Between Alberta?s election in 1913 and the next one in 1917, the province experienced many tumultuous changes. And as historian David Leonard explains, it was the Liberal government of Arthur Sifton that led Alberta through the years of the Great War:

The rural areas in particular were happy because the yields were good during the war, and there was a great demand for western wheat during the war. And the rural populations were growing. It actually grew by twenty-five percent during the war. Considerable numbers of Eastern Europeans were coming to western Canada, many to escape the ravages of the war. The cities of Calgary and Edmonton, however, did undergo a great depression with the war. For various purposes of the war, people left in vast numbers. And we find that the property values in the city begin to tumble at this time because so much of the land was left undeveloped and nobody knew what to do with it. Many people were just walking away from their properties rather than pay the taxes on it. And Calgary?s population dropped from 80 000 all the way to 56 000. And Edmonton lost about 15 000 to drop to about 53 000 people. While urban areas were in decline, rural Alberta was experiencing a boom. And farmers were getting organized as well.

The United Farmers of Alberta were now in control of much of the activity of farm life. Henry Wise Wood saw the population of the United Farmers rise to 11 000 people, spread over 700 locals throughout the area. And they were holding rallies. There were instructional affairs as well as people were being instructed in better crop varieties and growing patterns and varieties of seed.

During the war years, new political forces rose up to challenge the traditional parties of the Liberals and Conservatives.

The people of the prairies were influenced as well by the Non-Partisan League. This was organized by William Irving. And it was a movement to simply get people elected into the legislature who did not stand for any of the established eastern parties. The Women?s Christian Temperance Union and the Moral Reform League were very active at this time. Their campaigns forced Arthur Sifton?s government to bring in Prohibition before the next election.

On the Heritage Trail, I?m Cheryl Croucher.