The First Legislature: 1905-1910

The Liberals came to power in Alberta as soon as the province entered Confederation in 1905. Prime Minister Sir Wilfred Laurier appointed George Bulyea, who was a Liberal Minister in the Northwest Territories Executive Council, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. Bulyea then selected Liberal leader Alexander Rutherford to serve as interim Premier of the new province. Rutherford decided upon four other Liberals to serve in his cabinet. The appointed government continued following Alberta's first election on November 7, 1905 as the Liberals won 23 of 25 ridings with 58 percent of the popular vote.

With such a strong majority government, the Alberta Liberals faced little opposition as it passed bills in the temporary Legislature at McKay Avenue School. Its first responsibilities were to establish the institutions of government found in other provinces.

From the beginning, Rutherford's Liberals were committed to a policy of fiscal responsibility. However, the government saw the need to expand telephone and railway lines to remote areas where these services were not yet profitable. In 1908, it decided to buy the Bell Telephone Company's Alberta lines and establish Alberta Government Telephones. It built new telephone trunk lines throughout the province at considerable expense. It also chartered new railways, subsidizing their construction and guaranteeing interest on loans to the rail companies.

1910 saw the appointment of the new Premier, Arthur Sifton. The Liberals were the elected party in Alberta until 1921, when the provincial election was won by the United Farmers of Alberta.

	The division of ridings favours northern Alberta, where the Liberals have the most support. Find out more in this episode of CKUA's Heritage Trails. [Listen] Did you know that the Liberals were in power in Alberta from 1905 to 1921? This was the only time in Alberta's history that the Liberal party formed the government. Learn more about Alberta's political parties at the Alberta's Political History website!

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Becoming a Province

The First Legislature:
1905-1910

Turner Valley: 1914

World War I and Aftermath

Railroads and Expanding Settlement