St. Paul (provincial electoral district)

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Coordinates: 54°00′N 111°17′W / 54.00°N 111.29°W / 54.00; -111.29
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St. Paul
Alberta electoral district
Defunct provincial electoral district
LegislatureLegislative Assembly of Alberta
District created1913
District abolished1993
First contested1913
Last contested1989

St. Paul was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1913 to 1993.[1]

Boundary history[edit]

When created in 1913, the riding contained all the farmland north of the North Saskatchewan River and east of Lac La Biche, corresponding approximately to the current Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul riding. In 1952 the riding was split in half, creating the riding of Bonnyville and leaving St. Paul with approximately the same boundaries as the County of St. Paul No. 19 until abolished in 1993.

Representation history[edit]

Members of the Legislative Assembly for St. Paul
Assembly Years Member Party
See Pakan 1909–1913
3rd 1913–1917 Prosper-Edmond
Lessard 		Liberal
4th 1917–1921
5th 1921–1926 Laudas Joly United Farmers
6th 1926–1930
7th 1930–1935 Joseph Dechene Liberal
8th 1935–1940 Joseph Beaudry Social Credit
9th 1940–1944
10th 1944–1948
11th 1948–1952
12th 1952–1955 Raymond Reierson
13th 1955–1959
14th 1959–1963
15th 1963–1967
16th 1967–1971
17th 1971–1975 Mick Fluker Progressive
Conservative
18th 1975–1979
19th 1979–1982 Charles Anderson
20th 1982–1986 John Drobot
21st 1986–1989
22nd 1989–1993
See Lac La Biche-St. Paul 1993–2012

The first MLA for St. Paul was Prosper-Edmond Lessard, who had already served one term as MLA for the short-lived Pakan district with the government Liberals. In 1921, with the fall of the Liberal government, he was defeated by Laudas Joly of the United Farmers of Alberta.

After two terms, Joly was defeated by Liberal Joseph Miville Dechene. He served one term as MLA before the Social Credit sweep in 1935. The party would hold St. Paul for all 36 years they formed government, with Joseph Beaudry serving for four terms and Raymond Reierson serving for five.

In 1971, the Progressive Conservatives came to power, and Mick Fluker captured St. Paul for the new government. He retired after two terms. Charles Anderson kept the riding for the PC's in the 1979 election, and retired after only one term.

PC John Drobot served as MLA for the next three terms until the riding was abolished in 1993. He did not run in the new riding of Lac La Biche-St. Paul, which was captured by the Liberals.

Election results[edit]

1910s[edit]

1913 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes %[2]
Liberal Prosper-Edmond Lessard 441 55.75%
Conservative L. Garneau 350 44.25%
Total valid votes 791
Electors / Turnout 942 83.97%
Liberal pickup new district.


1917 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Prosper-Edmond Lessard 1,077 66.65% +10.9%
Conservative James Brady 539 33.35% -10.9%
Total valid votes 1,616
Electors / Turnout 1,946 83.04% -0.93%
Liberal hold Swing +10.9%

1920s[edit]

1921 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Laudas Joly 1,378 58.34%
Liberal Prosper-Edmond Lessard 984 41.66% -24.99%
Total valid votes 2,362
United Farmers gain from Liberal Swing +41.67%

In 1926, Alberta began to use the instant-runoff system to elect MLAs in rural districts.

1926 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Laudas Joly 1,453 67.24% +8.90%
Liberal H. Montambeault 603 27.90% -13.76%
Independent E. McPheeters 105 4.86%
Total valid votes 2,161
Rejected, spoiled and declined 151
Electors / Turnout 3,252 71.09%
United Farmers hold Swing +11.33%

1930s[edit]

1930 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Joseph Miville Dechene 1,653 50.27% +22.37%
United Farmers Laudas Joly 1,635 49.73% -17.51%
Total valid votes 3,288
Rejected, spoiled and declined 149
Electors / Turnout 4,776 71.96% +0.87%
Liberal gain from United Farmers Swing +19.94%
1935 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Joseph Beaudry 2,567 46.88%
Liberal Joseph Miville Dechene 1,963 35.85% -14.42%
United Farmers Laudas Joly 946 17.27% -32.46%
Second round
Social Credit Joseph Beaudry 2,679 53.12% +6.24%
Liberal Joseph Miville Dechene 2,364 46.88% +11.03%
  Neither 433
Total valid votes 5,476
Rejected, spoiled and declined 180
Electors / Turnout 6,876 82.26% +10.30%
Social Credit gain from Liberal Swing +30.65%

Second-round swing reflects increase in vote share from the first round. Overall swing is calculated from first preferences.

1940s[edit]

1940 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Joseph Beaudry 2,270 48.38% +1.50%
Independent J. Binette 1,609 34.29% -1.56%
Co-operative Commonwealth C. Milaney 813 17.33%
Second round
Social Credit Joseph Beaudry 2,421 57.56% +9.18%
Independent J. Binette 1,785 42.44% +8.15%
  Neither 486
Total valid votes 4,692
Rejected, spoiled and declined 241
Electors / Turnout 7,023 70.24% -12.02%
Social Credit hold Swing +1.53%

First-round swing is calculated from first preferences in the 1935 election. The independent vote share is compared to the Liberal share in 1935. See Unity Coalition.

1944 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Joseph Beaudry 1,851 44.87% -3.51%
Co-operative Commonwealth J. Beauregard 1,503 36.43% +19.10%
Labor–Progressive Daniel Gamache 771 18.69%
Second round
Social Credit Joseph Beaudry 1,949 55.10% +10.23%
Co-operative Commonwealth J. Beauregard 1,588 44.90% +8.47
  Neither 588
Total valid votes 4,125
Rejected, spoiled and declined 254
Electors / Turnout 6,875 63.69% -6.55%
Social Credit hold Swing -11.31%
1948 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Joseph Beaudry 2,197 42.89% -1.98%
Co-operative Commonwealth Michael Grekul 1,510 29.47% -6.96%
Liberal Irvin Baril 1,416 27.64%
Second round
Social Credit Joseph Beaudry 2,980 65.29% +22.40%
Co-operative Commonwealth Michael Grekul 1,584 34.71% +5.07%
  Neither 559
Total valid votes 5,123
Rejected, spoiled and declined 454
Electors / Turnout 7,607 73.31% +9.62%
Social Credit hold Swing +2.49%

1950s[edit]

St. Paul was split for the 1952 election, with the northeastern half of the riding becoming the district of Bonnyville. Former St. Paul MLA Laudas Joly became its first representative.

1952 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Raymond Reierson 2,581 53.59% +10.70%
Liberal Laval J. Fortier 2,235 46.41% +18.77%
Total valid votes 4,816
Rejected, spoiled and declined 214
Electors / Turnout 7,071 71.14% -2.17%
Social Credit hold Swing -4.04%
1955 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Raymond Reierson 2,761 52.84% -0.75%
Liberal J.R. Sweeney 2,049 39.22% -7.19%
Labor–Progressive Don Gamache 415 7.94%
Total valid votes 5,225
Rejected, spoiled and declined 288
Electors / Turnout 7,218 76.37% +5.23%
Social Credit hold Swing +3.22%

Alberta reverted to traditional first past the post elections beginning in 1959. This can be seen in the dramatic drop in spoiled (incorrectly marked) ballots compared to previous elections.

1959 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Raymond Reierson 3,412 68.51% 15.67%
Liberal J. Van Brabant 1,034 20.76% -18.46%
Progressive Conservative Gordon Shave 534 10.72%
Total valid votes 4,980
Rejected, spoiled and declined 10
Electors / Turnout 6,682 74.68% -1.69%
Social Credit hold Swing +17.07%

1960s[edit]

1963 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Raymond Reierson 2,889 61.05% -7.46%
Liberal Rene P. Foisy 1,363 28.80% +8.04%
New Democratic H.B. Hodgins 265 5.60%
Communist Don Gamache 215 4.54%
Total valid votes 4,732
Rejected, spoiled and declined 12
Electors / Turnout 7,027 67.51% -7.17%
Social Credit hold Swing +7.75%
1967 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Raymond Reierson 2,275 44.41% -16.64%
Liberal Armand Lamothe 1,489 29.07% +0.27%
New Democratic Pierre M. Vallee 788 15.38% +9.78%
Independent PC Leroy P. Christensen 571 11.15%
Total valid votes 5,123
Rejected, spoiled and declined 14
Electors / Turnout 7,512 68.38% +0.87%
Social Credit hold Swing -8.46%

1970s[edit]

1971 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Mick Fluker 2,661 45.81% +34.66%
Social Credit Raymond Reierson 2,041 35.14% -9.27%
New Democratic Laurence J. Dubois 898 15.46% +0.08%
Liberal Lawrence P. Coutu 209 3.60% -25.47%
Total valid votes 5,809
Rejected, spoiled and declined 11
Electors / Turnout 7,720 75.39% +7.01%
Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit Swing +21.97%
1975 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Mick Fluker 2,912 57.27% +11.46%
Social Credit John Hull 848 16.68% -18.46%
New Democratic Pierre Vallee 764 15.02% -0.44%
Liberal Roland Genereux 561 11.03% +7.43%
Total valid votes 5,085
Rejected, spoiled and declined 19
Electors / Turnout 7,899 64.62% -10.77%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +14.96%
1979 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Charles Anderson 3,173 46.47% -10.80%
New Democratic Laurent Dubois 2,854 41.80% +26.78%
Social Credit John Hull 582 8.52% -8.16%
Liberal Orest Boyko 219 3.21% -7.82%
Total valid votes 6,828
Rejected, spoiled and declined 31
Electors / Turnout 9,452 72.57% +7.95
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -18.79%

1980s[edit]

1982 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative John Drobot 4,269 56.26% +9.79%
New Democratic Laurent Dubois 2,872 37.85% -3.95%
Western Canada Concept Iris Bourne 447 5.89%
Total valid votes 7,588
Rejected, spoiled and declined 39
Electors / Turnout 10,194 74.82% +2.25%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +6.87%
1986 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative John Drobot 3,018 47.98% -8.28%
New Democratic Martin Naundorf 1,429 22.72% -15.13%
Representative Roland Rocque 1,380 21.94%
Liberal George Michaud 463 7.36%
Total valid votes 6,290
Rejected, spoiled and declined 21
Electors / Turnout 10,760 58.65% -16.17%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +3.43%
1989 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative John Drobot 2,931 46.09% -1.89%
Liberal Paul Langevin 2,304 36.23% +28.87%
New Democratic Victor Chrapko 1,124 17.68% -5.04%
Total valid votes 6,359
Rejected, spoiled and declined 19
Electors / Turnout 10,437 61.11% +2.46%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -15.38%

Plebiscite results[edit]

1957 liquor plebiscite[edit]

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: St. Paul[3]
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 1,321 58.40%
No 941 41.60%
Total votes 2,262 100%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 18
6,080 eligible electors, turnout 37.50%

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.[4]

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.[3]

Province wide Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts while Question B passed in all five districts. St. Paul voted in favour of the proposal by a solid majority. Voter turnout in the district was abysmal falling well under the province wide average of 46%.[3]

Official district returns were released to the public on December 31, 1957.[3] The Social Credit government in power at the time did not considered the results binding.[5] However the results of the vote led the government to repeal all existing liquor legislation and introduce an entirely new Liquor Act.[6]

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.[7]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Election results for St. Paul". abheritage.ca. Heritage Community Foundation. Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  2. ^ "Abheritage.ca — St. Paul results". Archived from the original on December 8, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ a b c d Alberta Gazette. Vol. 53 (December 31 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1957. pp. 2, 247–2, 249.
  4. ^ "Albertans Vote 2 to 1 For More Liquor Outlets". Vol L No 273. The Lethbridge Herald. October 31, 1957. pp. 1–2.
  5. ^ "No Sudden Change In Alberta Drinking Habits Is Seen". Vol L No 267. The Lethbridge Herald. October 24, 1957. p. 1.
  6. ^ "Entirely New Act On Liquor". Vol LI No 72. The Lethbridge Herald. March 5, 1958. p. 1.
  7. ^ "Bill 81". Alberta Bills 12th Legislature 1st Session. Government of Alberta. 1958. p. 40.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

54°00′N 111°17′W / 54.00°N 111.29°W / 54.00; -111.29

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