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Wetaskiwin (federal electoral district)

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Coordinates: 53°00′N 113°30′W / 53.0°N 113.5°W / 53.0; -113.5
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Wetaskiwin
Alberta electoral district
Wetaskiwin in relation to the other Alberta federal electoral districts (2003 boundaries)
Defunct federal electoral district
LegislatureHouse of Commons
District created1924
District abolished2013
First contested1925
Last contested2011
District webpageprofile, map
Demographics
Population (2011)[1]113,780
Electors (2011)79,862
Area (km²)[2]14,996.45
Census division(s)Division No. 8, Division No. 9, Division No. 11
Census subdivision(s)Leduc County, Clearwater County, Wetaskiwin, Lacombe, County of Wetaskiwin No. 10, Lacombe County, Ponoka County, Brazeau County, Rocky Mountain House, Ponoka

Wetaskiwin was a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1925 to 2015.

Geography

In its final configuration, the riding was located south of Edmonton and was legally described as commencing at the intersection of the westerly limit of the Town of Devon with the right bank of the North Saskatchewan River; thence generally southeasterly along the westerly limit of said town to the southwesterly corner of said town (at Highway 60); thence southerly along said highway to Township Road 494; thence easterly along said road to the westerly limit of the City of Leduc; thence easterly, southerly, easterly, northerly and easterly along the southerly limit of said city to Highway No. 623; thence easterly along said highway to the easterly limit of Leduc County; thence generally southwesterly along said limit to the northerly limit of the County of Wetaskiwin No. 10; thence easterly and generally southerly along the northerly and easterly limits of said county to the easterly limit of Ponoka County; thence generally southerly along said limit to the northerly limit of Lacombe County; thence generally southeasterly, generally southerly and generally westerly along the northerly, easterly and southerly limits of said county to the east boundary of R 4 W 5; thence south along the east boundary of R 4 W 5 to the south boundary of Tp 38; thence west along the south boundary of Tp 38 to the west boundary of R 8 W 5; thence north along the west boundary of R 8 W 5 to the north boundary of Tp 41; thence east along the north boundary of Tp 41 to the right bank of the North Saskatchewan River; thence generally northerly and generally easterly along said bank to the point of commencement.

This federal electoral riding represents the County of Wetaskiwin No. 10, Ponoka County, Lacombe County, Leduc County, part of Clearwater County and the cities of Wetaskiwin and Lacombe.

History

This riding was created in 1924 from Strathcona and Victoria ridings.

Like most federal ridings in Alberta, it elected a United Farmers of Alberta MP, former Calgary labour reformer William Irvine, in 1926 and 1930. Then, in 1935 and 1940, it elected Norman Jaques of the radical monetary reform party Social Credit.[3]

Like most other ridings in rural Alberta, Wetaskiwin veered sharply to the right after World War II. It was represented by a centre-right MP without interruption from 1935 onward: Social Credit from 1935 to 1958, the Progressive Conservatives from 1958 to 1993, Reform from 1993 to 2000, the Canadian Alliance from 2000 to 2003, and the Conservatives after 2003. Individual centrist, centre-left or left-wing candidates were usually lucky to approach 20 percent of the vote; the last time a single candidate from a non-right-wing party cleared that hurdle was the 1968 federal election.

That aside, in this riding in every election from 1925 to 1957 (excepting 1935) and in 1962, the successful candidate did not win a majority of the riding's votes. More votes went to the unsuccessful candidates than went to the successful one.[4]

In 2003, a portion of Red Deer riding was transferred to this electoral district. These boundaries took effect at the 2004 Canadian federal election.

The riding was abolished ahead of the 2015 election. The bulk of the riding, including Lacombe, was merged with the northern portion of Red Deer to form Red Deer—Lacombe. Much of the northern portion, including the city of Wetaskiwin, was merged with Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont to form Edmonton—Wetaskiwin. Smaller portions were transferred to Yellowhead and Battle River—Crowfoot.

Members of Parliament

Parliament Years Member Party
Wetaskiwin
Riding created from Calgary and Strathcona
15th  1925–1926     Stanley Tobin Liberal
16th  1926–1930     William Irvine United Farmers
17th  1930–1935
18th  1935–1940     Norman Jaques Social Credit
19th  1940–1945
20th  1945–1949
21st  1949–1953 Ray Thomas
22nd  1953–1957
23rd  1957–1958
24th  1958–1962     James Stanley Speakman Progressive Conservative
25th  1962–1963 Harry Andrew Moore
26th  1963–1965
27th  1965–1968
28th  1968–1972
29th  1972–1974 Kenneth Schellenberger
30th  1974–1979
31st  1979–1980
32nd  1980–1984
33rd  1984–1988
34th  1988–1993 Willie Littlechild
35th  1993–1997     Dale Johnston Reform
36th  1997–2000
 2000–2000     Alliance
37th  2000–2003
 2003–2004     Conservative
38th  2004–2006
39th  2006–2008 Blaine Calkins
40th  2008–2011
41st  2011–2015
Riding dissolved into Red Deer—Lacombe, Edmonton—Wetaskiwin,
Yellowhead and Battle River—Crowfoot

Last Member of Parliament

Its most recent Member of Parliament before it ceased to exist was Blaine Calkins, a member of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Candidates for the 2006 election

In the spring of 2005, Dale Johnston announced that he would not be a candidate in the next federal election. A nomination meeting held in May 2005 selected Blaine Calkins as the Conservative Party candidate. Calkins was born and raised in the Lacombe area. He is a graduate of the University of Alberta, and a tenured faculty member at Red Deer College. He began his career in politics as a member of the Lacombe Town Council, and as such has been involved with the Board of Directors of the Lacombe Municipal Ambulance Society, The Board of Directors for Family and Community Support Services, The Municipal Planning Commission, David Thompson Tourist Council and the Disaster Services Committee. Calkins has been involved in the Reform/Canadian Alliance/Conservative Party since becoming a member in 1996. He served on the Candidate Nomination Committee for the Canadian Alliance Wetaskiwin Riding in 1999, and joined the Board of Directors in 2000. Since then, he has held various Board positions, including President, Vice President and Director of Communications.

Peter Crossley was the Liberal Party candidate for the 2006 election. Mr Crossley is a graduate from the University of Alberta and has an honours law degree from the University of Wales at Cardiff. He has operated his own law practice in Rocky Mountain House for the past 12 years, and has served on the Red Deer Kidney Foundation, the Rocky Kinsmen, and the Rotary Club.

Jim Graves was the candidate for the New Democratic Party in the 2006 election [1]. Graves has 27 years of experience as a Professional Engineer, and has been a farmer-rancher since 1989.

Tom Lampman was the Green Party's candidate for Wetaskiwin in the 2006 election [2]. Lampman was the only candidate who also ran in the 2004 federal election, where he outperformed his party's nationwide results by capturing 6.2% of the vote. Like the other candidates, he has experience with the farming industry, as he runs an agricultural consulting business specializing in dairy. One of his specific environmental concerns is thermal pollution from electric power generation. Lampman resides outside of Calmar.

Election results

2011 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Blaine Calkins 37,756 81.44 +4.31 $23,700
New Democratic Tim Robson 5,281 11.39 +2.77 $1,718
Green Robert Johnston 1,978 4.27 -3.78 –
Liberal Christopher Anderson 1,348 2.91 -2.69 $5,920
Total valid votes/Expense limit 46,363 100.00
Total rejected ballots 122 0.26 +0.01
Turnout 46,485 57.92 +4.98
Eligible voters 80,262 – –
2008 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Blaine Calkins 32,528 77.13 +1.98 $32,626
New Democratic Tim Robson 3,636 8.62 -0.70 $6,371
Green Les Parsons 3,395 8.05 +1.72 $388
Liberal Rita Katherine Dillon 2,362 5.60 -3.58 $8,762
Canadian Action Shawn Mann 249 0.59 –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 42,170 100.00 $90,704
Total rejected ballots 105 –
Turnout 42,275 52.94
2006 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Blaine Calkins 35,776 75.15 +1.6 $38,612
New Democratic Jim Graves 4,441 9.32 +2.1
Liberal Peter Crossley 4,371 9.18 -2.7 $9,976
Green Tom Lampman 3,016 6.33 +0.1 $500
Total valid votes 47,604 100.00
Total rejected ballots 105 0.22
Turnout 47,709 62.86
2004 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Dale Johnston 31,404 73.7 -4.9 $30,845
Liberal Rick Bonnett 5,088 11.9 -5.2 $20,307
New Democratic Tim Robson 3,090 7.2 +3.0 $4,471
Green Tom Lampman 2,642 6.2 – $302
Canadian Action Brent McKelvie 410 1.0 – $308
Total valid votes 42,634 100.0
Total rejected ballots 102 0.2
Turnout 42,736 60.8 -3.2
2000 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Alliance Dale Johnston 33,675 69.5 +3.6 $29,250
Liberal John Jackie 8,318 17.2 +3.0 $30,902
Progressive Conservative Kenneth R. Sockett 4,413 9.1 -4.1 $2,406
New Democratic Cliff Reid 2,045 4.2 -0.6 $501
Total valid votes 48,451 100.0
Total rejected ballots 106 0.2
Turnout 48,557 64.0 +2.9
1997 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Reform Dale Johnston 26,443 66.0 +2.6 $30,470
Liberal Glenn McLean 5,692 14.2 -2.5 $10,198
Progressive Conservative Graham T. McNamee 5,282 13.2 -1.7 $9,180
New Democratic Cliff Reid 1,940 4.8 +1.2 $3,111
Christian Heritage Gordon Allan Liddle 734 1.4 – $3,185
Total valid votes 40,091 100.0
Total rejected ballots 78 0.2
Turnout 40,169 61.0
1993 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Dale Johnston 26,159 63.4 +44.9
Liberal Doug Sirrs 6,884 16.7 +8.3
Progressive Conservative Brian Rhiness 6,123 14.8 -35.4
New Democratic Clifford Reid 1,494 3.6 -10.7
Canada Party David M. Greene 336 0.8
Natural Law Randy Fritz 274 0.7
Total valid votes 41,270 100.0
1988 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Willie Littlechild 20,090 50.2 -20.7
Reform Jim Henderson 7,418 18.5
New Democratic Terry Atkinson 5,741 14.3 +1.2
Liberal Roy Barrett 3,351 8.4 +0.8
Christian Heritage David J. Reimer 3,087 7.7
Confederation of Regions Hayward Dow 223 0.6 -6.7
Independent Mike Hermansen 113 0.3
Total valid votes 40,023 100.0
1984 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Kenneth Schellenberger 30,128 70.9 -4.1
New Democratic Judy Mjolsness 5,596 13.2 +2.8
Liberal Mel Harrison Buffalo 3,231 7.6 -7.1
Confederation of Regions Bob Matheson 3,063 7.2
Social Credit Jim Green 456 1.1
Total valid votes 42,474 100.0
1980 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Kenneth Schellenberger 26,620 75.0 -1.3
Liberal Patricia O'Halloran 5,208 14.7 +0.8
New Democratic Lyle B. Bleich 3,673 10.3 0.5
Total valid votes 35,501 100.0
1979 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Kenneth Schellenberger 27,785 76.3 +9.4
Liberal Mark Toth 5,044 13.9 -3.8
New Democratic Alfred O. Arnston 3,587 9.9 +0.7
Total valid votes 36,416 100.0
1974 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Kenneth Schellenberger 21,341 66.9 +4.8
Liberal Roger Movold 5,645 17.7 +0.7
New Democratic Alfred Arnston 2,906 9.1 -3.6
Social Credit Alvin Goetz 2,019 6.3 -1.9
Total valid votes 31,911 100.0
1972 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Kenneth Schellenberger 19,353 62.0 -2.8
Liberal Al Barnhill 5,296 17.0 -4.2
New Democratic Lionel Udenberg 3,975 12.7 -1.3
Social Credit Alvin Goetz 2,576 8.3
Total valid votes 31,200 100.0
1968 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Harry Andrew Moore 15,178 64.8 +14.8
Liberal René Béguin 4,970 21.2 11.5
New Democratic Ed Nelson 3,281 14.0 +1.9
Total valid votes 23,429 100.0
1965 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Harry Andrew Moore 10,754 50.0 -3.1
Social Credit Ivan Paul Stonehocker 6,065 28.2 -1.5
New Democratic Ed Nelson 2,607 12.1 +6.4
Liberal Albert Butch Dyberg 2,081 9.7 -1.9
Total valid votes 21,507 100.0
1963 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Harry Andrew Moore 11,601 53.1 +7.7
Social Credit Ivan Paul Stonehocker 6,483 29.7 -2.1
Liberal Ronald Alexander Gordon 2,527 11.6 -2.9
New Democratic William Stroschein 1,252 5.7 -2.7
Total valid votes 21,863 100.0
1962 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Harry Andrew Moore 9,204 45.4 -12.7
Social Credit Floyd Hawley 6,426 31.7 +8.0
Liberal Ronald Alexander Gordon 2,923 14.4 +5.0
New Democratic William Stroschein 1,715 8.5 -0.3
Total valid votes 20,268 100.0
1958 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative James Stanley Speakman 10,557 58.1 +38.4
Social Credit Ray Thomas 4,314 23.7 -21.9
Liberal Ernest Oscar Larson 1,704 9.4 -12.0
Co-operative Commonwealth William Irvine 1,591 8.8 -4.4
Total valid votes 18,166 100.0
1957 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Ray Thomas 7,968 45.7 -1.0
Liberal Frederick Johns 3,727 21.4 -3.8
Progressive Conservative James Stanley Speakman 3,447 19.8 +6.8
Co-operative Commonwealth Andrew Borys 2,301 13.2 -2.0
Total valid votes 17,443 100.0
1953 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Ray Thomas 6,920 46.7 +11.7
Liberal Clinton Carruthers Reed 3,731 25.2 -6.3
Co-operative Commonwealth Ernest John Ingram 2,245 15.2 -1.1
Progressive Conservative Jack Bowie-Reed 1,918 12.9 -4.3
Total valid votes 14,814 100.0
1949 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Ray Thomas 6,774 35.0 -4.8
Liberal Paul Moseson 6,091 31.5 +14.8
Progressive Conservative Alfred B. Haarstad 3,340 17.3 -1.5
Co-operative Commonwealth Wilbert A. Stevens 3,154 16.3 -5.5
Total valid votes 19,359 100.0


1945 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Norman Jaques 7,255 39.80 −0.15
Co-operative Commonwealth William Albert Stevens 3,969 21.77 +5.53
Progressive Conservative Alfred Berger Haarstad 3,419 18.76 +3.05
Liberal Robert Henry C. Harrison 3,040 16.68 −11.42
Labor–Progressive Henry Lundgren 546 3.00
Total valid votes 18,229 100.00
Total rejected ballots 159
Turnout 18,388 71.99 +13.37
Electors on the lists 25,543


1940 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Norman Jaques 6,245 39.95 −17.75
Liberal Walter Stephen Campbell 4,392 28.10 +6.84
Co-operative Commonwealth Robert Henry Haskins 2,539 16.24 −4.80
National Government Charles Homer Russell 2,456 15.71
Total valid votes 15,632
Total rejected ballots 132
Turnout 15,764 58.62 −0.44
Electors on the lists 26,890


1935 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes %
Social Credit Norman Jaques 7,601 57.70
Liberal Walter Stephen Campbell 2,801 21.26
Co-operative Commonwealth William Irvine 2,772 21.04
Total valid votes 13,174
Total rejected ballots 128
Turnout 13,302 59.06
Electors on the lists 22,524
1930 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers of Alberta William Irvine 4,750 39.7 -2.2
Conservative Charles Homer Russell 4,326 36.2 +12.1
Liberal William Hayhurst 2,876 24.1 -9.8
Total valid votes 11,952 100.0
1926 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers of Alberta William Irvine 3,897 41.9 +5.4
Liberal Stanley Tobin 3,150 33.9 -5.3
Conservative Charles Homer Russell 2,243 24.1 -0.1
Total valid votes 9,290 100.0
1925 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Stanley Tobin 3,429 39.2
Progressive Daniel Webster Warner 3,201 36.6
Conservative Charles Homer Russell 2,121 24.2
Total valid votes 8,751 100.0

See also

References

  • "Wetaskiwin (federal electoral district) (Code 48026) Census Profile". 2011 census. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  • Atlas of Canada
  • Riding history for Wetaskiwin from the Library of Parliament
  • Expenditures - 2008
  • Expenditures - 2004
  • Expenditures - 2000
  • Expenditures - 1997
  • Elections Canada
  • Website of the Parliament of Canada

Notes

  1. ^ Statistics Canada: 2011
  2. ^ Statistics Canada: 2011
  3. ^ E.G. Mardon, Who's Who in Federal Politics from Alberta, p. 48
  4. ^ Ernest Mardon and Austin Mardon, Alberta Election Results, 1882–1992

53°00′N 113°30′W / 53.0°N 113.5°W / 53.0; -113.5

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