob Renner Progressive Conservative
  Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills Richard Marz Progressive Conservative
  Peace River Gary Friedel Progressive Conservative
  Ponoka-Rimbey Halvar Jonson Progressive Conservative
  Red Deer North Mary Anne Jablonski Progressive Conservative
  Red Deer South Victor Doerksen Progressive Conservative
  Redwater Dave Broda Progressive Conservative
  Rocky Mountain House Ty Lund Progressive Conservative
  Sherwood Park Iris Evans Progressive Conservative
  St. Albert Mary O'Neill Progressive Conservative
  Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert Doug Horner Progressive Conservative
  Stony Plain Stan Woloshyn Progressive Conservative
  Strathmore-Brooks Lyle Oberg Progressive Conservative
  Vegreville-Viking Ed Stelmach Progressive Conservative
  Vermilion-Lloydminster Lloyd Snelgrove Progressive Conservative
  Wainwright Robert Fischer Progressive Conservative Resigned
  Doug Griffiths Progressive Conservative Elected by-election
  West Yellowhead Ivan Strang Progressive Conservative
  Wetaskiwin-Camrose LeRoy Johnson Progressive Conservative
  Whitecourt-Ste. Anne George VanderBurg Progressive Conservative

Standings changes during the 25th Assembly

Number of members
per party by date
2001 2002 2004
Mar 12 Dec 31 Apr 8 May 25 May 28 Jun 29
  Progressive Conservative 74 73 74 73
Liberal 7 6 5
     NDP 2
Alberta Alliance 0 1
Total members 83 82 83 82 81
Vacant 0 1 0 1 2
Government Majority 65 64 65 66 67 65
  1. December 31, 2001 Robert Fischer, Wainwright resigns
  2. April 8, 2002 Doug Griffiths, Wainwright elected in a by-election
  3. May 25, 2004 Ken Nicol, Lethbridge-East resigns to run in a federal election
  4. May 28, 2004 Debby Carlson, Edmonton Ellerslie resigned to run in a federal election
  5. June 29, 2004 Gary Masyk, Edmonton Norwood crossed the floor to the Alberta Alliance

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. 504. ISBN 0-9689217-3-6. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  2. "NDP Leader Brian Mason". CBC News. March 16, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  3. Adult Interdependent Relationships Act, S.A. 2002, c. A-4.5
  4. Dobbie, Peter J. (April 26, 2003). "Adult Interdependent Relationships Act: Estate Planning and Administration Issues for General Practitioners" (PDF). Duncan & Craig LLP. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 11, 2006. Retrieved July 29, 2007.
  5. Elliott, R. Douglas. "The Canadian Earthquake: Same-sex Marriage in Canada" (PDF). The New England Law Review. 38 (3): 608, 610. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 4, 2006. Retrieved July 29, 2007.
  6. Alberta Law Review (January 2002). "Recognition of Rights and Obligations in Same-Sex Relationships" (PDF). Edmonton, Alta.: Alberta Law Reform Institute. ISBN 9781896078090. ISSN 0838-0503. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2007.
  7. Electoral Divisions Act, S.A. 2003, c. E-4.1
  8. Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission (February 2003). "Proposed Electoral Division Areas, Boundaries, and Names for Alberta. Final Report to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta". Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Retrieved May 29, 2020.

Further reading

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