1979 Alberta general election
← 1975 March 14, 1979 (1979-03-14) 1982 →
79 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
40 seats were needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
SC
Leader Peter Lougheed Robert C. Clark
Party Progressive Conservative Social Credit
Leader since 1965 1975
Leader's seat Calgary-West Olds-Didsbury
Last election 69 seats, 62.7% 4 seats, 18.2%
Seats before 69 4
Seats won 74 4
Seat change Increase5 ±0
Popular vote 408,097 141,284
Percentage 57.4% 19.87%
Swing Decrease5.25% Increase1.7%
  Third party Fourth party
 
LIB
Leader Grant Notley Nicholas Taylor
Party New Democratic Liberal
Leader since 1968 1974
Leader's seat Spirit River-Fairview ran in Calgary-Glenmore (lost)
Last election 1 seat, 12.9% 0 seats, 4.98%
Seats before 1 0
Seats won 1 0
Seat change ±0 ±0
Popular vote 111,984 43,792
Percentage 15.75% 6.16%
Swing Increase2.81% Increase1.18%
Premier before election

Peter Lougheed
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

Peter Lougheed
Progressive Conservative

The 1979 Alberta general election was held on March 14, 1979, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, which had been expanded to 79 seats.

The Progressive Conservative Party of Peter Lougheed won its third consecutive term in government. During the campaign, some Progressive Conservatives spoke of winning "79 in '79", i.e., all 79 seats in the legislature. This harkened back to Social Credit's unofficial slogan from the 1963 election, "63 in '63". The Tories came up short of this goal, and actually lost over five percentage points of the popular vote. Nonetheless, they still won an overwhelming majority, with 74 seats.

Social Credit held on to the four seats they had won in the 1975 election, and formed the official opposition in the legislature. Grant Notley, leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party, was the only other opposition member.

Results

Party Party leader # of
candidates 		Seats Popular vVote
1975 Elected % Change # % % Change
  Progressive Conservative Peter Lougheed 79 69 74 +7.2% 408,097 57.40% -5.25%
  Social Credit Robert Curtis Clark 79 4 4 - 141,284 19.87% +1.70%
  New Democrats Grant Notley 79 1 1 - 111,984 15.75% +2.81%
Liberal Nicholas Taylor 78 - - - 43,792 6.16% +1.18%
  Independent 8 - - - 3,430 0.48% +0.37%
  Independent Conservative 3 - - - 1,613 0.23% +0.05%1
  Independent Christian 1 * - * 403 0.06% *
Communist 7 - - - 357 0.05% -0.08%
Total 334 75 79 +5.3% 710,963 100%  
Source: Elections Alberta

Notes:
1 Percent compared to Independent Progressive Conservative during the 1975 Election.

* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.

Popular vote
PC
 
 57.40%
Social Credit
 
 19.87%
New Democratic
 
 15.75%
Liberal
 
 6.16%
Others
 
 0.82%
Seats summary
PC
 
 93.67%
Social Credit
 
 5.06%
New Democratic
 
 1.27%

Results by riding

Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
PC Social Credit NDP Liberal Other
Athabasca Frank Appleby
4,153
55.39% 		Ernest W. Maser
989
13.19% 		Peter E. Opryshko
1,792
23.90% 		Robert Blain Logan
554
7.39% 		Frank Appleby
Banff-Cochrane Greg Stevens
5,578
66.79% 		Thomas McArthur
1,462
17.51% 		Bob Ritchie
759
9.09% 		Morna F. Schechtel
543
6.50%
Barrhead Hugh F. Horner
4,629
61.73% 		David Bouyea
1,658
22.11% 		Lionel Udenberg
1,008
13.44% 		John V. Murphy
136
1.81% 		Hugh F. Horner
Bonnyville Ernie Isley
3,468
49.57% 		George Nordstrom
1,275
18.22% 		Tom Turner
1,828
26.13% 		Edward Stepanik
194
2.77% 		Donald Appleby (Ind.)
206
2.94%		 Donald Hansen
Bow Valley Paul Bartlett
2,484
35.92%		 Fred T. Mandeville
4,123
59.62% 		Ron Wickson
201
2.91% 		Brian Nearing
86
1.24% 		Fred T. Mandeville
Calgary-Bow Neil Webber
7,042
64.39% 		Jim Beale
1,816
16.61% 		Floyd A. Johnson
1,361
12.45% 		Clive Scott
633
5.79% 		Adela Polancec (Comm.)
47
0.43%		 Neil Webber
Calgary-Buffalo Tom Sindlinger
6,481
63.78% 		Jim Rocker
1,432
14.09% 		Brian Rees
1,052
10.35% 		Lloyd Hamilton
1,096
10.79% 		David Willis (Comm.)
62
0.61%		 Ronald H. Ghitter
Calgary-Currie Dennis L. Anderson
6,885
59.57% 		Charles S. Dunkley
2,822
24.42% 		Glenn Miller
1,042
9.02% 		Jerry Arshinoff
789
6.83% 		Fred H. Peacock
Calgary-Egmont Merv Leitch
8,083
73.30% 		Albert Downton
1,245
11.29% 		Muriel McCreary
844
7.65% 		Marta Coldham
833
7.55% 		Merv Leitch
Calgary-Elbow David J. Russell
5,941
65.67% 		Patricia (Pat) Sveen
1,321
14.60% 		William J. Oxendale
531
5.87% 		John S. Webb
1,227
13.56% 		David J. Russell
Calgary-Fish Creek William Edward Payne
9,187
75.94% 		Al Green
1,190
9.84% 		Margaret Young
481
3.98% 		Jerry Sykes
1,225
10.13%
Calgary-Foothills Stewart A. McCrae
7,518
61.89% 		Lorraine Law
2,835
23.34% 		Steve G. Arnett
982
8.08% 		Catherine M. Fitzpatrick
789
6.50% 		Stewart A. McCrae
Calgary-Forest Lawn John Zaozirny
5,901
59.39% 		Don Howes
2,263
22.78% 		Doug Murdoch
813
8.18% 		Marg Bogstie
284
2.86% 		John Sutherland (Ind.)
577
5.81%
Bruce Potter (Comm.)
47
0.47%
Calgary-Glenmore Hugh L. Planche
8,212
55.74% 		Ernie Kaszas
1,280
8.69% 		Neil Ellison
442
3.00% 		Nicholas Taylor
4,774
32.40% 		Hugh L. Planche
Calgary-McCall Andrew Little
7,918
70.39% 		Jim Richards
1,757
15.62% 		Dave Hammond
838
7.45% 		Ron Chahal
691
6.14% 		Michael J. Parker (Comm.)
20
0.18%		 Andrew Little
Calgary-McKnight Eric Charles Musgreave
7,248
61.61% 		Jerry Melchin
2,684
22.82% 		Jack Dale
1,097
9.33% 		John J. Gleason
664
5.64% 		Eric Charles Musgreave
Calgary-Millican David John Carter
4,034
61.80% 		Arthur J. Dixon
1,539
23.58% 		Stan Johns
595
9.11% 		Bob Cox
331
5.07% 		Thomas Charles Donnelly
Calgary-Mountain View Stan Kushner
5,141
54.54% 		Scott Saville
1,986
21.07% 		Martin Serediak
1,455
15.44% 		John Donnachie
804
8.53% 		John Kushner
Calgary-North Hill Ed Oman
6,760
64.41% 		Dennis Shupe
1,799
17.14% 		Agnes Middleton
1,052
10.02% 		Dorothy Groves
747
7.12% 		John J. Jasienczyk (Ind.)
71
0.68%		 Roy Alexander Farran
Calgary-North West Sheila Embury
5,976
61.59% 		Harold Gunderson
2,043
21.06% 		Ken Richmond
721
7.43% 		George R.D. Goulet
950
9.79%
Calgary-West Peter Lougheed
7,825
72.44% 		Frank F. Cottingham
930
8.61% 		Ed Smith
699
6.47% 		Barbara Ann Scott
874
8.09% 		Jacob H. Binnema (Ind. Christian)
406
3.78% 		Peter Lougheed
Camrose Gordon Stromberg
7,998
60.06% 		Ralph A. Sorenson
3,121
23.44% 		Arthur C. Bunney
1,888
14.18% 		John R. Shores
278
2.09% 		Gordon Stromberg
Cardston John Thompson
2,832
53.89% 		Broyce G. Jacobs
2,196
41.79% 		Rosemarie M. Buchannan
102
1.94% 		Paul Shaw
115
2.19% 		John Thompson
Chinook Henry Kroeger
4,024
66.11% 		Arlie Reil
1,310
21.52% 		John W. Oberg
406
6.67% 		Sheila Noonan
314
5.16%
Clover Bar C.G. Thomlinson
3,947
34.90%		 Walt A. Buck
6,033
53.35% 		Graham Griffiths
1,102
9.75% 		Alan M.F. Dunn
211
1.87% 		Walt A. Buck
Cypress Alan Hyland
3,353
56.90% 		Vern Beck
1,907
32.36% 		Clarence W. Smith
499
8.47% 		Carl Pattison
123
2.09% 		Alan Hyland
Drayton Valley Shirley Cripps
3,530
56.75% 		Phil Turner
1,284
20.64% 		Gerry Hutchinson
1,290
20.74% 		Harold Knopke
94
1.51% 		Rudolph Zander
Drumheller Lewis (Mickey) Clark
5,585
54.56% 		Ken Taylor
1,913
18.69% 		Ray Garrett
526
5.14% 		Charles J. Dirk
209
2.04% 		Vern Hoff (Ind.)
1,927
18.83%		 Gordon Edward Taylor
Edmonton-Avonmore Horst A. Schmid
5,382
53.91% 		Walter Zucht
1,691
16.94% 		Olga Blondheim
2,363
23.67% 		Betty Ann Dumbeck
511
5.12% 		Horst A. Schmid
Edmonton-Belmont William L. Mack
4,923
54.90% 		Ron Mix
1,813
20.22% 		Haddie Jahner
1,769
19.73% 		Charalee Graydon
369
4.12% 		Albert Edward Hohol
Edmonton-Beverly Bill W. Diachuk
3,756
50.29% 		Pat G.A. O'Hara
854
11.44% 		Gene Mitchell
2,592
34.71% 		Teresa McKerral
231
3.09% 		Bill W. Diachuk
Edmonton-Calder Tom Chambers
5,205
58.18% 		Dan R. Service
982
10.98% 		Bill Kobluk
2,180
24.37% 		Richard Guthrie
535
5.98% 		Tom Chambers
Edmonton-Centre Mary LeMessurier
4,550
54.19% 		Robert J. Dunseith
838
9.98% 		Harry C. Midgley
2,273
27.07% 		Leonard Stahl
704
8.38% 		Gordon Miniely
Edmonton-Glengarry Rollie Cook
4,309
54.95% 		Victor Nakonechny
1,277
16.29% 		David Stewart
1,489
18.99% 		Ronald John Hayter
719
9.17%
Edmonton-Glenora Lou Hyndman
6,597
61.23% 		Patrice Taylor
1,330
12.34% 		Doug Trace
1,838
17.06% 		David Panar
967
8.97% 		Lou Hyndman
Edmonton-Gold Bar Alois Paul Hiebert
6,044
55.93% 		Ace Cetinski
1,397
12.93% 		Kathleen Wright
2,343
21.68% 		Laurie Switzer
1,002
9.27% 		William Yurko
Edmonton-Highlands David T. King
4,644
56.28% 		Sam Motrich
770
9.33% 		Clifford Gladue
2,065
25.03% 		Ted Power
594
7.20% 		William A. Tuomi (Comm.)
84
1.02%
Roger Lavoie (Ind.)
65
0.79%		 David T. King
Edmonton-Jasper Place Leslie Gordon Young
5,049
60.16% 		Ralph Frank Watzke
1,037
12.36% 		Charlie Wood
1,735
20.67% 		Gerald F. Paschen
554
6.60% 		Leslie Gordon Young
Edmonton-Kingsway Kenneth R.H. Paproski
4,387
50.44% 		Martin Hattersly
975
11.21% 		Alex McEachern
2,563
29.47% 		Dorothy A. Richardson
684
7.86% 		Eddie Keehn (Ind.)
51
0.59%		 Kenneth R.H. Paproski
Edmonton-Meadowlark Gerard Joseph Amerongen
7,075
59.97% 		Russ Forsythe
1,237
10.48% 		Jim Bell
2,098
17.78% 		Ron Charko
904
7.66% 		C.A. Douglas Ringrose (Ind.)
448
3.80%		 Gerard Joseph Amerongen
Edmonton-Mill Woods Milt Pahl
4,299
56.16% 		Rudy Rodriques
573
7.49% 		L. (Les) Owre
1,552
20.27% 		Rose MacPherson
989
12.92%
Edmonton-Norwood Catherine Chichak
3,950
46.61% 		Mike Ekelund
703
8.29% 		Ray Martin
3,194
37.69% 		Walter G. Coombs
486
5.73% 		Kimball Cariou (Comm.)
45
0.53%		 Catherine Chichak
Edmonton-Parkallen Neil S. Crawford
6,457
50.47% 		Morley MacCalder
1,483
11.59% 		Jim Russell
4,102
32.06% 		Philip Lister
724
5.66% 		Neil S. Crawford
Edmonton-Sherwood Park Henry Woo
6,285
60.57% 		Oran Johnson
1,594
15.36% 		Jim Denholm
1,682
16.21% 		Stephen Lindop
795
7.66%
Edmonton-Strathcona Julian Koziak
5,464
44.94% 		E.J.C. Charman
927
7.62% 		Gordon S.B. Wright
4,808
39.54% 		George Walton
739
6.08% 		Gerry Ball (Ind. P.C.)
155
1.28%
Joseph Hill (Comm.)
52
0.43%		 Julian Koziak
Edmonton-Whitemud Peter Knaak
6,833
57.54% 		Larry Heth
939
7.91% 		Ted Paszek
2,122
17.87% 		Don Milliken
1,964
16.54% 		Donald Ross Getty
Edson Ian Reid
4,517
53.62% 		W.L. Land
676
8.02% 		Ron Hodgins
2,958
35.11% 		Herbert Maris
260
3.09% 		Robert W. Dowling
Grande Prairie Elmer Borstad
6,313
50.12% 		Donald Wood
3,380
26.84% 		Campbell Ross
2,266
17.99% 		Helen Rice
601
4.77% 		Winston Backus
Highwood George Wolstenholme
5,103
66.35% 		Don Dixon
2,092
27.20% 		William C. McCutcheon
281
3.65% 		Joan Cowling
191
2.48% 		George Wolstenholme
Innisfail Nigel I. Pengelly
4,263
55.38% 		Stuart Little
2,921
37.94% 		Tim Guilbault
371
4.82% 		Janet Gratton
101
1.31% 		Clifford L. Doan
Lac La Biche-McMurray Norman A. Weiss
3,431
49.68% 		Conrad Sehn
1,347
19.50% 		Claire E. Williscroft
1,777
25.73% 		Denise Diesel
320
4.63% 		Ron Tesolin
Lacombe John William Cookson
4,458
64.11% 		Elmer Suominen
1,409
20.26% 		Arthur Wigmore
717
10.31% 		Roger C. Holteen
260
3.74% 		Gordon Crofton (Ind.)
85
1.22%		 John William Cookson
Lesser Slave Lake Larry R. Shaben
2,313
45.82% 		Peter Moore
1,743
34.53% 		Mike Poulter
799
15.83% 		Dan Backs
171
3.39% 		Larry R. Shaben
Lethbridge-East Archibald Dick Johnston
5,870
59.35% 		Roxie McCallum
1,223
12.37% 		Roger Rickwood
692
7.00% 		Frank Merkl
666
6.73% 		Ken Kotkas (Ind. Con.)
1,375
13.99% 		Archibald Dick Johnston
Lethbridge-West John Gogo
5,682
64.60% 		Jerry Waldern
1,625
18.47% 		Ron Clark
971
11.04% 		Bob Wilson
511
5.81% 		John Gogo
Little Bow Richard Papworth
1,684
29.37%		 Raymond Albert Speaker
3,748
65.38% 		Beth Jantzie
236
4.12% 		John W. Fujimargari
43
0.75% 		Raymond Albert Speaker
Lloydminster James Edgar Miller
4,674
78.49% 		Patrick A. Moore
445
7.47% 		Elinar A. Jonson
680
11.42% 		Gregory R. Berry
131
2.20% 		James Edgar Miller
Macleod LeRoy Fjordbotten
4,189
58.79% 		Roelof A. Heinen
2,369
33.25% 		Kathleen M. Cairns
384
5.39% 		Alfred Saddleback
171
2.40% 		Thomas James John Walker
Medicine Hat James Horsman
10,107
72.59% 		Lee Anderson
1,904
13.67% 		Frances Ost
1,134
8.14% 		Louise Mercier
729
5.24%
Olds-Didsbury Bill Edgar
2,514
27.50%		 Robert Curtis Clark
6,399
70.00% 		Gregory Hoffarth
152
1.66% 		Stephen Shaw
55
0.60% 		Robert Curtis Clark
Peace River Al (Boomer) Adair
3,901
59.77% 		Garry Gaudet
784
12.01% 		Richard Collins
1,604
24.57% 		Donald W. Freeland
234
3.59% 		Al (Boomer) Adair
Pincher Creek-Crowsnest Frederick Deryl Bradley
3,567
60.43% 		Robert (Bob) Westrop
1,503
25.46% 		Ian Downie
628
10.64% 		Ann Gill
181
3.07% 		Frederick Deryl Bradley
Ponoka Donald J. McCrimmon
3,317
50.17% 		Roy Kinley
1,856
28.07% 		Bruce A. Beck
1,279
19.34% 		Gus Itzek
113
1.71% 		Donald J. McCrimmon
Red Deer Norman F. Magee
5,727
43.14% 		Bob Mills
5,406
40.72% 		Ken McMillan
1,861
14.02% 		Hubert Bouten
258
1.94% 		James L. Foster
Redwater-Andrew George Topolnisky
3,945
52.31% 		Erwin Hannig
547
7.25% 		Steve Leskiw
2,870
38.05% 		Rudolph Pisesky
148
1.96% 		George Topolnisky
Rocky Mountain House John Murray Campbell
4,080
52.99% 		Lavern J. Ahlstrom
2,628
34.13% 		John Younie
871
11.31% 		Roger Hamilton
104
1.35% 		Helen Hunley
Smoky River Marvin Moore
3,032
51.85% 		Bernard Lamoureux
854
14.60% 		Anne Hemmingway
1,743
29.81% 		Stephen V. Marchand
214
3.66% 		Marvin Moore
Spirit River-Fairview Jim Reynolds
2,668
39.43% 		Aubrey Milner
356
5.26%		 Grant W. Notley
3,657
54.05% 		Terry Fletcher
68
1.01% 		Grant W. Notley
St. Albert Myrna Fyfe
9,361
58.68% 		Reginald C. Petch
1,686
10.57% 		Robert (Bob) Borreson
3,178
19.92% 		Gerry Thibault
1,681
10.54% 		William Ernest Jamison
St. Paul Charles E. Anderson
3,173
46.26% 		John Hull
582
8.49% 		Laurent (Jeff) Dubois
2,854
41.61% 		Orest Boyko
219
3.19% 		Mick Fluker
Stettler Graham L. Harle
4,262
69.94% 		David Thomas
1,191
19.54% 		Fred J. Rappel
503
8.25% 		Douglas Cramer
110
1.81% 		Graham L. Harle
Stony Plain William Frederick Purdy
6,927
58.94% 		Oscar Venoasen
2,274
19.35% 		Sara Johnson
1,218
10.36% 		Andy R. McKinnon
1,250
10.64% 		Eleanor T. Louden (Ind. Con.)
83
0.71% 		William Frederick Purdy
Taber-Warner Robert Bogle
5,010
64.98% 		Paul Primeau
2,108
27.34% 		Larry Schowalter
214
2.78% 		Jessie Snow
335
4.35% 		Robert Bogle
Three Hills Connie Osterman
4,401
59.32% 		Henry Goerzen
2,660
35.85% 		Hugh Sommerville
222
2.99% 		Ward Sykes
124
1.67% 		Allan Warrack
Vegreville John S. Batiuk
3,835
48.99% 		Robert E. Robert
1,210
15.46% 		Harry Babchuk
2,490
31.81% 		Alan Arthur Vinet
269
3.44% 		John S. Batiuk
Vermilion-Viking Tom Lysons
3,292
51.46% 		Doug Livingstone
2,087
32.62% 		Grant Bergman
877
13.71% 		Ralph A. Wilson
118
1.84% 		Tom Lysons
Wainwright Charles Stewart
3,489
56.36% 		Keith Cornish
2,103
33.97% 		Alan Richards
509
8.22% 		Sultan Tejani
77
1.24% 		Charles Stewart
Wetaskiwin-Leduc Dallas Schmidt
8,216
58.69% 		Reinhold Ortlieb
2,702
19.30% 		Earl R. Rasmuson
2,372
16.94% 		Brian King
677
4.84% 		Dallas Schmidt
Whitecourt Peter Trynchy
3,834
57.64% 		George L. Richardson
1,214
18.25% 		Ken Forscutt
1,442
21.68% 		Peter Trynchy

See also

Further reading

Categories