Little Bow is a provincial electoral district in rural southern Alberta, Canada. The district, named after the Little Bow River, was created in 1913. It is mandated to return a representative to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.
Throughout its history, this district has been dominated by agricultural activities. Because the area is prone to summer time drought and frequent water rationing, agriculture has been limited to grain crops and cattle ranches. The recent BSE crisis, and the subsequent closure of the US border to Canadian cattle, has been a major election issue.
The district's major communities, Vulcan, Coalhurst, the Siksika Nation, Arrowwood, Picture Butte and Mossleigh provide service centres for area's agricultural and oil & gas industries.
History
The electoral district was created in the 1913 boundary redistribution from four different districts. It was primarily carved out of Lethbridge District and also took land from the eastern portion of High River, Claresholm and Nanton.
The 2010 boundary redistribution saw the electoral district change only slightly as a portion of land was moved into the district from Highwood.[1]
Boundary history
66 Little Bow 2003 Boundaries[2] |
Bordering Districts |
North |
East |
West |
South |
Strathmore-Brooks |
Cypress-Medicine Hat |
Livingstone-Macleod and Highwood |
Cardston-Taber-Warner, Lethbridge-East and Lethbridge-West |
|
|
Legal description from the Statutes of Alberta 2003, Electoral Divisions Act. |
Starting at the intersection of the east boundary of Sec. 23 in Twp. 21, Rge. 26 W4 and the right bank of the Bow River; then 1. downstream along the right bank to the south boundary of the Siksika Indian Reserve No. 146 in Sec. 6, Twp. 22, Rge. 24 W4; 2. in a northeasterly, southeasterly and southerly direction along the Indian Reserve boundary to the right bank of the Bow River; 3. downstream along the right bank of the Bow River to the right bank of the Oldman River; 4. upstream along the right bank of the Oldman River to the east boundary of Rge. 19, Twp. 10 W4; 5. south along the east boundary to the north boundary of the south half of Sec. 7 in Twp. 9, Rge. 18 W4; 6. east along the north boundary of the south half to the east boundary of the west half of Sec. 7 in the Twp.; 7. south along the east boundary of the west half of Secs. 7 and 6 to the north boundary of the south half of Sec. 6 in the Twp.; 8. east along the north boundary to the east boundary of Sec. 6 in the Twp.; 9. south along the east boundary to the north boundary of Twp. 8; 10. east along the north boundary to the east boundary of Sec. 32 in Twp. 8, Rge. 18 W4; 11. south along the east boundary to the north boundary of the south half of Sec. 33 in the Twp.; 12. east along the north boundary of the south half of Secs. 33 and 34 to the east boundary of the west half of Sec. 34 in the Twp.; 13. south along the east boundary to the north boundary of Sec. 27 in the Twp.; 14. east along the north boundary of Secs. 27 and 26 to the east boundary of the west half of Sec. 26 in the Twp.; 15. south along the east boundary to the north boundary of the south half of Sec. 26 in the Twp.; 16. east along the north boundary to the east boundary of Sec. 26 in the Twp.; 17. south along the east boundary to the north boundary of Sec. 24 in the Twp.; 18. east along the north boundary to the east boundary of Rge. 18 W4; 19. south along the east boundary to the north boundary of the south half of Sec. 19 in Twp. 8, Rge. 17 W4; 20. east along the north boundary of the south half of Secs. 19 and 20 to the east boundary of the west half of Sec. 20 in the Twp.; 21. south along the east boundary to the north boundary of Sec. 17 in the Twp.; 22. east along the north boundary to the east boundary of Sec. 17 in the Twp.; 23. south along the east boundary to the north boundary of the south half of Sec. 16 in the Twp.; 24. east along the north boundary of the south half to the east boundary of the west half of Sec. 16 in the Twp.; 25. south along the east boundary of the west half of Secs. 16 and 9 to the north boundary of Sec. 4 in the Twp.; 26. east along the north boundary to the east boundary of Sec. 4 in the Twp.; 27. south along the east boundary to the north boundary of the south half of Sec. 3 in the Twp.; 28. east along the north boundary of the south half of Sec. 3 to the east boundary of Sec. 3; 29. south along the east boundary to the north boundary of Twp. 7; 30. west along the north boundary to the east boundary of Sec. 34 in Twp. 7, Rge. 18 W4; 31. south along the east boundary of Secs. 34, 27 and 22 to the north boundary of Sec. 15 in the Twp.; 32. west along the north boundary of Secs. 15, 16, 17 and 18 in the Twp. and the north boundary of Secs. 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 in Twp. 7, Rge. 19 W4 to the east boundary of Sec. 18 in the Twp.; 33. south along the east boundary of Secs. 18, 7 and 6 in the Twp. to the north boundary of Twp. 6; 34. west along the north boundary to the east boundary of Rge. 20 W4; 35. north along the east boundary to the north boundary of Sec. 1 in Twp. 7, Rge. 20 W4; 36. west along the north boundary of Secs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in the Twp. and the north boundary of Sec. 1 in Twp. 7, Rge. 21 W4 to the east boundary of Sec. 11 in the Twp.; 37. north along the east boundary to the north boundary of Sec. 11 in the Twp.; 38. west along the north boundary of Secs. 11, 10 and 9 in the Twp. to the right bank of Pothole Creek; 39. downstream along the right bank of Pothole Creek to the right bank of the St. Mary River; 40. downstream along the right bank of the St. Mary River to the right bank of the Oldman River; 41. upstream along the right bank (by-passing and excluding the City of Lethbridge) to the east boundary of Sec. 30 in Twp. 10, Rge. 24 W4; 42. north along the east boundary of Secs. 30 and 31 in the Twp. to the north boundary of Twp. 10; 43. west along the north boundary to the east boundary of Sec. 5 in Twp. 11, Rge. 24 W4; 44. north along the east boundary of Secs. 5, 8 and 17 to the north boundary of the south half of Sec. 17 in the Twp.; 45. west along the north boundary of the south half of Secs. 17 and 18 in the Twp. to the east boundary of Rge. 25 W4; 46. north along the east boundary to the right bank of the Little Bow River; 47. upstream along the right bank to the east boundary of Sec. 23 in Twp. 17, Rge. 27 W4; 48. north along the east boundary of Secs. 23, 26 and 35 in the Twp. and the east boundary of Secs. 2, 11, 14, 23, 26 and 35 in Twp. 18, Rge. 27 W4 to the north boundary of Twp. 18 (Highway 23); 49. east along the north boundary of Twp. 18 (Highway 23) to the east boundary of Sec. 2 in Twp. 19, Rge. 26 W4; 50. north along the east boundary of Secs. 2, 11, 14, 23, 26 and 35 in Twps. 19 and 20, Rge. 26 W4 and east boundary of Secs. 2, 11, 14 and 23 in Twp. 21, Rge. 26 W4 to the starting point. |
Note: |
Representation history
The electoral district was created in 1913 in the controversial and scandal ridden redistricting that year. It was created from four different ridings which had a mixture of representation primarily Liberals as well as Independents and a Conservative.
Through the first 100 years in the history of this district, it has only been represented by five members of the Legislative Assembly. The recent history has shown voters in this riding tend to favour the candidate more than the party as shown by Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Raymond Speaker's lengthy term in office.
The first representative elected in 1913 was Liberal candidate James McNaughton He won re-election with a landslide majority in 1917. McNaughton would be defeated running for his third term in office by United Farmers candidate Oran McPherson.
McPherson became Speaker of the Legislature in 1922. He was re-elected to his second term in 1926 defeating McNaughton for the last time and acclaimed to his third term in 1930. Near the end of his third term McPherson went through a scandal-ridden divorce that made front page headlines. He lost favour with his constituents at a time when the United Farmers lost popularity due to the great depression and the John Edward Brownlee sex scandal.
Little Bow would change representatives in 1935. The electors went along with most of the province in returning a Social Credit candidate. Peter Dawson would easily defeat McPherson with a landslide majority as his party formed government. Dawson became the second speaker of the Assembly to represent the district in 1937.
Dawson would enjoy a long career in the Assembly easily winning re-election in 1940, 1944, 1948, 1952, 1955 and 1959 without his popular support dropping below 50%. On March 24, 1963 McPherson would die from a heart attack. Little Bow would be left vacant until the 1963 general election held a few months later.
The 1963 election would return the third representative of the riding Social Credit candidate Raymond Speaker who won his first election easily with 64% of the popular vote. He would be re-elected to his second term with a landslide in 1967. After the election Premier Ernest Manning appointed Speaker to the provincial cabinet as a Minister without Portfolio. When Premier Harry Strom came to power in 1968 Speaker kept his seat this time becoming Minister of Social Development.
Speaker would win his third term in office in the 1971 election with a large majority. He would lose his cabinet post as his party was swept out of government. He would win re-election as a Social Credit MLA with large majorities in 1975 and 1979 despite the near total collapse of his party.
On October 5, 1982, Speaker who was acting as House leader of the Social Credit caucus had issues with Party leader Rod Sykes. He crossed the floor along with Walt Buck to sit as an Independent MLA. Speaker ran as an Independent candidate in 1982 and won holding his seat with just over 50% of the popular vote.
After the 1982 election Speaker and Buck tried to form the official opposition instead of the two man NDP caucus. The legislature denied them funding and they didn't get the same budget that the NDP had because they weren't a party. In 1984 they registered the Political Alternative Association with elections Alberta which they quickly renamed the Representative Party of Alberta. Speaker became leader of the party and lead it into the 1986 election.
The Representative party would hold its two seats with Speaker winning his seventh term in office. He would abandon the Representative Party to cross the floor to the Progressive Conservative caucus in 1987. Speaker ran for re-election as a Progressive Conservative candidate in 1989 and won his eighth term. He was re-appointed to cabinet by Premier Don Getty as Minister of Municipal Affairs after an 18-year absence.
Speaker vacated his seat in 1992 after being nominated by the Reform Party of Canada to run for a seat to the Canadian House of Commons. After Speaker left, a contentious and divided by-election took place. Progressive Conservative candidate Barry McFarland barely retained this seat for the party. The Liberals came very close to taking back Little Bow, with its best result in 70 years.
McFarland was re-elected five times since winning that 1992 by-election.
Legislature results
1913 general election
1913 Alberta general election results[5] |
Turnout 78.22% |
Swing |
|
Affiliation |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Party |
Personal |
|
Liberal |
James McNaughton |
721 |
52.02% |
* |
|
Conservative | John MacDonald | 339 | 24.46% | * |
|
Independent Conservative |
F.A. Bryant |
202 |
14.57% |
* |
|
Socialist |
Alfred Buddon |
124 |
8.95% |
* |
Total |
1,386 |
Rejected, spoiled and declined |
Unknown |
Eligible electors / Turnout |
1,772 | % |
|
Liberal pickup new district |
Swing N/A |
1917 general election
1917 Alberta general election results[6] |
Turnout 35.89% |
Swing |
|
Affiliation |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Party |
Personal |
|
Liberal |
James McNaughton |
808 |
77.39% |
25.37% |
|
Socialist |
Homer Thomas |
236 |
22.61% |
13.66% |
* |
Total |
1,044 |
Rejected, spoiled and declined |
0 |
Eligible electors / Turnout |
2,909 | % |
|
Liberal hold |
Swing 19.52% |
1921 general election
1926 general election
1930 general election
1935 general election
- Results change compared to 1926 election
1940 general election
1944 general election
1948 general election
1952 general election
1955 general election
1959 general election
1963 general election
1967 general election
1971 general election
1975 general election
1979 general election
1982 general election
1986 general election
1989 general election
1992 by-election
Alberta provincial by-election, March 5, 1992 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes | % | ∆% |
|
Progressive Conservative | Barry McFarland | 1,966 | 35.20% | -44.34% |
|
Liberal | Donna Graham | 1,704 | 30.51% | 18.72% |
|
New Democratic | Ruth Scalplock | 601 | 10.76% | 2.09% |
|
Social Credit | Al Strom | 521 | 9.33% |
|
Alliance | Larry Haller | 399 | 7.14% |
|
Confederation of Regions | Dean Oseen | 394 | 7.06% |
Total |
5,585 |
Rejected, spoiled and declined |
18 |
Eligible electors / Turnout |
9,158 | % |
Turnout |
61.18% |
|
Progressive Conservative hold |
Swing |
-31.53% |
By-election called due to the resignation of Raymond Speaker on January 3, 1992. |
Source: "Little Bow by-election official results". Elections Alberta. March 5, 1992. Retrieved February 6, 2012. |
1993 general election
1997 general election
2001 general election
2004 general election
2008 general election
2012 general election
2015 general election
Senate nominee results
2004 Senate nominee election district results
2004 Senate nominee election results: Little Bow[29] |
Turnout 45.49% |
|
Affiliation |
Candidate |
Votes |
% Votes |
% Ballots |
Rank |
|
Progressive Conservative | Bert Brown | 3,805 | 16.94% | 51.29% | 1 |
|
Progressive Conservative | Betty Unger | 2,861 | 12.74% | 38.56% | 2 |
|
Independent |
Link Byfield |
2,771 |
12.33% |
37.35% |
4 |
|
Progressive Conservative | Cliff Breitkreuz | 2,184 | 9.72% | 29.44% | 3 |
|
Progressive Conservative | Jim Silye | 2,028 | 9.03% | 27.34% | 5 |
|
Alberta Alliance |
Vance Gough |
1,992 |
8.87% |
26.85% |
8 |
|
Progressive Conservative | David Usherwood | 1,892 | 8.42% | 25.50% | 6 |
|
Alberta Alliance |
Michael Roth |
1,843 |
8.20% |
24.84% |
7 |
|
Alberta Alliance |
Gary Horan |
1,648 |
7.34% |
22.21% |
10 |
|
Independent |
Tom Sindlinger |
1,442 |
6.41% |
19.44% |
9 |
Total Votes |
22,466 |
100% |
Total Ballots |
7,419 |
3.03 Votes Per Ballot |
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined |
2,712 |
Voters had the option of selecting 4 Candidates on the Ballot
Student Vote results
2004 election
Participating Schools[30] |
Calvin Christian School |
Champion School |
Coalhurst High School |
Dorothy Danliesh Elementary School |
Huntsville School |
Lomond Colony School |
Noble Central School |
Picture Butte High School |
R.I. Baker Middle School |
St. Josephs' School |
On November 19, 2004 a Student Vote was conducted at participating Alberta schools to parallel the 2004 Alberta general election results. The vote was designed to educate students and simulate the electoral process for persons who have not yet reached the legal majority. The vote was conducted in 80 of the 83 provincial electoral districts with students voting for actual election candidates. Schools with a large student body that reside in another electoral district had the option to vote for candidates outside of the electoral district then where they were physically located.
2012 election
Plebiscite results
1948 Electrification Plebiscite
District results from the first province wide plebiscite on electricity regulation.
Option A |
Option B |
Are you in favour of the generation and distribution of electricity being continued by the Power Companies? |
Are you in favour of the generation and distribution of electricity being made a publicly owned utility administered by the Alberta Government Power Commission? |
1,069 28.42% |
2,716 71.76% |
Province wide result: Option A passed. |
1957 liquor plebiscite
1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Little Bow[32] |
Question A: Do you approve additional types of outlets for the sale of beer, wine and spirituous liquor subject to a local vote? |
|
Ballot Choice |
Votes |
% |
|
Yes |
1,584 |
51.50% |
|
No |
1,492 |
48.50% |
Total Votes |
3,076 |
100% |
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined |
1 |
5,715 Eligible Electors, Turnout 53.84% |
On October 30, 1957 a stand-alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive debate in the Legislature. The plebiscite was intended to deal with the growing demand for reforming antiquated liquor control laws.[33]
The plebiscite was conducted in two parts. Question A asked in all districts, asked the voters if the sale of liquor should be expanded in Alberta, while Question B asked in a handful of districts within the corporate limits of Calgary and Edmonton asked if men and woman were allowed to drink together in establishments.[32]
Province wide Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts while Question B passed in all five districts. Little Bow just barely voted in favour of the proposal with both sides polling a strong vote. Voter turnout in the district was one of the best in the province, significantly above the province wide average of 46%.[32]
Official district returns were released to the public on December 31, 1957.[32] The Social Credit government in power at the time did not considered the results binding.[34] However the results of the vote led the government to repeal all existing liquor legislation and introduce an entirely new Liquor Act.[35]
Municipal districts lying inside electoral districts that voted against the Plebiscite were designated Local Option Zones by the Alberta Liquor Control Board and considered effective dry zones, business owners that wanted a license had to petition for a binding municipal plebiscite in order to be granted a license.[36]
1967 Daylight Saving Plebiscite
District data from the 1967 Daylight Saving Plebiscite
Do you favour province-wide daylight saving time? |
For |
Against |
1,365 27.98% |
3,185 72.01% |
Province wide result: Failed |
1971 Daylight Saving Plebiscite
District data from the 1971 Daylight Saving Plebiscite
Do you favour province-wide daylight saving time? |
For |
Against |
2,306 40.17% |
3,434 59.83% |
Province wide result: Passed |
References
- ↑ "Proposed Electoral Division Areas, Boundaries, and Names for Alberta" (PDF). Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission. June 2010. p. 21. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
- ↑ "E‑4.1". Statutes of the Province of Alberta. Government of Alberta. 2003. pp. 57–59.
- ↑ "Bill 28 Electoral Divisions Act" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. 2010.
- ↑ "Wildrose MLAs leave party to join PCs". Global Edmonton. November 24, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1975 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1979 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1982 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1986 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1989 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 1993 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ↑ "1997 General Election". Elections Alberta. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
- ↑ "Little Bow Official Results 2001 Alberta general election" (PDF). Elections Alberta. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
- ↑ The Report on the March 3, 2008 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-seventh Legislative Assembly. Elections Alberta. July 28, 2008. pp. 476–481.
- ↑ "Senate Nominee Election 2004 Tabulation of Official Results" (PDF). Elections Alberta. March 1, 2010.
- ↑ "School by School results". Student Vote Canada. Archived from the original on October 5, 2007. Retrieved 2008-04-27.
- ↑ "Riding by Riding Results - the Candidates". Student Vote Canada. Archived from the original on October 6, 2007. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
- 1 2 3 4 Alberta Gazette. 53 (December 31 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1957. pp. 2,247–2,249.
- ↑ "Albertans Vote 2 to 1 For More Liquor Outlets". Vol L No 273. The Lethbridge Herald. October 31, 1957. pp. 1–2.
- ↑ "No Sudden Change In Alberta Drinking Habits Is Seen". Vol L No 267. The Lethbridge Herald. October 24, 1957. p. 1.
- ↑ "Entirely New Act On Liquor". Vol LI No 72. The Lethbridge Herald. March 5, 1958. p. 1.
- ↑ "Bill 81". Alberta Bills 12th Legislature 1st Session. Government of Alberta. 1958. p. 40.
External links