5th Alberta Legislature

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]

5th Alberta Legislature
Majority parliament
2 February 1922 – 25 May 1926
Parliament leaders
PremierHerbert Greenfield
August 13, 1921 – November 23, 1925
John Edward Brownlee
November 23, 1925 – July 10, 1934
CabinetsGreenfield 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
GovernmentUnited Farmers of Alberta
OppositionLiberal Party
CrossbenchDominion Labor Party
Conservative Party
Legislative Assembly
Speaker of the
Assembly
Oran McPherson
February 2, 1922 – May 25, 1926
Members61 MLA seats
Sovereign
MonarchGeorge 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

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

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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

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Wheat Board

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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

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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

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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

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Following 1921 Alberta general election
  District Member Party
  Acadia Lorne Proudfoot United Farmers
  Alexandra Peter Enzenauer United Farmers
  Athabasca George Mills Liberal
  Beaver River Joseph Dechene Liberal
  Bow Valley Charles Mitchell Liberal
  Calgary Alex Ross Dominion Labor
  Robert Edwards Independent
  Fred White Dominion Labor
  Robert Marshall Liberal
  Robert Pearson Independent
  Camrose Vernor Smith United Farmers
  Cardston George Stringam United Farmers
  Claresholm Thomas Milnes Independent Farmer
  Clearwater Joseph State Liberal
  Cochrane Alexander Moore United Farmers
  Coronation George Johnston United Farmers
  Didsbury Austin Claypool United Farmers
  Edmonton Andrew McLennan Liberal
  John C. Bowen Liberal
  Nellie McClung Liberal
  John Boyle Liberal
  Jeremiah Heffernan Liberal
  Edson Charles Cross Liberal
  Gleichen John Buckley United Farmers
  Grouard Jean Côté Liberal
  Hand Hills Gordon Forster United Farmers
  High River Samuel Brown United Farmers
  Innisfail Donald Cameron United Farmers
  Lac Ste. Anne Charles McKeen United Farmers
  Lacombe Irene Parlby United Farmers
  Leduc Stanley Tobin Liberal
  Lethbridge John Stewart Conservative
  Little Bow Oran McPherson United Farmers
  Macleod William Shield United Farmers
  Medicine Hat Perren Baker United Farmers
  William Johnston Dominion Labor
  Nanton Daniel Galbraith United Farmers
  Okotoks George Hoadley United Farmers
  Olds Nelson Smith United Farmers
  Peace River Donald Kennedy United Farmers
  Pembina George MacLachlan United Farmers
  Pincher Creek Earle Cook United Farmers
  Ponoka Percival Baker United Farmers
  Red Deer George Smith United Farmers
  Redcliff William Smith United Farmers
  Ribstone Charles Wright United Farmers
  Rocky Mountain Philip Christophers Dominion Labor
  Sedgewick Charles Stewart Liberal
  St. Albert Télesphore St. Arnaud United Farmers
  Stettler Albert Sanders United Farmers
  St. Paul Laudas Joly United Farmers
  Stony Plain Willard Washburn United Farmers
  Sturgeon Samuel Carson United Farmers
  Taber Lawrence Peterson United Farmers
  Vegreville Archie Matheson United Farmers
  Vermilion Richard Reid United Farmers
  Victoria William Fedun United Farmers
  Wainwright John Love United Farmers
  Warner Maurice Conner United Farmers
  Wetaskiwin Evert Sparks United Farmers
  Whitford Andrew Shandro Liberal

Standings changes since the 5th general election

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Changes to party standings during the 5th Alberta Legislature
July 11, 1921, to November 14, 1922
Number of members
per party by date
1921 1922
Jul 11 Jul 18 Jul 20 Aug 1 Nov 16 Dec 2 Dec 4 Dec 29 Mar 28 Jul 3 Jul 10 Nov 14
  United Farmers 0 38 37 36 33 38 37 38 40
Liberal 2 15 14 13
  Dominion Labor 0 4 3 4
  Independent 0 2 1
  Conservative 0 1
  Independent Farmer 0 1
Total members 2 61 60 59 55 61 60 59 58 59 61 60
Vacant 59 0 1 2 6 0 1 2 3 2 0 1
Government Majority N/A 15 14 13 11 171 181 191 181 191 211 221
January 15, 1923, to March 18, 1926
Number of members
per party by date
1923 1924 1925 1926
Jan 15 Aug 10 Nov 10 Apr 12 Jul 11 Aug 27 Oct 27 Jun 6 Sep 29 Oct 15 Oct 17 Mar 18
  United Farmers 40
Liberal 13 12 11 12 11 12 13 10 9
  Dominion Labor 4 3
  Independent 2 1
  Conservative 1 0
  Independent Farmer 1 0
Total members 61 60 59 60 59 60 59 60 55 54 53
Vacant 0 1 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 5 6 7
Government Majority 211 221 231 221 231 221 231 221 271 281 291
  1. Majority includes 1 Dominion Labor MLA appointed to the cabinet.
Membership changes in the 5th Assembly
Date Member Name District Party Reason
  July 11, 1921 Charles Stewart Sedgewick Liberal Acclaimed in the 1921 general election
  July 11, 1921 Andrew Shandro Whitford Liberal Acclaimed in the 1921 general election
  July 18, 1921 See List of Members Election 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 Farmers Resigned 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 Farmers Resigned to run in a ministerial by-election
  November 16, 1921 Perren Baker Medicine Hat United Farmers Resigned to run in a ministerial by-election
  November 16, 1921 George Hoadley Okotoks United Farmers Resigned to run in a ministerial by-election
  December 2, 1921 Alex Ross Calgary Dominion Labor Acclaimed for December 9, 1921, by-election
  December 2, 1921 Vernor Smith Camrose United Farmers Acclaimed for December 9, 1921, by-election
  December 2, 1921 Perren Baker Medicine Hat United Farmers Acclaimed for December 9, 1921, by-election
  December 2, 1921 George Hoadley Okotoks United Farmers Acclaimed for December 9, 1921, by-election
  December 2, 1921 Herbert Greenfield Peace River United Farmers Acclaimed for December 9, 1921, by-election
  December 2, 1921 John Brownlee Ponoka United Farmers Acclaimed for December 9, 1921, by-election
  December 4, 1921 Andrew Shandro Whitford Liberal Removed from office by court order 1921 election voided
  December 29, 1921 Charles Stewart Sedgewick Liberal Appointed to the federal cabinet.
  March 28, 1922 Charles Wright Ribstone United Farmers Died from pneumonia
  July 3, 1922 Albert Andrews Sedgewick United Farmers Acclaimed for July 10, 1922, by-election
  July 10, 1922 William Farquharson Ribstone United Farmers Elected in a by-election
  July 10, 1922 Mike Chornohus Whitford United Farmers Elected in a by-election
  November 14, 1922 Robert Edwards Calgary Independent Died
  January 15, 1923 William Davidson Calgary Independent Elected in a by-election
  August 10, 1923 Joseph State Clearwater Liberal Died
  November 10, 1923 Jean Côté Grouard Liberal Appointed to the Senate of Canada
April 12, 1924 Vacant Clearwater Vacant District abolished by the United Farmers government.
  July 11, 1924 Leonidas Giroux Grouard Liberal Elected in a by-election
  August 27, 1924 John Boyle Edmonton Liberal Appointed to the bench
  October 27, 1924 William Henry Edmonton Liberal Elected in a by-election
  June 6, 1925 William Johnston Medicine Hat Dominion Labor Died
  September 29, 1925 Charles Pingle Medicine Hat Liberal Elected in a by-election
  October 15, 19251 Charles Cross Edson Liberal Resigned to run in the 1925 federal election
  October 15, 19251 Thomas Milnes Claresholm Independent Farmer Resigned to run in the 1925 federal election
  October 15, 19251 Andrew McLennan Edmonton Liberal Resigned to run in the 1925 federal election
  October 15, 19251 Stanley Tobin Leduc Liberal Resigned to run in the 1925 federal election
  October 15, 19251 John Stewart Lethbridge Conservative Resigned to run in the 1925 federal election
  October 17, 1925 William Davidson Calgary Independent Resigned to run in the 1925 federal election
  March 18, 1926 Charles Mitchell Bow Valley Liberal Resigned to accept judicial appointment.
  May 1926 George Mills Athabasca Independent Liberal Left 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.

References

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  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

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Further reading

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