With the news that Rachel Notley is stepping down from the leadership of the Alberta New Democrat Party this week, we felt it appropriate to take some time to reflect on the legacy of a woman who, while not universally loved, made a critical impact on the political landscape of our province.
Prior to Notley, it had been 11 years since another party had received more than 10 seats in the house, and 24 years since the NDP had done so. For all intents and purposes, Alberta was a one-party province, with the Progressive Conservative Party enjoying an uninterrupted 44-year political dynasty.
That changed rather quickly.
Notley took over the party leadership in 2014, winning a three-person primary with nearly 70 per cent of the vote. Within a year, she had brought the oft’ forgotten party to the premier's office.
The NDP returned all four of their sitting members (including Notley) and added 50 more seats for good measure, exploiting an unpopular PC budget, an unpopular and possibly sexist comment by than-premier Jim Prentice, and a divided right to form their first ever government.
Depending on who you ask, it was (or wasn’t) a successful four years, but regardless, it established the party as a legitimate opposition to Alberta’s right, and it forced some concessions out of Jason Kenney and Danielle Smith when they later took office.
We don’t know who will replace Notley — her deputy premier Sarah Hoffman is a popular choice, and David Eggen, who she defeated a decade ago, is another. Whether it’s one of them, or another candidate, they’ll have big shoes to follow.
The NDP’s leadership of the province wasn’t perfect, but Notley and her team made some lasting changes that have impacted Albertan’s lives for the better.
Under her, Alberta’s minimum wage increased each year the NDP were in office, rising from $11.20 to $15 over that span. It hasn’t grown since.
Notley also laid the groundwork for the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline, despite consistent claims that her government was anti-oil and gas.
There were also mistakes along the way. The party dealt with controversial candidates, unpopular tax raises, and at times seemed unprepared to run a province.
Despite that, Notley led the party to historic success — the 44 per cent vote share the party received in 2023 was a record high, and they formed the largest opposition in the history of the province.
We need strong opposition parties as much as we need strong premiers to be successful as a province, and Notley paved the way for the NDP to achieve that.
