The 26th Alberta Legislative Assembly was in session from March 1, 2005, to February 4, 2008, with the membership of the assembly determined by the results of the
2004 Alberta general election
The 2004 Alberta general election was held on November 22, 2004 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.
The election was called on October 25, 2004. Premier Ralph Klein decided to go to the polls earlier than the legislated dead ...
held on November 22, 2004. The Legislature officially resumed on March 1, 2005, and continued until the fourth session was
prorogued
A legislative session is the period of time in which a legislature, in both parliamentary and presidential systems, is convened for purpose of lawmaking, usually being one of two or more smaller divisions of the entire time between two elections ...
2008 Alberta general election
The 2008 Alberta general election was held on March 3, 2008, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.
It was expected to be called early because the governing Progressive Conservatives held a leadership election on December 2, 20 ...
on March 3, 2008.
Alberta's twenty-sixth government was controlled by the
majority
A majority, also called a simple majority or absolute majority to distinguish it from #Related terms, related terms, is more than half of the total.Dictionary definitions of ''majority'' aMerriam-WebsterProgressive Conservative Association of Alberta, led by
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier.
A premier will normally be a head of governm ...
Ralph Klein until his resignation on December 24, 2006, after which he was succeeded by Ed Stelmach. The
Official Opposition
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. This article uses the term ''government'' as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning ''th ...
Ken Kowalski
Kenneth Reginald Kowalski (born September 27, 1945) is a politician and former teacher from Alberta, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, where he served from 1979 to 2012, sitting with the governing Progressive Conse ...
. In the list below, cabinet members' names are bolded; leaders of official parties are italicized.
This legislature had the distinction of being addressed by Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, to help celebrate Alberta's centennial.
Party standings after 26th General Elections
* The Alberta Court of Appeal declared Thomas Lukaszuk the victor more than two months after the election. The election-night vote count had given
Chris Kibermanis
Christopher John Kibermanis (born March 24, 1976) is a Canadian former ice hockey player.
Born in Calgary, Alberta, Kibermanis, was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 1994. He played three seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Red Deer Rebe ...
of the Liberals a five-vote win, but the judicial recount gave Lukaszuk a three-vote margin of victory.
* A party requires four seats to have official party status in the legislature. Parties with fewer than four seats are not entitled to party funding although their members will usually be permitted to sit together in the chamber.
Notable events
* The province's centennial occurred during the 26th Legislature, on September 1, 2005. Earlier that year, on May 24, 2005, Elizabeth II made an official visit to the province in commemoration of the centennial.Hansard for Tuesday, May 24, 2006, Afternoon Retrieved on September 26, 2006.
* On March 1, 2006, premier Ralph Klein announced a series of controversial health care reforms which involved allowing greater levels of privatization in Alberta's
public health care
Publicly funded healthcare is a form of health care financing designed to meet the cost of all or most healthcare needs from a publicly managed fund. Usually this is under some form of democratic accountability, the right of access to which are se ...
system. Later that day, the premier received significant media attention after throwing a book at a 17-year-old page.
* On March 15, 2006, and throughout the year, the Legislative Assembly celebrated the centennial of the first sitting of the Legislature.
* On April 6, 2006, Ted Morton introduced the controversial Bill 208, Protection of Fundamental Freedoms (Marriage) Statutes Amendment Act, 2006. Critics maintained that the bill removed limitations on free speech where homosexual individuals were concerned, potentially removing recourse for verbal abuse and
discrimination
Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of race, gender, age, relig ...
. The bill died on the order paper on May 18, 2006.
Standings changes during the 26th Assembly
#February 2, 2005
Chris Kibermanis
Christopher John Kibermanis (born March 24, 1976) is a Canadian former ice hockey player.
Born in Calgary, Alberta, Kibermanis, was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 1994. He played three seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Red Deer Rebe ...
,
Edmonton Castle Downs
Edmonton-Castle Downs is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is one of 87 mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting.
The district was cre ...
removed from office after a judicial recount.
#February 2, 2005
Thomas Lukaszuk
Thomas Adam Lukaszuk (born April 5, 1969) is a Polish-born Canadian politician and former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He represented the constituency of Edmonton-Castle Downs from 2001 to 2015 as a Progressive Conservative. ...
,
Edmonton Castle Downs
Edmonton-Castle Downs is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is one of 87 mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting.
The district was cre ...
becomes the MLA by court order.
#March 22, 2006 Lyle Oberg,
Strathmore-Brooks
Strathmore-Brooks was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first-past-the-post method of voting from 1997 to 2019.
History
The electoral district ...
suspended from the Progressive Conservative
caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement. The exact definition varies between different countries and political cultures.
The term originated in the United States, where it can refer to a meeting ...
#July 25, 2006 Lyle Oberg, Strathmore-Brooks rejoins the Progressive Conservatives
#January 15, 2007 Ralph Klein,
Calgary-Elbow
Calgary-Elbow is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. Its most recent MLA was Doug Schweitzer, who won the seat in the 2019 provincial election. Schweitzer stepped down on August 31, 2022 and the e ...
resigns
#January 15, 2007
Shirley McClellan
Shirley McClellan (born 22 January 1942) is a Canadian politician who was a long serving member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for 20 years. She served as Deputy Premier.
Early life
McClellan was born in Hanna, Alberta, Hanna, Alberta ...
Craig Cheffins
Craig Cheffins is a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the Calgary-Elbow riding. Running as a Liberal, he won the seat in a 2007 by-election, but lost the seat in the 2008 general election.
Political life
A by-election w ...
,
Calgary-Elbow
Calgary-Elbow is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. Its most recent MLA was Doug Schweitzer, who won the seat in the 2019 provincial election. Schweitzer stepped down on August 31, 2022 and the e ...
Dan Backs
Dan Backs (born December 15, 1953) is a politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He was elected as a Liberal candidate in the 2004 provincial election, but was kicked out of the Liberal caucus by leader Kevin Taft, ...
, Edmonton Manning was expelled from the Liberal caucus.
#September 27, 2007
Gary Mar
Gary Glen Mar , (; born July 26, 1962) is a Canadian businessman and former politician in Alberta. He is currently the President and CEO of the Canada West Foundation.
Mar had served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1993 ...
,
Calgary Mackay
Calgary-Mackay was a provincial electoral district in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting from 2004 to 2012.
History
The Calgary-MacK ...
resigns to accept a government appointment.
#January 19, 2008 Paul Hinman, Cardston-Taber-Warner forms the Wildrose Alliance caucus.