Lesser Slave Lake (electoral district)

Lesser Slave Lake is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. It has existed since 1971 and is mandated to return a single member using the first past the post method of voting.

Lesser Slave Lake
Alberta electoral district
Lesser Slave Lake within Alberta, 2017 boundaries
Provincial electoral district
LegislatureLegislative Assembly of Alberta
MLA
 
 
 
Scott Sinclair
United Conservative
District created1971
First contested1971
Last contested2023

The riding is named after the lake of the same name, which is located entirely within its borders.

Geography

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Lesser Slave Lake is a predominantly rural riding located in Northern Alberta.

There are no cities in the riding. It includes only two incorporated urban municipalities: the towns of High Prairie and Slave Lake. The riding also includes the entirety of one rural municipality (the Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17) and parts of three others (Big Lakes County, the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124, and Northern Sunrise County).

Eleven First Nation bands are based in Lesser Slave Lake: Bigstone Cree Nation, Driftpile First Nation, Kapawe'no First Nation, Loon River Cree Nation, Lubicon Lake Indian Nation, Peerless Trout First Nation, Sawridge First Nation, Sucker Creek Cree First Nation, Swan River First Nation, Whitefish Lake First Nation, and Woodland Cree First Nation. Most of the region's Indigenous population is of Cree origin.

The riding borders five other electoral districts: Peace River to the northwest, Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo to the northeast, Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche to the east, Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock to the south, and Central Peace-Notley to the west.

History

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The electoral district was created in the 1971 boundary re-distribution from the electoral districts of Grouard and Peace River. The district remained largely unchanged until the 1993 boundary re-distribution when the electoral district was extended north to the Northwest Territories, Alberta border.

The 2003 boundary re-distribution saw the district revert to similar boundaries that existed prior to 1993.[1] The 2010 boundary re-distribution saw the district re-aligned with current municipal boundaries with a portion of land on the south end moved into Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock.[2]

In the 2017 electoral boundary re-distribution only minor changes were made to the districts boundaries, which were enlarged to include the Calling Lake Reserve.[3]

Lesser Slave Lake is one of two electoral districts in the province that are afforded the exemption provided in the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act whereby only four electoral districts in Alberta may have a population which is as much as 50% below the average population of all the proposed electoral districts.[4] The rationale for this exemption is the relatively low population in the region and large distances between population centers. The total population of the district in the 2017 re-distribution was 27,818 which is 41% below the provincial average for electoral districts.[3]

Boundary history

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Representation history

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Members of the Legislative Assembly for Lesser Slave Lake
Assembly Years Member Party
Riding created from Grouard, Peace River,
Lac Ste. Anne, Pembina and Lac La Biche
17th 1971-1975 Dennis Barton Social Credit
18th 1975-1979 Larry Shaben Progressive
Conservative
19th 1979-1982
20th 1982-1986
21st 1986-1989
22nd 1989-1993 Pearl Calahasen
23rd 1993-1997
24th 1997-2001
25th 2001-2004
26th 2004-2008
27th 2008–2012
28th 2012–2015
29th 2015–2019 Danielle Larivee New Democrat
30th 2019–2021 Pat Rehn United Conservative
2021–2021 Independent
2021-2023 United Conservative
31st 2023-present Scott Sinclair

The electoral district was created in 1971. Prior to the districts creation the area had elected Social Credit MLA's. The first election saw a tight race between Social Credit candidate Dennis Barton and Progressive Conservative candidate Garth Roberts. Barton eked out a win with just 41% of the popular vote.

Barton would be defeated in the 1975 election by Progressive Conservative candidate Larry Shaben who rolled up a landslide majority. Shaben would serve four terms in office and hold three different cabinet portfolios under the governments of Peter Lougheed and Don Getty before retiring from office in 1989.

The third representative of the riding was Progressive Conservative candidate Pearl Calahasen who was elected to her first term in 1989 in a tight three-way race winning less than half the popular vote. She would also serve some ministerial portfolios from 1996 to 2006 in the government of Ralph Klein. She represented the district for seven terms, becoming the longest-serving female MLA in Alberta history,[7] as well as the longest-serving Indigenous MLA.

In the 2015 election, Calahasen placed third of three candidates and was defeated by the NDP's Danielle Larivee, who served in several ministerial portfolios during the 29th Assembly.

Legislative election results

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2023

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2023 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Conservative Scott Sinclair 5,171 65.04 +7.35
New Democratic Danielle Larivee 2,636 33.15 -2.95
Solidarity Movement Bert Seatter 144 1.81
Total 7,951 99.36
Rejected and declined 51 0.64
Turnout 8,002 49.03
Eligible voters 16,322
United Conservative hold Swing +5.15
Source(s)

Elections in the 2010s

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2019 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Conservative Pat Rehn 5,873 57.59 +0.62
New Democratic Danielle Larivee 3,676 36.11 -6.83
Alberta Party Vincent Rain 381 3.74
Alberta Independence Suzette Powder 251 2.47
Total valid votes 10,181 99.43
Rejected, spoiled, and declined 58 0.57
Turnout 10,239 63.38
Eligible electors 16,164
United Conservative notional hold Swing +3.72
Source(s)
Source: "70 - Lesser Slave Lake 2019 General Election Results". Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
 
results by polling division, 2015
2015 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Danielle Larivee 3,915 43.23% +37.32%
Wildrose Darryl Boisson 3,198 35.31% -4.11%
Progressive Conservative Pearl Calahasen 1,944 21.46% -27.25%
Total valid votes 9,057 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 50
Eligible voters / turnout 20,277 44.91% +6.07%
New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +32.29%
Source(s)
"2015 Provincial General Election Results". Elections Alberta. Archived from the original on March 30, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
2015 Alberta general election redistributed results
Party Votes %
New Democratic 3,940 42.93
Wildrose 3,255 35.47
Progressive Conservative 1,982 21.60
Source(s)
Source: Ridingbuilder
2012 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Pearl Calahasen 3,518 48.71% -16.47%
Wildrose Darryl Boisson 2,847 39.42%
New Democratic Steve Kaz 427 5.91% -2.30%
Liberal Steven Townsend 235 3.25% -9.29%
Independent Donald G. Bissell 195 2.70%
Total 7,222 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 50
Eligible electors / Turnout 18,723 38.84% +13.06%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -27.95%

Elections in the 2000s

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2008 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Pearl Calahasen 3,384 65.18% +0.24%
Liberal Steve Noskey 1,109 21.36% +12.54%
New Democratic Habby Sharkawi 426 8.21% +2.32%
Greens Bonnie Raho 273 5.26% +1.03%
Total 5,192 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 43
Eligible electors / Turnout 20,310 25.78% -5.72%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -6.39%
2004 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Pearl Calahasen 3,903 64.94% -9.22%
Alberta Alliance Valerie Rahn 969 16.12%
Liberal Jonathan Plackaitis 530 8.82% -13.41%
New Democratic Doris Bannister 354 5.89% 2.28%
Greens Ian Hopfe 254 4.23%
Total 6,010 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 57
Eligible electors / Turnout 19,259 31.50% -14.14%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -12.67%
Source(s)
"Lesser Slave Lake Statement of Official Results 2004 Alberta general election" (PDF). Elections Alberta. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
2001 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Pearl Calahasen 4,766 74.16% +13.58%
Liberal Rick Noel 1,429 22.23% +1.87%
New Democratic Doris Bannister 232 3.61% -4.29%
Total 6,427 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 47
Eligible electors / Turnout 14,185 45.64% +3.55%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +7.73%
Source(s)
"Lesser Slave Lake Official Results 2001 Alberta general election" (PDF). Elections Alberta. Retrieved March 27, 2010.

Elections in the 1990s

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1997 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Pearl Calahasen 3,389 60.58% +5.10%
Liberal Ralph Chalifoux 1,139 20.36% -19.92%
Social Credit Robert Alford 624 11.16%
New Democratic Glenn Laboucan 442 7.90% +3.66%
Total 5,594 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 23
Eligible electors / Turnout 13,368 42.09% -18.39%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +12.51%
Source(s)
"1997 general election". Elections Alberta. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
1993 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Pearl Calahasen 4,260 55.48% +7.90%
Liberal Denise Wahlstrom 3,093 40.28% +6.81%
New Democratic Larry Sakaluk 326 4.24% -14.71%
Total 7,679 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 24
Eligible electors / Turnout 12,743 60.48% +3.85%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +7.36%
Source(s)
"Lesser Slave Lake Official Results 1993 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 1, 2010.

Elections in the 1980s

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1989 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Pearl Calahasen 3,249 47.58% -9.62%
Liberal Denise Wahlstrom 2,286 33.47%
New Democratic Philip Lukken 1,294 18.95% -23.85%
Total 6,829 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 9
Eligible electors / Turnout 12,074 56.63% +17.38%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -16.74%
Source(s)
"Lesser Slave Lake Official Results 1989 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
1986 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Larry Shaben 2,529 57.20% -0.57%
New Democratic Bert Dube 1,892 42.80% +26.04%
Total 4,421 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 24
Eligible electors / Turnout 11,326 39.25% -17.44%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -13.59%
Source(s)
"Lesser Slave Lake Official Results 1986 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
1982 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Larry Shaben 3,150 57.77% +11.75%
New Democratic Gary Kennedy 914 16.76% +0.86%
Western Canada Concept Garth Lodge 607 11.13%
Liberal Joseph Blyan 466 8.55% +5.15%
Independent George Keay 316 5.79%
Total 5,453 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 27
Eligible electors / Turnout 9,667 56.69% -4.48%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +6.31%
Source(s)
"Lesser Slave Lake Official Results 1982 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 1, 2010.

Elections in the 1970s

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1979 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Larry Shaben 2,313 46.02% -12.21%
Social Credit Peter Moore 1,743 34.68% +12.21%
New Democratic Mike Poulter 799 15.90% -3.40%
Liberal Dan Backs 171 3.40%
Total 5,026 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 22
Eligible electors / Turnout 8,252 61.17% +9.02%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -12.21%
Source(s)
"Lesser Slave Lake Official Results 1979 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
1975 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Larry Shaben 2,387 58.23% +25.72%
Social Credit Dennis Barton 921 22.47% -19.02%
New Democratic John Tomkins 791 19.30% +4.11%
Total 4,099 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 23
Eligible electors / Turnout 7,904 52.15% -10.10%
Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit Swing +22.37%
Source(s)
"Lesser Slave Lake Official Results 1975 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
1971 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Social Credit Dennis Barton 1,830 41.49%
Progressive Conservative Garth Roberts 1,434 32.51%
New Democratic Marie Carlson 670 15.19%
Liberal Stan Daniels 246 5.58%
Independent Allan Crawford 231 5.23%
Total 4,411 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 55
Eligible electors / Turnout 7,174 62.25%
Social Credit pickup new district.
Source(s)
"Lesser Slave Lake Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 1, 2010.

Senate nominee election results

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2004

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2004 Senate nominee election results: Lesser Slave Lake[9] Turnout 30.88%
Affiliation Candidate Votes % votes % ballots 'Rank
Progressive Conservative Betty Unger 2,431 15.19% 48.60% 2
Progressive Conservative Bert Brown 2,324 14.52% 46.46% 1
Progressive Conservative Cliff Breitkreuz 1,850 11.56% 36.99% 3
Progressive Conservative David Usherwood 1,539 9.62% 30.77% 6
Progressive Conservative Jim Silye 1,513 9.46% 30.25% 5
Alberta Alliance Michael Roth 1,388 8.68% 27.75% 7
Alberta Alliance Vance Gough 1,364 8.52% 27.27% 8
Alberta Alliance Gary Horan 1,335 8.34% 26.69% 10
  Independent Link Byfield 1,310 8.19% 26.19% 4
  Independent Tom Sindlinger 947 5.92% 18.93% 9
Total votes 16,001 100%
Total ballots 5,002 3.20 votes per ballot
Rejected, spoiled and declined 945

Voters had the option of selecting four candidates on the ballot

2012

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Student vote results

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2004

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Participating schools[10]
Gift Lake School
Kinuso School
Mistassiniy School
Pelican Mountain School
Roland Michener Secondary School
Smith 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.

2004 Alberta student vote results[11]
Affiliation Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative Pearl Calahasen 190 35.71%
  Liberal Jonathan Plackaitis 116 21.81%
Green Ian Hopfe 98 18.42%
  NDP Doris Bannister 76 14.29%
Alberta Alliance Valerie Rahn 52 9.77%
Total 532 100%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 21

2012

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References

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  1. ^ Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission (February 2003). "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.
  2. ^ Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission (June 2010). "Proposed Electoral Division Areas, Boundaries, and Names for Alberta. Final Report to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. ISBN 978-0-9865367-1-7. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission (October 2017). "Proposed Electoral Division Areas, Boundaries, and Names for Alberta. Final Report to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. ISBN 978-1-988620-04-6. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  4. ^ Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, RSA 2000, c. E-3, s. 15
  5. ^ Electoral Divisions Act, S.A. 2003, c. E-4.1
  6. ^ "Bill 28 Electoral Divisions Act" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. 2010.
  7. ^ "Calahasen becomes longest serving woman MLA". Ammsa.com. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  8. ^ "70 - Lesser Slave Lake". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  9. ^ "Senate Nominee Election 2004 Tabulation of Official Results" (PDF). Elections Alberta. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2009. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  10. ^ "School by School results". Student Vote Canada. Archived from the original on October 5, 2007. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
  11. ^ "Riding by Riding Results - the Candidates". Student Vote Canada. Archived from the original on October 6, 2007. Retrieved April 19, 2008.
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