Fonds glen-51 - Alberta Liberal Association fonds

The non-partisan electoral tradition in the North-West Territories ended in 1904, and candidates identified as Liberals were first elected in territorial elections that year. The Liberal Party formed the government of Alberta from 1905 to 1921. It has existed continuously under several variant names, and has served as the Loyal Opposition of the province during most of the twentieth century. In 1924 the Provincial Liberal Association of Alberta was created. By 1947 it was named the Alberta Liberal Association, and it organized political activities in both provincial and federal constituencies. It has also been known as the Liberal Association of Alberta. It was affiliated with the National Liberal Federation, and members were also automatically members of the federal party. By 1970 its name was changed to The Liberal Party in Alberta and the federal party was known as the Liberal Federation of Canada. In the mid-1970s the federal and provincial party organizations were separated due to changes in electoral and taxation laws. The provincial organizational division of the federal party was named the Liberal Party of Canada (Alberta), sometimes known as the Liberal Party of Canada in Alberta. Since the 1960s, the provincial party has been familiarly known as the Alberta Liberal Party or ALP. For further information see Liberals in Alberta : Studying the Lessons of History / James Fischer. -- Edmonton : unpublished M.A. thesis, University of Alberta, 1986.

Upon formation of the Province of Alberta in 1905, the provincial Liberal Party formed under the leadership of Alexander C. Rutherford. Since its inception, the Alberta Liberal Party has served in both minority and majority positions in the Alberta Legislature. Prior to 1977, the Liberal Party of Canada in Alberta (federal liberals) and the Alberta Liberal Party (provincial liberals) shared and managed both federal and provincial interests and operated under several names including, the Liberal Party in Alberta, the Provincial Liberal Association, and the Liberal Association of Alberta. In 1977, after changes in electoral and taxation laws, the party separated and the provincial liberals became known as the Alberta Liberal Party while the federal liberals became known as the Liberal Party of Canada in Alberta. Leaders of the Alberta Liberal Party include:;Alexander C. Rutherford (1905-1910);Arthur L. Sifton (1910-1917);Charles Stewart (1917-1922);John R. Boyle (1922-24);Charles R. Mitchell (1924-26);John C. Bowen (1926);Joseph Tweed Shaw (1926-30);Geogre H. Webster (1930-32);William R. Howson (1932-37);Edward Leslie Gray (1937-1940);James Harper Prowse (1948-1958);John Walter Grant MacEwan (1958-1960);David Hunter (1960-64);Michael Maccagno (1964-1966, 1966-69);Adrian Berry (1966);John T. Lowery (1969-70);Robert Russell (1971-1974);Nicholas Taylor (1974-1988);Laurence Decore (1988-1994);Bettie Hewes (1994) interim;Grant Mitchell (1994-1998);Nancy MacBeth (1998-2001);Ken Nicol (2001-2004);Don Massey (2004) interim;Kevin Taft (since 2004)