Alberta Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women

The Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women is appointed by the Premier of Alberta. The Ministry is then divided into the Department of Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women; Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and the Alberta Advisory Council on the Francophonie.[1]

The culture, multiculturalism, and status of women portfolios of the Alberta government have previously been overseen by separate ministers. They have also been sections within the portfolio of the same minister. These portfolios have also each been joined to other government departments at various points.

The Cultural Affairs Department was founded in 1975 by Order in Council 518/1975, under the authority of the Public Service Administrative Transfers Act. The minister responsible for this was known as the Minister Responsible for Culture (1975–1980), Minister of Culture (1980–1987), and Minister of Culture and Multiculturalism (1987–1992).[2]

Agencies which reported to the minister included the Alberta Cultural Heritage Foundation (1978–1987), Alberta Multiculturalism Commission (1987–1992), Alberta Art Foundation (1972–1991), Alberta Foundation for the Performing Arts (1978–1991), Alberta Foundation for the Literary Arts (1984–1991), Alberta Foundation for the Arts (1991–1992), Alberta Library Board (1948–1992), and Alberta Advisory Council on the Status of Women (1986–1987). During this time the minister was responsible for implementing the following legislation: Alberta Academy Act, Alberta Art Foundation Act, Alberta Emblems Act, Alberta Foundation for the Arts Act, Alberta Heritage Day Act, Alberta Historical Resources Act, Alberta Order of Excellence Act, Alberta Women's Bureau Act, Amusements Act (Part 3), Cultural Development Act, Cultural Foundations Act, Department of Culture Act, Department of Culture and Multiculturalism Act, Foreign Cultural Property Immunity Act, Glenbow-Alberta Institute Act, Government House Act, Libraries Act, and Registered Music Teachers' Association Act.[2]

During the 1992 restructuring the former Department of Culture and Multiculturalism and former Department of Tourism, Parks, and Recreation were dissolved and replaced by the Ministry of Community Development. This contained all of the current components of the ministry (along with parks). From 2006 to 2008 this ministry was renamed Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture. On March 12, 2008 culture was broken out in a new ministry called Alberta Culture and Community Spirit (it was renamed simply Alberta Culture on May 8, 2012).

In 2014, Culture was reunited with Tourism (including recreation), but this time without Alberta Parks, which moved to the Ministry of Environment and Parks. From September 15, 2014 to April 30, 2019, the ministry was called Alberta Culture and Tourism and the ministry included Travel Alberta, the tourism marketing agency of the ministry,[3] the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation, also known as Alberta Sport Connection, as a non-profit Crown corporation,[4] the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Alberta Historical Resources Foundation, and Government House Foundation.[5]

As of 2019, the ministry consists of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and the Alberta Advisory Council on the Francophonie, plus the Department of Alberta Culture, Muliticulturalism, and Status of Women which reports directly to the minister.[6]

• List of Alberta provincial parks