5th Alberta Legislature explained

Jurisdiction:	AB
#:	5th
Type:	Majority
Status:	inactive
Term-Begin:	February 2, 1922
Term-End:	May 25, 1926
Scterm:	February 2, 1922  - May 25, 1926
Pm:	Herbert Greenfield
Pmterm:	August 13, 1921  - November 23, 1925
Pm2:	John Edward Brownlee
Pmterm2:	November 23, 1925  - July 10, 1934
Lo:	John Robert Boyle
Loterm:	February 2, 1922  - April 12, 1924
Lo2:	Charles Richmond Mitchell
Loterm2:	February 19, 1925  - March 12, 1926
Lo3:	John C. Bowen
Loterm3:	March 15, 1926  - June 28, 1926
Party:	United Farmers of Alberta
Party2:	Liberal Party
Party3:	Dominion Labor Party
Party4:	Conservative Party
Sessionbegin:	February 2, 1922
Sessionend:	March 28, 1922
Sessionbegin2:	July 25, 1922
Sessionend2:	July 31, 1922
Sessionbegin3:	January 23, 1923
Sessionend3:	April 21, 1923
Sessionbegin4:	January 28, 1924
Sessionend4:	April 12, 1924
Sessionbegin5:	February 19, 1925
Sessionend5:	August 6, 1925
Sessionbegin6:	February 11, 1926
Sessionend6:	May 22, 1926
Ministry:	Greenfield cabinet
Ministry2:	Brownlee cabinet
Monarchterm:	May 6, 1910  - January 20, 1936
Viceroy:	Hon. Robert George Brett
Viceroyterm:	October 20, 1915  - October 29, 1925
Viceroy2:	Hon. William Egbert
Viceroyterm2:	October 29, 1925  - May 5, 1931
Members:	61
Lastparl:	4th
Nextparl:	6th

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]

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

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.

Bills

Wheat Board

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.

Debt Adjustment Act

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. In the words of University of Calgary professor David C. Jones, the bill offered "solace, but no real satisfaction". According to Jones, Greenfield's attempts to rescue southern Alberta from agricultural calamity were probably doomed to failure. Even so, Greenfield had called the situation his top priority, and his failure to bring it to a successful resolution cost him politically.

Government Liquor Control Act of Alberta

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.

Membership in the 5th Alberta Legislature

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

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 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 17^1 18^1 19^1 18^1 19^1 21^1 22^1 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 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 21^1 22^1 23^1 22^1 23^1 22^1 23^1 22^1 27^1 28^1 29^1 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, 1925^1	Charles Cross	Edson	Liberal	Resigned to run in the 1925 federal election	October 15, 1925^1	Thomas Milnes	Claresholm	Independent Farmer	Resigned to run in the 1925 federal election	October 15, 1925^1	Andrew McLennan	Edmonton	Liberal	Resigned to run in the 1925 federal election	October 15, 1925^1	Stanley Tobin	Leduc	Liberal	Resigned to run in the 1925 federal election	October 15, 1925^1	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.

Works cited

• Book: Foster, Franklin L. . John E. Brownlee: A Biography . 1981 . Foster Learning Inc . . 978-1-55220-004-9.
• Book: Foster, Franklin L. . Bradford J. Rennie . Alberta Premiers of the Twentieth Century . 2004 . Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina . . 0-88977-151-0 . John E. Brownlee .
• Book: Jones, David C. . Bradford J. Rennie . Alberta Premiers of the Twentieth Century . 2004 . Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina . . 0-88977-151-0 . Herbert W. Greenfield .

Further reading

• Book: Normandin . A. L. . The Canadian Parliamentary Guide . 1926 . Mortimer Company Ltd. . Ottawa . August 9, 2020 . 0315-6168 . 893686591.
• Book: Office of the Chief Electoral Officer . Legislative Assembly Office . Legislative Assembly of Alberta . Elections Alberta . A Century of Democracy: Elections of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, 1905-2005 . 2006 . Legislative Assembly of Alberta . The Centennial Series . Edmonton, AB . 0-9689217-8-7 . May 25, 2020.
• Book: Perry, Sandra E. . Footz, Valerie L. . Massolin . Philip A. . A Higher Duty: Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies . 2006 . Legislative Assembly of Alberta . Edmonton, AB . 0-9689217-3-6 . August 9, 2020.

External links

• Alberta Legislative Assembly Website
• Legislative Assembly of Alberta Members Book
• By-elections 1905 to present

Notes and References

1. Book: Perry, Sandra E. . Footz, Valerie L. . Massolin . Philip A. . A Higher Duty: Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies . 2006 . Legislative Assembly of Alberta . Edmonton, AB . 0-9689217-3-6 . 495 . 9 August 2020.