5th Alberta Legislature
# 5th Alberta Legislature

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.

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 The bill repealed prohibition which had been instituted following a 1916 referendum.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 |
| Calgary | Robert Edwards | Independent |
| Calgary | Fred White | Dominion Labor |
| Calgary | Robert Marshall | Liberal |
| Calgary | 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 |
| Edmonton | John C. Bowen | Liberal |
| Edmonton | Nellie McClung | Liberal |
| Edmonton | John Boyle | Liberal |
| Edmonton | 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 |
| Medicine Hat | 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

July 11, 1921, to November 14, 1922 :

| Number of members per party by date | Number of members per party by date | 1921 | 1921 | 1921 | 1921 | 1921 | 1921 | 1921 | 1921 | 1922 | 1922 | 1922 | 1922 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Number of members per party by date | Number of members per party by date | 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 | 38 | 38 | 37 | 38 | 40 | 40 |
| | Liberal | 2 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| | Dominion Labor | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| | Independent | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| | Conservative | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| | Independent Farmer | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 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 | Number of members per party by date | 1923 | 1923 | 1923 | 1924 | 1924 | 1924 | 1924 | 1925 | 1925 | 1925 | 1925 | 1926 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Number of members per party by date | Number of members per party by date | 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 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 |
| | Liberal | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| | Dominion Labor | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| | Independent | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| | Conservative | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independent Farmer | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Total members | 61 | 60 | 59 | 59 | 60 | 59 | 60 | 59 | 60 | 55 | 54 | 53 |
| | Vacant | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Government Majority | $21^1$ | $22^1$ | $23^1$ | $23^1$ | $22^1$ | $23^1$ | $22^1$ | $23^1$ | $22^1$ | $27^1$ | $28^1$ | $29^1$ |

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 | See List of Members | 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 |

* 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.
