27th Alberta Legislature

27th Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Type
Type	Unicameral
Houses	Legislative Assembly
Leadership
Speaker	Ken Kowalski, Progressive Conservative 1997–2012
Seats	83
Meeting place
Legislature Building, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Website
www.assembly.ab.ca

The 27th Alberta Legislative Assembly was constituted after the 2008 Alberta general election on March 3, 2008. The Progressive Conservatives led by Premier Ed Stelmach increased the size of his majority.

Election aftermath

The result of the 2008 election resulted in the Progressive Conservative party strengthening their ranks and picking up many districts. The results had fooled most of the pundits who were predicting quite the opposite.

Premier Ed Stelmach shuffled the Cabinet on March 13, 2008. The more notable members of his cabinet included Ron Liepert, Lindsay Blackett and Mel Knight. The opposition criticized Stelmach for not reducing the size of cabinet which had become bloated to record levels.

1st Session

The 1st Session of the 27th Alberta Legislature began on April 14, 2008 with the re-election of Ken Kowalski as speaker of the assembly defeating Laurie Blakeman on the first ballot.^[1]

The first throne speech during the assembly was read by Normie Kwong the next day. The 1st session was marked by a number of initiatives that cast the government in a negative light.

Membership in the 27th Alberta Legislative Assembly

	Member	Party	Constituency
	Ady, CindyCindy Ady	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-Shaw
	Allred, KenKen Allred	Progressive Conservative	St. Albert
	Amery, MoeMoe Amery	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-East
	Anderson, RobRob Anderson	Progressive Conservative	Airdrie-Chestermere
		Wildrose Alliance
	Benito, CarlCarl Benito	Progressive Conservative	Edmonton-Mill Woods
	Berger, EvanEvan Berger	Progressive Conservative	Livingstone-Macleod
	Bhardwaj, NareshNaresh Bhardwaj	Progressive Conservative	Edmonton-Ellerslie
	Bhullar, ManmeetManmeet Bhullar	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-Montrose
	Blackett, LindsayLindsay Blackett	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-North West
	Blakeman, LaurieLaurie Blakeman	Liberal	Edmonton-Centre
	Boutilier, GuyGuy Boutilier	Progressive Conservative	Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo
		Independent
		Independent Wildrose Alliance
		Wildrose
	Brown, NeilNeil Brown	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-Nose Hill
	Calahasen, PearlPearl Calahasen	Progressive Conservative	Lesser Slave Lake
	Campbell, RobinRobin Campbell	Progressive Conservative	West Yellowhead
	Cao, WayneWayne Cao	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-Fort
	Chase, Harry B.Harry B. Chase	Liberal	Calgary-Varsity
	Dallas, CalCal Dallas	Progressive Conservative	Red Deer South
	Danyluk, RayRay Danyluk	Progressive Conservative	Lac La Biche-St. Paul
	DeLong, AlanaAlana DeLong	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-Bow
	Denis, JonathanJonathan Denis	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-Egmont
	Doerksen, ArnoArno Doerksen	Progressive Conservative	Strathmore-Brooks
	Drysdale, WayneWayne Drysdale	Progressive Conservative	Grande Prairie Wapiti
	Elniski, DougDoug Elniski	Progressive Conservative	Edmonton-Calder
	Evans, IrisIris Evans	Progressive Conservative	Sherwood Park
	Fawcett, KyleKyle Fawcett	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-North Hill
	Forsyth, HeatherHeather Forsyth	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-Fish Creek
		Wildrose Alliance
	Fritz, YvonneYvonne Fritz	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-Cross
	Goudreau, HectorHector Goudreau	Progressive Conservative	Dunvegan
	Griffiths, DougDoug Griffiths	Progressive Conservative	Battle River-Wainwright
	Groeneveld, GeorgeGeorge Groeneveld	Progressive Conservative	Highwood
	Hancock, DavidDavid Hancock	Progressive Conservative	Edmonton-Whitemud
	Hayden, JackJack Hayden	Progressive Conservative	Drumheller-Stettler
	Hehr, KentKent Hehr	Liberal	Calgary-Buffalo
	Stevens, RonRon Stevens	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-Glenmore
	Hinman, PaulPaul Hinman	Wildrose Alliance
	Horne, FredFred Horne	Progressive Conservative	Edmonton-Rutherford
	Horner, DougDoug Horner	Progressive Conservative	Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert
	Jablonski, Mary AnneMary Anne Jablonski	Progressive Conservative	Red Deer North
	Jacobs, BroyceBroyce Jacobs	Progressive Conservative	Cardston-Taber-Warner
	Johnson, JeffJeff Johnson	Progressive Conservative	Athabasca-Redwater
	Johnston, ArthurArthur Johnston	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-Hays
	Kang, DarshanDarshan Kang	Liberal	Calgary-McCall
	Klimchuk, HeatherHeather Klimchuk	Progressive Conservative	Edmonton-Glenora
	Knight, MelMel Knight	Progressive Conservative	Grande Prairie Smoky
	Kowalski, KenKen Kowalski	Progressive Conservative	Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock
	Leskiw, GeniaGenia Leskiw	Progressive Conservative	Bonnyville-Cold Lake
	Liepert, RonRon Liepert	Progressive Conservative	Calgary West
	Lindsay, FredFred Lindsay	Progressive Conservative	Stony Plain
	Lukaszuk, ThomasThomas Lukaszuk	Progressive Conservative	Edmonton-Castle Downs
	Lund, TyTy Lund	Progressive Conservative	Rocky Mountain House
	MacDonald, HughHugh MacDonald	Liberal	Edmonton-Gold Bar
	McFarland, BarryBarry McFarland	Progressive Conservative	Little Bow
	McQueen, DianaDiana McQueen	Progressive Conservative	Drayton Valley-Calmar
	Marz, RichardRichard Marz	Progressive Conservative	Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills
	Vacant
	Mason, BrianBrian Mason	NDP	Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood
	Mitzel, LeonardLeonard Mitzel	Progressive Conservative	Cypress-Medicine Hat
	Morton, TedTed Morton	Progressive Conservative	Foothills-Rocky View
	Notley, RachelRachel Notley	NDP	Edmonton Strathcona
	Oberle, FrankFrank Oberle	Progressive Conservative	Peace River
	Olson, VerlynVerlyn Olson	Progressive Conservative	Wetaskiwin-Camrose
	Ouellette, LukeLuke Ouellette	Progressive Conservative	Innisfail-Sylvan Lake
	Pastoor, BridgetBridget Pastoor	Liberal	Lethbridge-East
		Progressive Conservative
	Prins, RayRay Prins	Progressive Conservative	Lacombe-Ponoka
	Quest, DaveDave Quest	Progressive Conservative	Strathcona
	Redford, AlisonAlison Redford	Progressive Conservative	Calgary-Elbow
	Renner, RobRob Renner	Progressive Conservative	Medicine Hat
	Rodney, DavidDavid Rodney	Progressive Conservative	Calgary Lougheed
	Rogers, GeorgeGeorge Rogers	Progressive Conservative	Leduc-Beaumont-Devon
	Sandhu, PeterPeter Sandhu	Progressive Conservative	Edmonton Manning
	Sarich, JaniceJanice Sarich	Progressive Conservative	Edmonton Decore
	Sherman, RajRaj Sherman	Progressive Conservative	Edmonton Meadowlark
		Independent
		Independent Liberal
		Liberal
	Snelgrove, LloydLloyd Snelgrove	Progressive Conservative	Vermilion-Lloydminster
		Independent
	Stelmach, EdEd Stelmach	Progressive Conservative	Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville
	Swann, DavidDavid Swann	Liberal	Calgary-Mountain View
	Taft, KevinKevin Taft	Liberal	Edmonton-Riverview
	Tarchuk, JanisJanis Tarchuk	Progressive Conservative	Banff-Cochrane
	Taylor, DaveDave Taylor	Liberal	Calgary-Currie
		Independent
		Alberta Party
	VanderBurg, GeorgeGeorge VanderBurg	Progressive Conservative	Whitecourt-Ste. Anne
	Vandermeer, TonyTony Vandermeer	Progressive Conservative	Edmonton Beverly Clareview
	Weadick, GregGreg Weadick	Progressive Conservative	Lethbridge-West
	Webber, LenLen Webber	Progressive Conservative	Calgary Foothills
	Woo-Paw, TeresaTeresa Woo-Paw	Progressive Conservative	Calgary Mackay
	Xiao, DavidDavid Xiao	Progressive Conservative	Edmonton McClung
	Zwozdesky, GeneGene Zwozdesky	Progressive Conservative	Edmonton Mill Creek

Seating plan

Allred

Sandhu

Xiao

Anderson

Forsyth

Leskiw

McQueen

Fawcett

Dallas

Denis

Johnson

Doerksen

Quest

Taft

Pastoor

Chase

Kang

Cao

Mitzel

Johnston

Weadick

Drysdale

Brown

Vandermeer

MacDonald

Taylor

Swann

Blakeman

Hehr

Mason

Notley

Kowalski

Ady

Groenveld

Redford

Ouellette

Knight

Horner

Evans

Snelgrove

Stelmach

Hancock

Liepert

Renner

Zwozdesky

Tarchuk

Goudreau

Morton

Lindsay

Boutilier

Marz

Olson

Rogers

Webber

Klimchuk

Blackett

Campbell

Oberle

Fritz

Hayden

Danyluk

Jablonski

Prins

Horne

Sarich

Berger

Lund

VanderBurg

McFarland

Rodney

Bhardwaj

Woo-Paw

Bhullar

DeLong

Griffiths

Lukaszuk

Calahasen

Sherman

Elniski

Amery

Benito

Jacobs

Official Seating Plan (Retrieved December 9, 2009)^[2]

Standings changes during the 27th Assembly

Number of members per party by date		2008	2009			2010					2011				2012
		Mar 3	May 15	Jul 18	Sep 14	Jan 4	Apr 12	Jun 24	Oct 25	Nov 22	Jan 24	Mar 15	Sep 12	Nov 21	Jan 27	Mar
	Progressive Conservative	72	71	70		68				67				68	67	66
	Liberal	9					8						9	8
	Wildrose	0			1	3			4
	NDP	2
	Alberta Party	0									1
	Independent	0		1			2	1		2	1	0			1
	Independent Liberal	0										1^2	0
	Independent Wildrose Alliance	0						1^1	0
	Total members	83	82		83											82
	Vacant	0	1		0											1
	Government Majority	61	60	58	57	53				51				53	51	50

1. Guy Boutilier began caucusing with the Wildrose Alliance on June 24, 2010 but kept independent status due to a $40,000.00 difference in private members research funding.^[3]
2. Raj Sherman joined the Liberal party, but did not officially join the Liberal caucus, however, he did become the Liberal leader on September 10, 2011.

Membership changes in the 27th Assembly
	Date	Name	District	Party	Reason
	March 3, 2008	See List of Members			Election day of the 27th Alberta general election
	May 15, 2009	Ron Stevens	Calgary-Glenmore	Progressive Conservative	Resigned seat to accept a judicial appointment.
	July 18, 2009	Guy Boutilier	Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo	Independent	Removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus.
	September 14, 2009	Paul Hinman	Calgary-Glenmore	Wildrose Alliance	Elected in a by-election.
	January 4, 2010	Rob Anderson	Airdrie-Chestermere	Wildrose Alliance	Crossed the floor from the Progressive Conservative caucus
	January 4, 2010	Heather Forsyth	Calgary-Fish Creek	Wildrose Alliance	Crossed the floor from the Progressive Conservative caucus
	April 12, 2010	Dave Taylor	Calgary-Currie	Independent	Left Liberal caucus to sit as an Independent.
	June 24, 2010	Guy Boutilier	Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo	Independent Wildrose Alliance	Joined the Wildrose Alliance as an Independent.[3]
	October 25, 2010	Guy Boutilier	Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo	Wildrose Alliance	Fully joined Wildrose Alliance caucus
	November 22, 2010	Raj Sherman	Edmonton-Meadowlark	Independent	Removed from Progressive Conservative caucus
	January 24, 2011	Dave Taylor	Calgary-Currie	Alberta Party	Joined Alberta Party
	March 15, 2011	Raj Sherman	Edmonton-Meadowlark	Independent Liberal	Joined the Liberal Party, but not the caucus.
	June 26, 2011	See List of Members		Wildrose	Caucus name changed from Wildrose Alliance to Wildrose
	September 12, 2011	Raj Sherman	Edmonton-Meadowlark	Liberal	Joined the Liberal caucus.[4]
	November 21, 2011	Bridget Pastoor	Lethbridge-East	Progressive Conservative	Crossed the floor from the Liberal caucus[5]
	January 27, 2012	Lloyd Snelgrove	Vermilion-Lloydminster	Independent	Left the Progressive Conservative caucus due to issues with Premier Redford.[6]
	March 2012	Richard Marz	Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills	Progressive Conservative	Vacated seat[7]

References

1. "Legislative Assembly of Alberta: The 27th Legislature, Hansard" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. April 14, 2008. pp. 1–2.
2. "Revision 330761018". December 9, 2009. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
3. "MLA delays joining Wildrose due to funding". CBC News. July 29, 2010.
4. "Liberal leader Sherman now caucus member". CBC News. September 12, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
5. Cryderman, Kelly (November 21, 2011). "Lethbridge MLA Pastoor crosses floor to join Conservatives". Calgary Herald. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
6. "Snelgrove resigns from Tory caucus". Edmonton Journal. January 27, 2012.
7. "Contact Information for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills". Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Retrieved March 21, 2012.

External links

• Alberta Legislative Assembly