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The 1909 Alberta general election was the second general election held in the province of
Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
, Canada. It took place on March 22, 1909, to elect 41 members to the 2nd Alberta Legislature. The incumbent
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...
led by Premier Alexander C. Rutherford achieved a re-election victory, securing a
majority government A majority government is a government by one or more governing parties that hold an absolute majority of seats in a legislature. Such a government can consist of one party that holds a majority on its own, or be a coalition government of multi ...
by winning 36 out of the 41 seats in the legislature with more than 59 percent of the popular vote. The Conservative Party led by
Albert Robertson Albert John Robertson (September 17, 1864 – January 3, 1952) was a Canadian politician from Alberta and the first Leader of the Opposition in the province's history. He led the Conservatives in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 ...
once again formed the
official opposition Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. This article uses the term ''government'' as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning ''t ...
, with only two members, and Robertson himself was defeated in his own seat in High River. The remaining three seats were divided among smaller parties and independent candidates. Prior to the election, the Legislative Assembly passed ''An Act respecting the Legislative Assembly of Alberta'' in February 1909 which created an additional 16 seats in the Legislature, expanding from 25 members to a total of 41, and redistributed the boundaries of the provincial electoral districts.''An Act respecting the Legislative Assembly of Alberta''
SA 1909, c 2, retrieved from
CanLII The Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII; ) is a non-profit organization created and funded by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada in 2001 on behalf of its 14 member societies. CanLII is a member of the Free Access to Law Movement, ...
on December 9, 2021
As part of the redistricting process, the Crowsnest Pass region was separated from the Pincher Creek electoral district and established as its own district named Rocky Mountain. This new district had a significant population of coal miners, which was reflected in the election outcome with the election of a Socialist candidate. Due to the increased population and growth of
Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
and
Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
, each city was granted an additional seat in the legislature. As a result, multi-seat districts were established in these cities, allowing voters to cast up to two votes using the
block voting Block or bloc voting refers to a class of electoral systems where multiple candidates are elected simultaneously. They do not guarantee minority representation and allow a group of voters (a voting bloc) to ensure that only their preferred candi ...
system. In Edmonton, two Liberal candidates were elected to represent the two seats, while in Calgary, one Liberal and one Conservative candidate emerged victorious. This marked the first instance in Alberta's political history where multiple-seat districts were used and mixed representation, with members from different parties, were elected in a district. (Each election from here until 1955 would have at least one multiple-seat district.) The election in the Athabasca electoral district was conducted on July 15, 1909, due to the remoteness of the riding. Despite the election being an overwhelming success for the Liberal government of Premier Rutherford, his administration was embroiled with the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway scandal shortly after the election. The scandal divided the Liberal Party and forced Rutherford to resign in 1910. Arthur Sifton, Alberta's chief justice was selected as the second Premier of Alberta in an effort to restore party unity.


Background


1905 general election

The
1905 Alberta general election The 1905 Alberta general election was the first general election held in the province of Alberta, Canada, shortly after the province entered Canadian Confederation on September 1, 1905. The election was held on November 9, 1905, to elect twenty-f ...
as a fiercely contested battle between the formidable Liberal machine led by Rutherford and the less organized Conservative Party under R. B. Bennett. The Liberals had the advantage of incumbency, as Rutherford had been appointed as the first Premier, and their superior organizing ability. These factors contributed to a resounding victory for the Liberals, who won 22 out of the 25 seats in the Legislature. In contrast, the Conservative Party only managed to win two seats. Historian Lewis Thomas argues that the overwhelming Liberal triumph can be attributed to their incumbent status. The Liberal government, in its two months of power, had not faced any scandals or policy failures, making it difficult for the opposition to effectively criticize and challenge them. Additionally, the Liberals were able to leverage their control over the machinery of government, both at the provincial and federal levels. Thomas notes that there are a few surviving written suggestions of Liberal appointments, indicating their effective exercise of
patronage Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...
powers. Furthermore, Thomas argues that the Conservative Party's strong positions on issues such as provincial control over the school system and public lands did not resonate significantly with the voters. The Conservatives attributed their defeat to the Roman Catholic vote, which was perceived to be sympathetic to
Wilfrid Laurier Sir Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier (November 20, 1841 – February 17, 1919) was a Canadian lawyer, statesman, and Liberal politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911. The first French Canadians, French ...
due to his support for separate schools. Bennett himself believed that his loss in
Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
by a margin of 37 votes to
William Henry Cushing William Henry Cushing (August 21, 1852 – January 25, 1934) was a Canadian politician. Born in Ontario, he migrated west as a young adult where he started a successful lumber company and later became Alberta's first Minister of Public Works an ...
was influenced by Roman Catholic interests, the labor vote, and his absence from the district during campaigning. Consequently, Bennett promptly resigned as leader and temporarily withdrew from politics.


By-elections

During the first session of the Alberta Legislature, four by-elections were held, with three taking place in 1906. In each of these by-elections, the incumbent Liberal party managed to retain the seats. The first by-election occurred in
Lethbridge Lethbridge ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. With a population of 106,550 in the 2023 Alberta municipal censuses, 2023 municipal census, Lethbridge became the fourth Alberta city to surpass 100,000 people. The nearby Canadian ...
after Liberal Leverett George DeVeber's appointment to the
Senate of Canada The Senate of Canada () is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Monarchy of Canada#Parliament (King-in-Parliament), Crown and the House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons, they compose the Bicameralism, bicameral le ...
on March 8, 1906. Liberal candidate William Simmons emerged victorious with 43.9 per cent of the vote, defeating Labour candidate Frank Henry Sherman who received 37.4 per cent, and Conservative candidate A. E. Keffer who secured 18.7 per cent of the vote. Following the appointment of Matthew McCauley, the
Vermilion Vermilion (sometimes vermillion) is a color family and pigment most often used between antiquity and the 19th century from the powdered mineral cinnabar (a form of mercury sulfide). It is synonymous with red orange, which often takes a moder ...
representative, as the Warden of the Edmonton Penitentiary, Liberal James Bismark Holden was acclaimed as his successor on July 16, 1906. Similarly, when Charles Stuart, the
Gleichen Gleichen () is the name of two groups of castles in Germany, thus named from their resemblance to each other (). Castles in Thuringia between Gotha and Erfurt The first is a group of three (hence called "die drei hreeGleichen"), each situated o ...
representative, was appointed to the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories in October 1906, a by-election was held, resulting in Liberal candidate Ezra Riley securing 56.3 per cent of the vote and defeating Conservative candidate William L. Walsh. A significant surprise occurred in the 1909 by-election in Lethbridge when William Simmons resigned to run in the
1908 Canadian federal election Nineteen or 19 may refer to: * 19 (number) * One of the years 19 BC, AD 19, 1919, 2019 Films * ''19'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film * ''Nineteen'' (1987 film), a 1987 science fiction film * '' 19-Nineteen'', a 2009 South Korean film * '' D ...
in
Medicine Hat Medicine Hat is a city in Southern Alberta, southeast Alberta, Canada. It is located along the South Saskatchewan River. It is approximately east of Lethbridge and southeast of Calgary. This city and the adjacent Town of Redcliff, Alberta, R ...
. Labour candidate Donald McNabb was acclaimed as the representative for Lethbridge on January 8, 1909, becoming Alberta's first Labour representative. The 1st Alberta Legislature was dissolved and the election writ was dropped on March 22, 1909.


Election


Electoral boundaries

The boundaries of the
electoral district An electoral (congressional, legislative, etc.) district, sometimes called a constituency, riding, or ward, is a geographical portion of a political unit, such as a country, state or province, city, or administrative region, created to provi ...
s for the first Alberta general election in 1905 were determined by the ''
Alberta Act The ''Alberta Act'' (), effective September 1, 1905, was the act of the Parliament of Canada that created the province of Alberta. The act is similar in nature to the ''Saskatchewan Act'', which established the province of Saskatchewan at the ...
'' and became a subject of controversy. Accusations of
gerrymandering Gerrymandering, ( , originally ) defined in the contexts of Representative democracy, representative electoral systems, is the political manipulation of Boundary delimitation, electoral district boundaries to advantage a Political party, pa ...
in favour of the Liberal Party and northern Alberta arose, with Calgary-based newspapers such as the ''
Calgary Herald The ''Calgary Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Publication began in 1883 as ''The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate, and General Advertiser''. It is owned by the Postmedia Network. History ''The C ...
'', ''Calgary Albertan'', and ''Eye-Opener'' claiming that the borders provided preferential treatment to Edmonton and northern Alberta. Prime Minister Laurier had received assurances from Alberta Members of Parliament Peter Talbot and Frank Oliver that the distribution was fair. The question of whether there was population-based gerrymandering elicits different responses. Historian Lewis Thomas points out that the final layout favoured northern Alberta with an additional district, even though Oliver and Talbot were aware that more than 1,000 additional voters south of the
Red Deer River The Red Deer River is a river in Alberta and a small portion of Saskatchewan, Canada. It is a major tributary of the South Saskatchewan River and is part of the larger Saskatchewan / Nelson River, Nelson system that empties into Hudson Bay. T ...
had participated in the 1904 federal election. Alexander Bruce Kilpatrick notes that the census results from 1906 indicate that if the 38th township is chosen as the dividing line (City of Red Deer), there were 93,601 people in northern Alberta and 87,381 in southern Alberta, with an additional 4,430 residing in the 38th township. Kilpatrick argues that there was a misconception regarding the population distribution in the Strathcona census district, with the assumption that most people lived south of the 38th Township, when in fact a significant majority lived north of it. However, Kilpatrick describes the layout of the electoral districts as a "blatant manipulation of the electoral map to suit a particular purpose." He claims that Oliver designed the constituencies to maximize the influence of Edmonton, with the borders not aligning with the previous constituencies from the North-West Territories Assembly, and instead, they were drawn to have several ridings bordering the city. Meanwhile, Calgary did not have the same advantages in design and went from having two seats in the North-west Territories Assembly to one in the new Alberta Legislature. It was not until the fourth and final session of the
1st Alberta Legislature The 1st Alberta Legislative Assembly was in session from November 9, 1905, to Monday, March 22, 1909, with the membership of the assembly determined by the results of the 1905 Alberta general election which was held on November 9, 1905. The Legi ...
that changes to provincial elections procedures and electoral districts were addressed. The government introduced the ''Act respecting the Legislative Assembly of Alberta'', which significantly altered the electoral map and extended the maximum term of the Legislature from four to five years. Sixteen new seats were added, increasing the total number of seats from 25 to 41. Seven of the new constituencies were located south of the central City of Red Deer, seven were north of Red Deer, and two districts were adjacent to the Red Deer city in land to be opened up for settlement by new railroads. The districts of
Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
and
Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
were provided with a second seat, and elections were to be held using
multiple non-transferable vote Plurality block voting is a type of block voting method for multi-winner elections. Each voter may cast as many votes as the number of seats to be filled. The candidates with the most votes are elected. The usual result when the candidates div ...
. Historian Lewis Thomas notes that the idea of redistribution was deemed necessary due to the rapid population growth and development, and the significant increase in seats was generally accepted without controversy. However,
Albert Robertson Albert John Robertson (September 17, 1864 – January 3, 1952) was a Canadian politician from Alberta and the first Leader of the Opposition in the province's history. He led the Conservatives in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 ...
, leader of the Conservative Party and representative for
High River High River is a town within the Calgary Metropolitan Region of Alberta, Canada. It is approximately south of Calgary, at the junction of Alberta Highways 2 and 23. High River had a population of 14,324 in 2021. History The community takes ...
, criticized the extension of the election cycle from four to five years and the provisions for two members in each of Calgary and Edmonton. Liberal representative Anthony Rosenroll, who represented
Wetaskiwin Wetaskiwin ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. The city is located south of the provincial capital of Edmonton. The city name comes from the Cree word , meaning "the hills where peace was made". Wetaskiwin is home to the Reyn ...
, also criticized the changes, believing that rural constituencies deserved greater representation.


Voting and eligibility

During the first provincial election in 1905, the eligibility requirements for voters and candidates remained in place as per the rules established by the North-West Legislative Assembly through ''The Territories Elections Ordinance''. The right to vote was granted to male
British subjects The term "British subject" has several different meanings depending on the time period. Before 1949, it referred to almost all subjects of the British Empire (including the United Kingdom, Dominions, and colonies, but excluding protectorates ...
who were 21 years or older, had resided in the North-West Territories for at least 12 months, and had lived in the electoral district for the preceding three months. The election took place on November 9, 1905, with polling stations open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. During the 1905 election, voters marked an "X" on a blank sheet of paper using a coloured pencil that corresponded to the candidate they wished to vote for, with red representing the Liberal Party and blue representing the Conservative Party. During the fourth session of the first Legislative Assembly, the government introduced the ''Act respecting Elections of Members of the Legislative Assembly''.''An Act respecting Elections of Members of the Legislative Assembly''
SA 1909, c. 3, retrieved from
CanLII The Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII; ) is a non-profit organization created and funded by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada in 2001 on behalf of its 14 member societies. CanLII is a member of the Free Access to Law Movement, ...
on December 9, 2021
This Act stipulated that voters must be male British subjects, 21 years of age or older, who had resided in Alberta for a minimum of 12 months, and had lived in the electoral district for the preceding three months. The new Act continued to exclude judges, prisoners, and Indigenous persons from voting. Additionally, the Act provided the government with the option to postpone the election date for the electoral districts of Athabasca and
Peace River The Peace River () is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River joins the Athabasca River in the Peace-Athabasca Delta to form the ...
to allow more time for information about the nominated candidates to be disseminated.''An Act respecting Elections of Members of the Legislative Assembly''
SA 1909, c. 3, s. 151, retrieved from
CanLII The Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII; ) is a non-profit organization created and funded by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada in 2001 on behalf of its 14 member societies. CanLII is a member of the Free Access to Law Movement, ...
on December 9, 2021
This provision proved unnecessary for Peace River, as Liberal candidate James Cornwall was acclaimed. However, it was utilized for Athabasca, with the election taking place more than three months later on July 15, 1909. Unlike the 1905 election, the Returning Officers were required to print ballots with each candidate's name listed in alphabetical order.


The Campaign and election results


Liberal

In the 1905 election, the Liberal Party, led by Rutherford, achieved a landslide victory by securing 22 out of the 25 seats. During the first Legislature, the Liberal Party focused on implementing measures to develop the province. Their campaign centered on portraying the Conservative Party as subordinates to the Canadian Pacific Company, labeling them as "butler-in-ordinary" to the company. The Liberal Party faced hostility from the Canadian Pacific Company due to the government's actions, such as imposing taxes on railway lands, enacting the ''Workers Compensation Act'', limiting the workday in coal mines to eight hours, enforcing Sabbath restrictions strictly, and implementing a new provincial railway policy to expand railway lines within the province. Premier Rutherford dedicated much of his election efforts to conservative strongholds in Southern Alberta, including Calgary, Lethbridge, and Pincher Creek, where he campaigned for candidates. The Liberal Party's campaign slogan was "Rutherford, Reliability, and Railroads." Rutherford also appealed to voters, urging them not to view the election as a purely partisan affair. He emphasized that all voters were "Albertans" and that the interests of the province should take precedence over party affiliations. Prominent Conservative lawyer Paddy Nolan unexpectedly supported the Liberal Party during the election, Nolan went as far as campaigning alongside Rutherford throughout the province, despite his own Conservative affiliation. Once again, the Liberal Party emerged victorious in the election, securing a strong majority of votes and seats in the Legislature. Eight members were elected by acclamation, while Cabinet members enjoyed significant support from their constituents. The Liberal Party's influence was particularly dominant in Northern Alberta.


Conservative

Following the disappointing outcome of the 1905 election, and with the failure to secure a seat in Calgary, R. B. Bennett, the leader of the Conservative Party, resigned from his position and temporarily withdrew from politics. Only two Conservative candidates were successful in the election: Hiebert in Rosebud and
Albert Robertson Albert John Robertson (September 17, 1864 – January 3, 1952) was a Canadian politician from Alberta and the first Leader of the Opposition in the province's history. He led the Conservatives in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 ...
in
High River High River is a town within the Calgary Metropolitan Region of Alberta, Canada. It is approximately south of Calgary, at the junction of Alberta Highways 2 and 23. High River had a population of 14,324 in 2021. History The community takes ...
. When the first session of the Legislature commenced in 1906, Robertson was appointed as the
Leader of the Opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the Opposition (parliamentary), largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the ...
. In the Legislature, Robertson advocated for public ownership of the telephone system and railways, which differed from the government's policy of leaving both sectors under private control. Prior to the 1909 election, the Conservative Party convention was held to establish party policies and select a new leader. Robertson, known for his staunch conservatism and loyalty, faced criticism for his imperial connections. The other Conservative representative, Cornelius Hiebert, displayed little interest in partisan politics and increasingly aligned himself with the Liberal government. Hiebert and Robertson clashed during the session, and although Hiebert supported the party platform at the convention, he decided to run as an Independent in the 1909 election. The leadership of the Conservative Party was offered to
Maitland Stewart McCarthy Maitland Stewart McCarthy (February 5, 1872 – May 17, 1930) was a politician, lawyer and judge from western Canada. Born in Orangeville, Ontario, he was the son of Thomas Anthony Maitland McCarthy, a county court judge, and Jennie Franc ...
, a lawyer and Member of the House of Commons for
Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
. However, McCarthy declined the leadership offer as it would require him to resign his federal seat, which he had controversially won in the 1908 election, and he believed that such a resignation would be perceived as an admission of guilt for the 1908 controversy. Despite not contesting the election,
Robert Brett Robert George Brett (November 16, 1851 – September 16, 1929) was a politician and physician in the North-West Territories and Alberta, Canada, and was the second lieutenant governor of Alberta. Early life Robert George Brett was born on Nove ...
was seen as the de facto leader of the Conservative Party. R. B. Bennett, without his consent, was nominated as a candidate, which led him to return to politics. However, he did not consider taking on the leadership of the party again. The convention failed to select a permanent leader, leaving the party effectively without a leader, despite Robertson holding the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Legislature. The Conservative convention platform aligned with many aspects of the Liberal government's policies but advocated for government ownership in certain areas such as railways and telephones. The platform also promised initiatives such as
Initiative Popular initiative A popular initiative (also citizens' initiative) is a form of direct democracy by which a petition meeting certain hurdles can force a legal procedure on a proposition. In direct initiative, the proposition is put direct ...
,
Referendum A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate (rather than their Representative democracy, representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either bin ...
, and
Recall Recall may refer to: * Recall (baseball), a baseball term * Recall (bugle call), a signal to stop * Recall (information retrieval), a statistical measure * ReCALL (journal), ''ReCALL'' (journal), an academic journal about computer-assisted langua ...
, as well as a plebiscite on the prohibition of liquor trafficking. Other platform proposals included reforestation in areas affected by forest fires, a commission for electrical power, the establishment of an experimental farm, civil service reform, the construction of highways, government-owned
grain elevator A grain elevator or grain terminal is a facility designed to stockpile or store grain. In the grain trade, the term "grain elevator" also describes a tower containing a bucket elevator or a pneumatic conveyor, which scoops up grain from a lowe ...
s, and other initiatives. Once again, the Conservative Party failed to make a significant impact with voters, managing to secure only two seats in the Legislature, with Bennett winning in Calgary and George Hoadley in the neighboring
Okotoks Okotoks ( , originally ) is a town in the Calgary Metropolitan Region, Calgary Region of Alberta, Canada. It is on the Sheep River, approximately south of Downtown Calgary. Okotoks has emerged as a bedroom community of Calgary. According to t ...
constituency. Historian Lewis Thomas notes that the Conservatives were compelled to accept another "moral victory," although prominent Conservative William Antrobus Griesbach expressed weariness with such symbolic victories.


Other parties

Third parties and Independent candidates played a large role in the election. In five districts the only opposition to the Liberal candidate was an Independent or candidate of a small party. These were St. Albert, Strathcona, Camrose, Red Deer and Pakan. In the 1909 election, Charles M. O'Brien, a
Socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
candidate, achieved victory in the coal mining district of
Rocky Mountain The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Canada, to New Mexico in ...
. Although he did not receive official union support, he gained significant backing from the
coal miners People have worked as coal miners for centuries, but they became increasingly important during the Industrial Revolution when coal was burnt on a large scale to fuel stationary and locomotive engines and heat buildings. Owing to coal's strategic ...
in the district. In a closely contested race, O'Brien narrowly defeated Liberal candidate John Angus Macdonald by a margin of only 32 votes. O'Brien's successful election to the legislature indicated a growing trend of radicalization among coal miners in Alberta.
Lethbridge City Lethbridge City was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first-past-the-post method of voting from 1909 to 1921. History The Lethbridge City ele ...
's incumbent MLA Donald McNabb, the only Labour Party man in the Legislature, ran for his seat again in 1909 but he placed a distant third. Since his election earlier in 1909, he been recognized as a moderate man - it is reported that BC labour king-pin R.P. Prettipiece had criticized his politics. He was the only man to run under the Labour label in 1909. Independent-Conservative candidate Edward Michener defeated the Liberal incumbent John Thomas Moore in
Red Deer The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or Hart (deer), hart, and a female is called a doe or hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Ir ...
. The Conservative Party chose not to field a candidate in the district, and Michener captured 51.3 percent of the vote. Courting Liberal voters, he had said if elected, he would support Liberal Premier Rutherford.


Aftermath

The '' Edmonton Bulletin'' noted after the beginning of the 2nd Legislature, despite still holding only two seats, experienced an improvement in their position. This was attributed to the presence of R. B. Bennett in the legislature, with the newspaper describing him as superior to both Robertson and Hiebert in terms of political skills and debating abilities.


Alberta and Great Waterways Railway scandal

Prior to the 1909 election, the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway (A&GW) President William Clarke had announced that the line would be completed by the end of 1912, ahead of schedule. When the A&GW bonds went on sale in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
in November 1909, the issue was oversubscribed. The following month, the contract for
ties TIES may refer to: * TIES, Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science * TIES, The Interactive Encyclopedia System * TIES, Time Independent Escape Sequence * Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science * The International Ecotourism Society {{disambig ...
was awarded. Everything seemed to be progressing as planned when, at the beginning of the new legislative session, Liberal backbencher John R. Boyle asked the government a series of innocuous questions about the company and the guarantees made to it. Rutherford, Minister of Railways as well as Premier, responded to the questions in writing. Before he did so, however, a rumour began to circulate that
William Henry Cushing William Henry Cushing (August 21, 1852 – January 25, 1934) was a Canadian politician. Born in Ontario, he migrated west as a young adult where he started a successful lumber company and later became Alberta's first Minister of Public Works an ...
, Minister of Public Works, had resigned from the cabinet. Boyle and Conservative leader R. B. Bennett questioned Rutherford about the rumours, but Rutherford initially refused to make any announcement. The next day, however, the rumour was confirmed when the Premier read Cushing's letter of resignation in the legislature. In this letter, Cushing gave his reasons for resigning as disagreement with the government's railway policy, which he claimed was developed without his involvement or consent. Rutherford disagreed with this claim, and expressed his regret for Cushing's resignation. The scandal split the Liberal Party: Rutherford's Minister of Public Works,
William Henry Cushing William Henry Cushing (August 21, 1852 – January 25, 1934) was a Canadian politician. Born in Ontario, he migrated west as a young adult where he started a successful lumber company and later became Alberta's first Minister of Public Works an ...
, resigned from the government and publicly attacked its railway policy, and a large portion of the Liberal caucus voted to defeat the government in the
Legislative Assembly of Alberta The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is the deliberative assembly of the province of Alberta, Canada. It sits in the Alberta Legislature Building in Edmonton. Since 2012 the Legislative Assembly has had 87 members, elected first past the post f ...
. The government survived all of these votes. Rutherford largely placated the legislature by appointing a
royal commission A royal commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue in some monarchies. They have been held in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Malaysia, Mauritius and Saudi Arabia. In republics an equi ...
to investigate the affair, but pressure from
Lieutenant-Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a " second-in-com ...
George Bulyea and unrest within his own caucus forced Rutherford's resignation and his replacement by Arthur Sifton. The royal commission gave its report months after Rutherford resigned. The majority on the commission did not find Rutherford or his cabinet guilty of any wrongdoing, but criticized them for poor judgment, both concerning to the loan guarantees and the exemptions the A&GW received from provincial legislation. A minority report was more sympathetic, and declared the allegations against them "disproved". James Cornwall, a Liberal backbencher who supported Rutherford, fared somewhat worse: his personal financial involvement in the railway gave rise to "suspicious circumstances", but he too was not proven guilty of any wrongdoing. Besides provoking Rutherford's resignation, the scandal opened rifts in the Liberal Party that took years to heal. Sifton eventually smoothed over most of these divisions, but was frustrated in his railway policy by legal defeats. He ultimately adopted a similar policy to Rutherford's, and the A&GW was eventually built by private interests using the money raised from provincial loan guarantees.


Results


Full results

, - !rowspan="2" colspan="2", Party !rowspan="2", Leader !rowspan="2", Candidates !colspan="4", Seats !colspan="3", Popular vote , - !
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Albert Robertson Albert John Robertson (September 17, 1864 – January 3, 1952) was a Canadian politician from Alberta and the first Leader of the Opposition in the province's history. He led the Conservatives in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 ...
, 29 , , 2 , , 2 , , 2 , , 0 , , 15,848 , , 31.69% , , −5.44 , colspan="2" style="text-align:left;",
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, 6 , , 0 , , 0 , , 1 , , +1 , , 1,695 , , 3.39% , , −1.92 , - , colspan="2" style="text-align:left;", Independent Liberal , 2 , , 0 , , 0 , , 1 , , +1 , , 1,311 , , 2.62% , , , - , align=left, , 2 , , 0 , , 0 , , 1 , , +1 , , 1,302 , , 2.60% , , , - , align=left, Donald McNabb , 1 , , 0 , , 1 , , 0 , , -1 , , 214 , , 0.43% , , , - , style="text-align:left;" colspan="3", Total , 82 , , 25 , , 25 , , 41 , , , , 50,004 , , 100% , , , - , style="text-align:left;" colspan="11" , Source:


Members elected

For complete electoral history, see individual districts , - ,
Alexandra Alexandra () is a female given name of Greek origin. It is the first attested form of its variants, including Alexander (, ). Etymology, Etymologically, the name is a compound of the Greek verb (; meaning 'to defend') and (; genitive, GEN , ; ...
, , ,
Alwyn Bramley-Moore Alywn Bramley-Moore (July 3, 1878 – April 4, 1916) was a provincial politician, author and soldier from Alberta, Canada. He served as a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1913, as part of the governing Libe ...

771
64.63% , , James R. Lowery
422
35.37% , , , , ''New District'' , - , Athabasca , , , Jean Côté
230
59.59% , , V. Maurice
7
1.81% , , William Bredin (Liberal)
149
38.60% , , , William Fletcher Bredin , - , rowspan="2",
Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
, , ,
William Henry Cushing William Henry Cushing (August 21, 1852 – January 25, 1934) was a Canadian politician. Born in Ontario, he migrated west as a young adult where he started a successful lumber company and later became Alberta's first Minister of Public Works an ...

2,579
26.90% , , Thomas Blow
1,907
19.88% , , George Howell (Socialist)
747
7.79% , rowspan="2" , , rowspan="2" ,
William Henry Cushing William Henry Cushing (August 21, 1852 – January 25, 1934) was a Canadian politician. Born in Ontario, he migrated west as a young adult where he started a successful lumber company and later became Alberta's first Minister of Public Works an ...
, - , ,
William Egbert William Egbert (February 25, 1857 – October 15, 1936) was a Canadian physician and politician. He was the third lieutenant governor of Alberta, from 1925 to 1931. Egbert was born in 1857 to a farming family in what is today the province of On ...

1,933
20.16% , , , R. B. Bennett
2,423
25.27% , , , - , Camrose , , , George P. Smith
1,010
55.16% , , I.W.T. McEachern
821
44.84% , , , , ''New District'' , - , Cardston , , , John William Woolf
521
57.44% , , Levi Harker
386
42.56% , , , , , John William Woolf , - ,
Claresholm Claresholm is a town located within southern Alberta, Canada. It is located on Highway 2, approximately northwest of the City of Lethbridge and south of the City of Calgary. History The location was originally a watering stop for steam engin ...
, , , Malcolm McKenzie
696
61.87% , , Fred Garrow
429
38.13% , , , , ''New District'' , - , Cochrane , , , Charles Wellington Fisher
627
67.56% , , Robert George Brett
301
32.44% , , , , , ''New District from Banff and Rosebud''
Charles Wellington Fisher , - ,
Didsbury Didsbury is a suburb of Manchester, England, on the north bank of the River Mersey, south of Manchester city centre. The population at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census was 26,788. Within the boundaries of the Historic counties of ...
, , , Joseph E. Stauffer
993
73.18% , , Samuel T. Scarlett
208
15.33% , , Cornelius Hiebert
156
11.50% , , , ''New District from Rosebud''
Cornelius Hiebert , - , rowspan="2" ,
Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
, , , Charles Wilson Cross
3,282
40.01% , , Albert Freeman Ewing
1,595
19.45% , , John Gailbraith
348
4.24% , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2, Charles Wilson Cross , - , , , John Alexander McDougall
2,977
36.30% , , , , , - ,
Gleichen Gleichen () is the name of two groups of castles in Germany, thus named from their resemblance to each other (). Castles in Thuringia between Gotha and Erfurt The first is a group of three (hence called "die drei hreeGleichen"), each situated o ...
, , , Ezra H. Riley
770
59.46% , , James Shouldice
525
40.54% , , , , , Ezra Riley , - ,
High River High River is a town within the Calgary Metropolitan Region of Alberta, Canada. It is approximately south of Calgary, at the junction of Alberta Highways 2 and 23. High River had a population of 14,324 in 2021. History The community takes ...
, , , Louis Melville Roberts
604
50.33% , , George Douglas Stanley
596
49.67% , , , , , Albert J. Robertson , - , Innisfail , , , John A. Simpson
519
53.45% , , George W. West
452
46.55% , , , , , John A. Simpson , - , Lac Ste. Anne , , ,
Peter Gunn ''Peter Gunn'' is an American detective fiction, private eye television series, starring Craig Stevens (actor), Craig Stevens as Peter Gunn with Lola Albright as his girlfriend, lounge singer Edie Hart. The series was broadcast by NBC from Sept ...

''Acclaimed'' , , , , , , ''New District'' , - , Lacombe , , , William Franklin Puffer
''Acclaimed'' , , , , , , , William Franklin Puffer , - , Leduc , , , Robert T. Telford
''Acclaimed'' , , , , , , , Robert T. Telford , - ,
Lethbridge City Lethbridge City was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first-past-the-post method of voting from 1909 to 1921. History The Lethbridge City ele ...
, , , William Ashbury Buchanan
529
44.12% , , William C. Ives
456
38.03% , , Donald McNabb (Labour)
214
17.85% , , , ''New District from
Lethbridge Lethbridge ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. With a population of 106,550 in the 2023 Alberta municipal censuses, 2023 municipal census, Lethbridge became the fourth Alberta city to surpass 100,000 people. The nearby Canadian ...
''
Donald McNabb , - ,
Lethbridge District Lethbridge District was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first-past-the-post method of voting from 1909 to 1913. History The Lethbridge Dist ...
, , John H. Rivers
620
43.94% , , , , , Archibald J. McLean (Ind. Liberal)
791
56.06% , , ''New District from
Lethbridge Lethbridge ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. With a population of 106,550 in the 2023 Alberta municipal censuses, 2023 municipal census, Lethbridge became the fourth Alberta city to surpass 100,000 people. The nearby Canadian ...
'' , - ,
Macleod MacLeod, McLeod and Macleod ( ) are surnames in the English language. The names are anglicised forms of the Scottish Gaelic ', meaning "son of Leòd", derived from the Old Norse ''Liótr'' ("ugly"). One of the earliest occurrences of the surnam ...
, , , Colin Genge
342
51.12% , , E.P. McNeill
327
48.88% , , , , , Malcolm McKenzie , - ,
Medicine Hat Medicine Hat is a city in Southern Alberta, southeast Alberta, Canada. It is located along the South Saskatchewan River. It is approximately east of Lethbridge and southeast of Calgary. This city and the adjacent Town of Redcliff, Alberta, R ...
, , , William Thomas Finlay
1,249
71.66% , , Francis O. Sissons
494
28.34% , , , , , William Thomas Finlay , - , Nanton , , , John M. Glendenning
439
54.88% , , Albert J. Robertson
361
45.13% , , , , ''New District'' , - ,
Okotoks Okotoks ( , originally ) is a town in the Calgary Metropolitan Region, Calgary Region of Alberta, Canada. It is on the Sheep River, approximately south of Downtown Calgary. Okotoks has emerged as a bedroom community of Calgary. According to t ...
, , Malcolm McHardy
407
43.72% , , , George Hoadley
524
56.28% , , , , ''New District'' , - , Olds , , , Duncan Marshall
760
64.63% , , George McDonald
416
35.37% , , , , ''New District'' , - , Pakan , , , Prosper-Edmond Lessard
''Acclaimed'' , , , , , , ''New District'' , - ,
Peace River The Peace River () is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River joins the Athabasca River in the Peace-Athabasca Delta to form the ...
, , , James K. Cornwall
''Acclaimed'' , , , , , , , Thomas A. Brick , - , Pembina , , , Henry William McKenney
''Acclaimed'' , , , , , , ''New District'' , - , Pincher Creek , , , David Warnock
560
57.26% , , E.J. Mitchell
418
42.74% , , , , , John Plummer Marcellus , - , Ponoka , , , William A. Campbell
466
67.05% , , John A. Jackson
229
32.95% , , , , , John R. McLeod , - , rowspan="2" ,
Red Deer The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or Hart (deer), hart, and a female is called a doe or hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Ir ...
, rowspan="2" , , rowspan="2" , John T. Moore
494
38.56% , rowspan="2" , , rowspan="2" , , , , Edward Michener
657
51.29% , rowspan="2" , , rowspan="2" , John T. Moore , - , , Donald McClure
130
10.15% , - ,
Rocky Mountain The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Canada, to New Mexico in ...
, , John Angus Macdonald
520
35.45% , , Henry Edward Lyon
392
26.72% , , , Charles M. O'Brien (Socialist)
555
37.83% , , ''New District'' , - , Sedgewick , , , Charles Stewart
''Acclaimed'' , , , , , , ''New District'' , - , St. Albert , , , Lucien Boudreau
528
50.97% , , , , Wilfrid Gariépy (Liberal)
393
37.93%
Omer St. Germain (Ind. Liberal)
115
11.10% , , , Henry William McKenney , - , Stettler , , , Robert L. Shaw
873
71.27% , , J.K. Creighton
352
28.73% , , , , ''New District'' , - , Stony Plain , , , John A. McPherson
398
43.74% , , John McKinley
108
11.87% , , Dan Bronx (Ind.)
250
27.47%
Charlie R. Cropley (Ind.)
154
16.92% , , , John A. McPherson , - , Strathcona , , , Alexander Cameron Rutherford
1,034
85.67% , , Rice Sheppard
173
14.33% , , , , , Alexander Cameron Rutherford , - ,
Sturgeon Sturgeon (from Old English ultimately from Proto-Indo-European language, Proto-Indo-European *''str̥(Hx)yón''-) is the common name for the 27 species of fish belonging to the family Acipenseridae. The earliest sturgeon fossils date to the ...
, , ,
John Robert Boyle John Robert Boyle (February 3, 1871 – February 15, 1936) was a Canadian politician and jurist who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, a cabinet minister in the Government of Alberta, and a judge on the Supreme Court of ...

''Acclaimed'' , , , , , , ,
John Robert Boyle John Robert Boyle (February 3, 1871 – February 15, 1936) was a Canadian politician and jurist who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, a cabinet minister in the Government of Alberta, and a judge on the Supreme Court of ...
, - ,
Vegreville Vegreville () is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is on Highway 16A approximately east of Edmonton, Alberta's capital city. It was incorporated as a town in 1906, and that year also saw the founding of the ''Vegreville Observer'', a week ...
, , , James Bismark Holden
1,249
72.66% , , F.W. Fane
470
27.34% , , , , ''New District'' , - ,
Vermilion Vermilion (sometimes vermillion) is a color family and pigment most often used between antiquity and the 19th century from the powdered mineral cinnabar (a form of mercury sulfide). It is synonymous with red orange, which often takes a moder ...
, , , Archibald Campbell
919
66.55% , , Albert Richard Aldridge
462
33.45% , , , , , James Bismark Holden , - , Victoria , , , Francis A. Walker
''Acclaimed'' , , , , , , , Francis A. Walker , - ,
Wetaskiwin Wetaskiwin ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. The city is located south of the provincial capital of Edmonton. The city name comes from the Cree word , meaning "the hills where peace was made". Wetaskiwin is home to the Reyn ...
, , , Charles H. Olin
713
59.82% , , James George Anderson
479
40.18% , , , , , Anthony Sigwart de Rosenroll , -


See also

* List of Alberta political parties


Notes


References

Works cited * * * * *


Further reading

* {{AlbertaElections 1909 elections in Canada 1909 March 1909 in Canada 1909 in Alberta