Between the elections of 1926 and 1930, Albertans enjoyed progress and prosperity, that is, at least until the stock market crash in 1929. According to historian David Leonard, the economic depression dominated everyone?s thoughts:

The New York Stock Market had collapsed in November of 1929, and the election of 1930 was in June. So obviously, the falling prices in virtually everything and increased unemployment lines was what was on the backs of people?s minds.

However, the government of the day led by John Brownlee, who was a UFA Premier, he was running a very responsible government. It was a good, middle of the road, slightly conservative at least fiscally government of the time. But the people were basically very happy with it. So it looked like the government was in a good a position as any to withstand whatever depression was facing the people in the future. And they were going to let them continue.

At the time, people did not see their hard times as the fault of the Alberta government. They blamed instead Ottawa and the eastern banks.

The Conservatives were largely discredited in Alberta because they were standing more for higher tariffs to protect eastern industry. Alberta wanted lower tariffs to sell their wheat abroad. So Alberta, being a basically rural province, would vote for the farmers? party ? the UFA ? or the Liberals at the time. So the Conservatives were viewed as eastern interests, so their numbers were down considerably in Alberta.

Just before the election, Premier John Brownlee of the United Farmers of Alberta had secured the control of the province?s Crown Land and natural resources from Ottawa. And he bailed out the Alberta Wheat Pool when grain prices fell after the crash on Wall Street. For this, Brownlee and the UFA were rewarded at the polls.

The election was called for the 19th of June, and the United Farmers of Alberta secured thirty-nine of sixty-three seats, with thirty-nine percent of the vote. Not an overwhelming majority, but a very comfortable one because the Liberals, who were in second place, obtained only twenty-five percent of the vote. So, as a result of the election, the people were willing to let the government of John Brownlee handle, in what best way it could, the programs and policies towards redressing the grievances caused by the Great Depression.

And so the United Farmers of Alberta headed into their third term in office, hoping good times were once again just around the corner.

On the Heritage Trail, I?m Cheryl Croucher.