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Alberta Elections: 1940 Royal Visit, Fascism and World War II Put Aberhart?s Socred?s Back in Office

Despite the early failures and gaps, William Aberhart?s Social Credit Party managed to win the next election in 1940. As historian David Leonard explains, this was largely due to the fact that the doldrums of the Great Depression were fading away as the world prepared for the fight against fascism:

So the war and even the prospect of the war, which was there in ?39 did serve to pick up the economy. And of course, at any time when people are faced with an international crisis like that, the tendency is to rally behind the government. And even though Social Credit had not followed through with a lot of its practices, the people were solidly behind Social Credit for the fact that Aberhart was, at that time, providing what appeared to be a solid administration. The year before the election, King George V and Queen Mary came to Alberta, and people demonstrated their loyalty to the British Crown.

In Edmonton, they traveled up Kingsway Avenue, and 68 000 people lined the avenue to give them greetings, almost the entire population of Edmonton. So people were firmly British. Things, economically, were beginning to pick up in the late 1930?s. Turner Valley began flowing again in great gushes in 1938. A meat packing industry now came to Edmonton. Gainers and Burns established big firms at the east end. And with the knowledge that the war was coming, of course, industry picked up.

The election was called for March of 1940. During the campaign, the press maliciously attacked Aberhart over the Responsible Press Act. But the farmers stood solidly behind Social Credit, and the party won a second term in office, securing thirty-six of fifty-seven ridings.

The Liberals and the Conservatives were totally discredited. There was an Independent Citizens? Association led by former Liberal Edward Gray. But they were not united on any kind of policy whatsoever. They only had one thing in common: get rid of William Aberhart. The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation had been launched by this time and it would win the election in Saskatchewan. In Alberta, it was led by Chester Ronning, and it was more attune to the old United Farmers.

And so, with a mixed sense of fear, apprehension, and anticipation, Alberta and its Social Credit government headed into the war years. It was a time of much activity, when anyone who wanted a job could get one.

On the Heritage Trail, I?m Cheryl Croucher.

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