Bonnyville (provincial electoral district)

Bonnyville was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1952 to 1997.[1] The Bonnyville electoral district was created in 1952 from the northern part of the St. Paul electoral district. In 1997 the riding was renamed Bonnyville-Cold Lake, to more accurately reflect the two largest population centres in the constituency.[2]

Bonnyville
Alberta electoral district
Defunct provincial electoral district
LegislatureLegislative Assembly of Alberta
District created1913
District abolished1952
First contested1913
Last contested1948

Representation history
Members of the Legislative Assembly for Bonnyville
Assembly Years Member Party Status
See St. Paul 1913-1952
12th 1952–1955 Laudas Joly Social Credit Backbench
13th 1955–1959 Jake Josvanger Liberal Opposition
14th 1959–1961 Karl Nordstrom Social Credit Backbench
1961 Vacant
1961–1963 Romeo
Lamothe		 Social Credit Backbench
15th 1963–1967
16th 1967–1971
17th 1971–1975 Donald Hansen Progressive
Conservative
18th 1975–1979
19th 1979–1982 Ernie Isley
20th 1982–1986 Cabinet
21st 1986–1989
22nd 1989–1993
23rd 1993–1997 Leo Vasseur Liberal Opposition
See Bonnyville-Cold Lake 1997-2019

The new district was won by former United Farmers MLA for St. Paul, Laudas Joly, running as a Social Credit candidate. Upon his retirement in 1955, the riding would be won by Jake Josvanger, as part of the Liberal Party's brief revival under James Harper Prowse.

Social Credit would re-take Bonnyville in 1959, but new MLA Karl Nordstrom died in office in 1961, triggering a by-election later that year. Social Credit candidate Romeo Lamothe would retain the seat, and go on to serve two full terms after that.

In Peter Lougheed's 1971 victory for the Progressive Conservatives, candidate Donald Hansen would capture Bonnyville for the new government, and serve two terms as MLA. Upon his retirement in 1979, Ernie Isley would retain the seat for the PCs and serve four terms as MLA, holding several cabinet positions under Lougheed and Don Getty.

When Ralph Klein became premier in 1992, Isley remained minister of Agriculture, but then lost his seat in the 1993 election to Liberal Leo Vasseur.

The riding was then replaced by Bonnyville-Cold Lake for the 1997 election, in which PC candidate Denis Ducharme would defeat Vasseur and re-gain the seat.

Election results
Graphical summary of results

1950s

The 1952 and 1955 elections were done by instant-runoff voting, although a second round was not needed in the district for either.

1952 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%[3]
Social CreditLaudas Joly2,49765.94%
LiberalIrvin J. Baril1,29034.06%
Total valid votes 3,787
Rejected, spoiled and declined 215
Eligible electors / turnout 5,93567.43%
Social Credit pickup new district.
1955 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalJake Josvanger2,25051.50%+17.44%
Social CreditAlfred A. Muller1,33130.46%-35.48%
IndependentL.F. Krawchuk78818.04%
Total valid votes 4,369
Rejected, spoiled and declined 384
Eligible electors / turnout 6,39374.35% +6.92%
Liberal gain from Social Credit Swing +26.46%

Alberta switched back to traditional first past the post elections in 1959, which can be seen in the dramatic drop in spoiled (incorrectly marked) ballots compared to previous elections.

1959 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Social CreditKarl Nordstrom2,46551.66%+21.20%
LiberalJake Josvanger1,44730.32%-21.18%
Progressive ConservativeVictor Justik86018.02%
Total valid votes 4,772
Rejected, spoiled and declined 14
Eligible electors / turnout 8,10859.03% -15.32%
Social Credit gain from Liberal Swing +21.19%

1960s
Alberta provincial by-election, November 27, 1961
upon the death of Karl Nordstrom
Party Candidate Votes%±%[4]
Social CreditRomeo Lamothe2,40163.86%+12.20%
Progressive ConservativeVictor Justik68918.32%+0.30%
LiberalC.K. Josvanger67017.82%-12.50%
Total valid votes 3,760
Rejected, spoiled and declined -
Eligible electors / turnout - -
Social Credit hold Swing +6.25%
1963 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Social CreditRomeo Lamothe2,22248.02%-15.84%
Progressive ConservativeVictor Justik1,09123.58%+5.26%
LiberalAlbert Turcotte1,05922.89%+5.07%
New DemocraticPeter Forman2555.51%
Total valid votes 4,627
Rejected, spoiled and declined 11
Eligible electors / turnout 8,26759.10%
Social Credit hold Swing -5.29%
1967 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Social CreditRomeo Lamothe2,33954.51%+6.49%
Progressive ConservativeVictor Justik1,63638.13%+14.55%
New DemocraticKenneth Kerr3167.36%+1.85%
Total valid votes 4,291
Rejected, spoiled and declined 31
Eligible electors / turnout 8,59950.26% -8.84%
Social Credit hold Swing -4.03%

1970s
1971 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeDonald Hansen2,52346.58%+8.45%
Social CreditLorne Mowers2,35543.47%-11.04%
New DemocraticClaire Gaines5399.95%+2.59%
Total valid votes 5,417
Rejected, spoiled and declined 21
Eligible electors / turnout 9,23458.89% +8.63%
Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit Swing +9.75%
1975 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeDonald Hansen3,22656.84%+10.26%
Social CreditGeorge Nordstrom1,11919.71%-23.76%
New DemocraticFranklin Foster80514.18%+4.23%
LiberalRon Pernarowski5269.27%
Total valid votes 5,676
Rejected, spoiled and declined 18
Eligible electors / turnout 9,45160.25% +1.36%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +17.01%
1979 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeErnie Isley3,46849.75%-7.09%
New DemocraticTom Turner1,82826.22%+12.04%
Social CreditGeorge Nordstrom1,27518.29%-1.42%
IndependentDonald Appleby2062.96%
LiberalEdward Stepanik1942.78%-6.49%
Total valid votes 6,971
Rejected, spoiled and declined 25
Eligible electors / turnout 11,05363.30% +3.05%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -9.57%

1980s
1982 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeErnie Isley4,84259.62%+9.87%
New DemocraticTom Turner2,54731.36%+5.14%
Western Canada ConceptEric E. Enns7329.02%
Total valid votes 8,121
Rejected, spoiled and declined 13
Eligible electors / turnout 12,34366.01% +2.71%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +2.37%
1986 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeErnie Isley3,63065.42%+5.80%
New DemocraticThomas J. Tucker1,66329.97%-1.39%
Western Canada ConceptVern McCaig2564.61%-4.41%
Total valid votes 5,549
Rejected, spoiled and declined 15
Eligible electors / turnout 15,25836.47% -29.54%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +3.60%
1989 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeErnie Isley3,36250.30%-15.12%
LiberalDenis Lapierre1,76926.47%
New DemocraticLori Hall1,55323.23%-6.74%
Total valid votes 6,684
Rejected, spoiled and declined 13
Eligible electors / turnout 15,12744.27% +7.80%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -20.80%

1993 election
1993 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%[5]
LiberalLeo Vasseur4,36447.2%+20.7%
Progressive ConservativeErnie Isley4,22245.6%-4.7%
New DemocraticAgathe Gaulin6667.2%-16.0%
Total valid votes 9,252
Rejected, spoiled and declined 39
Eligible electors / turnout 16,82655.2% +10.9%
Liberal gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +12.7%

Plebiscite results

1957 liquor plebiscite
1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Bonnyville[6]
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 1,716 66.05%
No 882 33.95%
Total votes 2,598 100%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 31
6,988 eligible electors, turnout 37.62%

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.[7]

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 women should be allowed to drink together in establishments.[6]

Province wide Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts while Question B passed in all five districts. Bonnyville voted in favour of the proposal by an overwhelming majority. The district recorded a poor voter turnout, falling well below the province wide average of 46%.[6]

Official district returns were released to the public on December 31, 1957.[6] The Social Credit government in power at the time did not consider the results binding.[8] However the results of the vote led the government to repeal all existing liquor legislation and introduce an entirely new Liquor Act.[9]

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 who wanted a license had to petition for a binding municipal plebiscite in order to be granted a license.[10]

See slso

References
  1. "Election results for Bonnyville". abheritage.ca. Heritage Community Foundation. Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  2. Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission (June 1996). "Proposed Electoral Division Areas, Boundaries, and Names for Alberta. Final Report to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta". Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  3. "Abheritage.ca — Electoral results for Bonnyville". Archived from the original on December 8, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. "Elections Alberta: By-elections". Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  5. "Summary of Results by Electoral Division, 1982-2015".
  6. Alberta Gazette. Vol. 53 (December 31 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1957. pp. 2, 247–2, 249.
  7. "Albertans Vote 2 to 1 For More Liquor Outlets". Vol L No 273. The Lethbridge Herald. October 31, 1957. pp. 1–2.
  8. "No Sudden Change In Alberta Drinking Habits Is Seen". Vol L No 267. The Lethbridge Herald. October 24, 1957. p. 1.
  9. "Entirely New Act On Liquor". Vol LI No 72. The Lethbridge Herald. March 5, 1958. p. 1.
  10. "Bill 81". Alberta Bills 12th Legislature 1st Session. Government of Alberta. 1958. p. 40.

Further reading

54.254°N 110.524°W / 54.254; -110.524

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