Alberta politics

Alberta's policies are centered around provincial government, similar to that in other Canadian provinces . The provincial capital Edmonton houses the Prime Minister , the legislature, the Lieutenant Governor and the cabinet . Unicameral Legislature The Alberta Legislative Assembly consists of 83 deputies. The government operates according to the Westminster model . Despite federal government transfers, provincial revenues come mainly from provincial resource management. The municipal government system in Alberta is organized in much the same way as in other provinces. The most important exception is that Alberta is the only province in Canada that does not have a provincial sales tax.

Alberta policies are generally considered more right-wing than the policies of other Canadian provinces. For decades, the provincial government was formed alongside the so-called “Right-wing” political parties, ranging from the Social Credit Party in 1935 to the conservative progressives since 1971 .

In the May 5, 2015 election, the center-left New Democratic Party of Alberta won, receiving 40.57% of the vote and 53 out of 87 seats, its leader Rachel Knoutley formed the Alberta government ^[1] . The right- gained 24.23% of the vote and 21st place and retained the status of the official opposition, which it first gained in previous elections. The Alberta Progressive Conservative Association was in second place in terms of the number of votes (27.8%), but held only 10 deputies. In total, the two right-wing parties gained 52% of the vote, but under the majority electoral system, the fragmentation of votes between the two right-wing parties brought the center-left to power.

The political stability of Alberta determined the presence of a number of political dynasties. Throughout its history, the government was formed by only four parties, none of which returned to power after losing the election:

• From 1905 to 1921 : The Liberal Party of Alberta
• From 1921 to 1935 : Alberta United Farmers
• From 1935 to 1971 : Alberta Social Credit Party
• From 1971 to 2015 : Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
• Since 2015 : New Democratic Party of Alberta

Alberta is the patrimony of the former Reform Party of Canada and its successor to the Canadian Union . From 1997 to 2003 , these parties were the second most important in the federal parliament and the most right-wing in the Canadian political arena of the time. The Canadian Union teamed up with the federal Progressive Conservative Party and created the modern Canadian Conservative Party, led by Stephen Harper , a native of Ontario , who moved to Alberta in the 1980s.

Both provincial conservative progressives and reformist and union parties reflect Alberta's more conservative nature socially than other provinces. Alberts usually object to such social policies as allowing homosexual marriage and abortion , and gun control. Alberts are also more likely to support the death penalty , as well as policies aimed at improving public order.

Alberta flag

Alberts still harbor resentment against the liberal federal government of Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau for introducing the National Energy Program (NEP) in the early 1980s. They believe that this was an invasion of the federal government in the field of provincial competence, prompting some even to statements about the separation of their province from Canada. Interest in the idea of secession of Alberta grew at every opportunity, but this movement was usually considered a political minority. The NEP was canceled by the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, led by Brian Mulroney , when she came to power in the 1984 federal election .

Alberts are the least taxed among Canadian residents, mainly due to the province’s significant oil revenues. Alberta is one of only two provinces that do not receive any transfer payments from the federal government (along with Ontario ). On the contrary, Alberta is the largest participant in the program, transferring these payments to poorer provinces to ensure the same quality of public services provided in all provinces.