# 2001 Alberta general election

The 2001 Alberta general election was held on March 12, 2001 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.
The incumbent Alberta Progressive Conservative Party, led by Ralph Klein, won a strong majority for its tenth consecutive term in government. In addition to increasing its share of the popular vote to almost 62%, the PC Party won a majority of seats in Edmonton for the first time since 1982. In the process, they reduced the opposition to only nine MLAs in total. It was the Tories' biggest majority since the height of the Peter Lougheed era.
The Liberal Party lost 11 seats and ran up a large debt. Its leader, Nancy MacBeth, was defeated in her riding.
The New Democratic Party, led by Raj Pannu, hoped to make gains at the expense of the Liberals in Edmonton and replace them as the official opposition. This did not materialize, but the party did manage to maintain its share of the popular vote and held onto their two seats in the legislature. The NDP attempted to attract young voters with the slogan, "Raj against the Machine".
The right-wing Alberta First Party, contesting its first election, failed to win any seats or come close to winning any. The Social Credit Party, led by James Albers, was unable to build on its moderate success in the 1997 election, and sank back into obscurity. Socred leader Lavern Ahlstrom, however, performed well in Rocky Mountain House and finished second behind the incumbent Ty Lund.

## Opinion polls

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level :
| Polling firm | Last day of survey | PCA | ALP | ANDP | Other | ME | Sample |
| Election 2001 | March 12, 2001 | 61.9 | 27.3 | 8.0 | | |
| Pollara | December 1997 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Election 1997 | March 11, 1997 | 51.17 | 32.75 | 8.81 | | |

## Results

Overall voter turnout was 53.38%.
| Party | Party | Party | Party leader | # of candidates | Seats | Seats | Seats | Popular vote | Popular vote | Popular vote | Popular vote |
| Party | Party | Party | Party leader | # of candidates | 1997 | Dissolution | Elected | % Change | # | % | % Change |
| | Progressive Conservative | Progressive Conservative | Ralph Klein | 83 | 63 | 64 | 74 | +17.5% | 627,252 | 61.91% | +10.74% |
| | Liberal | Liberal | Nancy MacBeth | 83 | 18 | 15 | 7 | -61.1% | 276,854 | 27.33% | -5.42% |
| | New Democrats | New Democrats | Raj Pannu | 83 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | 81,339 | 8.03% | -0.78% |
| | Independent | Independent | Independent | 29 | - | 1 | - | - | 10,528 | 1.04% | +0.93% |
| | Alberta First | Alberta First | John Reil | 16 | * | - | - | * | 8,851 | 0.87% | * |
| | Social Credit | Coalition | James Albers | 12 | - | - | - | - | 5,361 | 0.53% | -6.31% |
| | Alberta Party | Coalition | Fred Schorning | 12 | - | - | - | - | 5,361 | 0.53% | -6.31% |
| | Green | Green | David Parker | 10 | - | - | - | - | 2,850 | 0.28% | +0.17% |
| | Communist | Communist | Naomi Rankin | 2 | - | - | - | - | 117 | 0.01% | x |
| | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | * | 1 | | | | | |
| | Total | Total | Total | 318 | 83 | 83 | 83 | - | 1,013,152 | 100% | |
Notes:
* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.
x - less than 0.005% of the popular vote.
Popular vote
PC
61.91%
Liberal
27.33%
New Democratic
8.03%
Others
2.73% :
Seats summary
PC
89.16%
Liberal
8.43%
New Democratic
2.41% :

## Results by riding

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Airdrie-Rocky View | | Carol Louise Haley 13,195 79.79% | | Carol L'Abbee 2,043 12.35% | | Christopher Hill 592 3.58% | | Tom Humble (Ind.) 683 4.13% | Carol Louise Haley |
| Athabasca-Wabasca | | Mike Cardinal 4,238 66.62% | | Al Wurfel 1,264 19.87% | | Colin Piquette 606 9.53% | | David Klassen (SoCred) 153 2.41% Ian Hopfe (Green) 94 1.48% | Mike Cardinal |
| Banff-Cochrane | | Janis Tarchuk 9,418 69.94% | | Norman Kent 2,147 15.95% | | Cathy Harrop 1,311 9.74% | | Cory Morgan (Ind.) 538 4.00% | Janis Tarchuk |
| Barrhead-Westlock | | Kenneth R. Kowalski 7,183 69.06% | | Laurie Hodge 1,259 12.10% | | Suzanne Forbes 569 5.47% | | Jeff Willerton (SoCred) 1352 13.00% | Kenneth R. Kowalski |
| Bonnyville-Cold Lake | | Denis Ducharme 5,641 70.37% | | Ronald Young 1,755 21.89% | | Ellen Ulfsten 313 3.90% | | James William Skretteberg (Ind.) 275 3.43% | Denis Ducharme |
| Calgary-Bow | | Alana S. DeLong 8,274 63.82% | | Kelly McDonnell 3,230 24.91% | | Jeff Bayliss 858 6.62% | | Margaret (Peggy) Askin (Ind.) 184 1.42% Jan Triska (Green) 394 | Bonnie Laing |
| Calgary-Buffalo | | Harvey Cenaiko 5,582 53.92% | | Brian Edy 4,135 39.94% | | Neil McKinnon 473 4.57% | | Dave Schwartz (SoCred) 113 1.09% | Gary Dickson |
| Calgary-Cross | | Yvonne Fritz 6,816 74.67% | | Keith Jones 1,836 20.11% | | Ramiro Mora 441 4.83% | | | Yvonne Fritz |
| Calgary-Currie | | Jon Lord 6,922 61.75% | | Pat Murray 2,667 23.79% | | Garth Mundle 1,114 9.94% | | J. Bruce Miller (Ind.) 434 3.87% | Jocelyn Burgener |
| Calgary-East | | Moe Amery 6,038 70.32% | | Brendan Dunphy 2,010 23.41% | | Giorgio Cattabeni 328 3.82% | | Alan Schoonover (Ind.) 109 1.27% Jason Devine (Comm.) 41 | Moe Amery |
| Calgary-Egmont | | Denis Herard 10,338 74.08% | | Wayne Lenhardt 2,613 18.72% | | Shawn Christie 567 4.06% | | Bradley R. Lang (Ind.) 399 2.86% | Denis Herard |
| Calgary-Elbow | | Ralph Klein 10,213 66.68% | | Harold Swanson 4,533 29.59% | | Mathew Zachariah 369 2.41% | | Monier Rahall (Ind.) 166 1.08% | Ralph Klein |
| Calgary-Fish Creek | | Heather Forsyth 9,716 74.39% | | Marc Doll 2,853 21.84% | | Ryan Todd 465 3.56% | | | Heather Forsyth |
| Calgary-Foothills | | Pat Nelson 12,070 67.21% | | Harry B. Chase 5,051 28.13% | | Jon Adams 784 4.37% | | | Patricia Black |
| Calgary-Fort | | Wayne Cao 6,740 68.29% | | Brian Huskins 2,004 20.30% | | Vinay Dey 501 5.08% | | Raymond (Chick) Hurst (SoCred) 160 1.62% Michael Alvarez-Toye (Green) 121 1.23% Metro Peter Demchynski (Ind.) 102 1.04% Brian Slater (Ind.) 100 1.02% Wyatt McIntyre (Ab. First) 99 1.00% | Wayne Cao |
| Calgary-Glenmore | | Ron Stevens 9,678 67.51% | | Michael Broadhurst 3,708 25.86% | | Jennifer Stewart 441 3.08% | | James S. Kohut (Green) 467 3.27% | Ron Stevens |
| Calgary-Lougheed | | Marlene Graham 8,952 73.95% | | Pete Montgomery 2,538 20.97% | | Marc Power 577 4.77% | | | Marlene Graham |
| Calgary-McCall | | Shiraz Shariff 6,558 69.94% | | John Phillips 2,082 22.20% | | Preet Sihota 449 4.79% | | Darryl Elvers (Ab. First) 139 1.48% Rory M. Cory (SoCred) 121 1.29% | Shiraz Shariff |
| Calgary-Montrose | | Hung Pham 6,329 70.35% | | Art Danielson 2,093 23.27% | | Robert Scobel 543 6.04% | | | Hung Pham |
| Calgary-Mountain View | | Mark Hlady 6,462 60.23% | | Jennifer Spencer 2,610 24.33% | | Keith Purdy 1,637 15.26% | | | Mark Hlady |
| Calgary-North Hill | | Richard Charles Magnus 7,034 63.60% | | Darryl G. Hawkins 2,529 22.87% | | Christine McGregor 1,067 9.65% | | Darcy Kraus (Ab. First) 404 3.65% | Richard Charles Magnus |
| Calgary-North West | | Greg Melchin 15,292 71.38% | | Paul Allard 4,971 23.21% | | Patricia Alward 828 3.87% | | Douglas A. Picken (SoCred) 299 1.40% | Greg Melchin |
| Calgary-Nose Creek | | Gary Mar 11,997 74.58% | | Peter Willott 3,263 20.28% | | Eileen Nesbitt 776 4.82% | | | Gary Mar |
| Calgary-Shaw | | Cindy Ady 20,306 80.60% | | Jim McPherson 3,595 14.27% | | Ryan Falkenberg 729 2.89% | | Peter Singleton (Ab. First) 222 0.88% Kevin Agar (Ind.) 153>br/>0.61% Darren Popik (Ind.) 151 0.60% | Jonathan Niles Havelock |
| Calgary-Varsity | | Murray D. Smith 8,173 59.14% | | Carrol Jaques 3,938 28.49% | | Susan Scott 1,309 9.47% | | Tavis Du Preez (Green)<by/>334 2.90% | Murray D. Smith |
| Calgary-West | | Karen Kryczka 12,866 72.92% | | Lorne B. Neudorf 3,459 19.60% | | Greg Klassen 1,263 7.16% | | | Karen Kryczka |
| Cardston-Taber-Warner | | Broyce G. Jacobs 5,256 53.58% | | Ron Hancock 1,747 17.81% | | Suzanne Sirias 240 2.45% | | John Reil (Ab. First) 2557 26.07% | Ron Hierath |
| Clover Bar-Fort Saskatchewan | | Rob Lougheed 9,674 62.59% | | W.H. (Skip) Gordon 4,606 29.80% | | Merrill Stewart 1,142 7.39% | | | Rob Lougheed |
| Cypress-Medicine Hat | | Lorne Taylor 7,222 72.71% | | Beverley Britton Clarke 2,074 20.88% | | Cliff Anten 598 6.02% | | | Lorne Taylor |
| Drayton Valley-Calmar | | Tony Abbott 7,673 68.29% | | Roger Coles 2,229 19.84% | | Mark Patty 588 5.23% | | Roger Stefura (Ind.) 729 6.49% | Tom Thurber |
| Drumheller-Chinook | | Shirley McClellan 6,684 72.77% | | Greg Pyra 0,921 10.03% | | Gerry Hamilton 546 5.94% | | Eileen Walker (Ind.) 819 8.92% Peter Smits (SoCred) 184 2.00% | Shirley McClellan |
| Dunvegan | | Hector G. Goudreau 5,857 67.02% | | Bruce Rutley 1,888 21.60% | | Yvonne Sinkevich 508 5.81% | | Ron (Earl) Miller (Ind.) 248 2.85% Fred Euler (Ind.) 208 2.39% | Glen Clegg |
| Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview | | Julius E. Yankowsky 4,732 45.61% | | Bauni Mackay 3,290 31.71% | | Elisabeth Ballermann 1,985 19.13% | | Ken Shipka (Ind.)>br/>211 2.04% Teo Zanetic (Ab. First) 92 0.89% Tanya Gill (Ind.) 56 0.54% | Julius E. Yankowsky |
| Edmonton-Calder | | Brent Rathgeber 5,128 41.90% | | Lance D. White 4,654 38.03% | | Christine Burdett 2,432 19.87% | | | Lance D. White |
| Edmonton-Castle Downs | | Thomas A. Lukaszuk 5,971 51.03% | | Boris Yaremko 4,479 38.28% | | Michael Charrois 1,235 10.56% | | | Pamela Paul |
| Edmonton-Centre | | Don J. Weideman 4,446 38.16% | | Laurie Blakeman 5,095 43.73% | | David Eggen 1,959 16.82% | | Naomi J. Rankin (Comm.) 76 0.66% | Laurie Blakeman |
| Edmonton-Ellerslie | | Sukhi Randhawa 4,209 41.95% | | Debby Carlson 4,481 44.66% | | Deborah Morrison 1,299 12.95% | | | Debby Carlson |
| Edmonton-Glengarry | | Andrew Beniuk 4,715 44.85% | | Bill Bonner 4,784 45.51% | | Shane Watt 1,004 9.55% | | | Bill Bonner |
| Edmonton-Glenora | | Drew Hutton 5,515 45.57% | | Howard Sapers 5,328 44.03% | | Guy Desrosiers 1,232 10.18% | | | Howard Sapers |
| Edmonton-Gold Bar | | David Fletcher 5,981 39.85% | | Hugh MacDonald 7,654 51.00% | | Peter Cross 1,159 7.72% | | Margaret Marean (Green) 193 1.29% | Hugh MacDonald |
| Edmonton-Highlands | | Robert Bilida 3,477 34.51% | | Kim Cassady 1,921 19.07% | | Brian Mason 4,641 46.07% | | | Brian Mason |
| Edmonton-Manning | | Tony Vandermeer 5,903 45.44% | | Ed Gibbons 5,523 42.51% | | Hana Razga 1,538 11.84% | | | Ed Gibbons |
| Edmonton-McClung | | Mark P. Norris 6,976 50.41% | | Nancy J. MacBeth 5,920 42.78% | | Lorne Dach 804 5.81% | | Patrick D. Ellis (Ind.) 133 0.96% | Nancy J. MacBeth |
| Edmonton-Meadowlark | | Bob Maskell 6,108 48.50% | | Karen Leibovici 5,674 45.06% | | Mike Hudema 636 5.05% | | Peggy Morton (Ind.) 144 1.14% | Karen Leibovici |
| Edmonton-Mill Creek | | Gene Zwozdesky 8,085 55.51% | | Bharat Agnihotri 4,229 29.04% | | Edwin Villania 1,893 13.00% | | Kyle Harvey (Ab. First) 220 1.51% Harlan Light (Green) 97 0.67% | Gene Zwozdesky |
| Edmonton-Mill Woods | | Carl Benito 4,402 43.69% | | Don Massey 4,920 48.83% | | Mel H. Buffalo 725 7.20% | | | Don Massey |
| Edmonton-Norwood | | Gary Masyk 3,304 38.06% | | Brian Bechtel 3,164 36.45% | | Harvey Voogd 2,196 25.30% | | | Sue Olsen |
| Edmonton-Riverview | | Wendy Kinsella 5,883 39.29% | | Kevin Taft 7,420 49.55% | | Doug McLachlan 1,469 9.81% | | Jerry Paschen (Green) 165 1.10% | Linda Sloan |
| Edmonton-Rutherford | | Ian McClelland 6,173 48.08% | | Rick Miller 5,558 43.29% | | Shane MacDonald 1,071 8.34% | | | Percy Wickman |
| Edmonton-Strathcona | | John Logan 4,749 34.27% | | Jim Jacuta 1,944 14.03% | | Raj Pannu 6,998 50.50% | | James Lakinn (Ab. First) 136 0.98% | Raj Pannu |
| Edmonton-Whitemud | | David Hancock 10,884 58.45% | | Bruce King 6,503 34.92% | | Katie Oppen Benschop 1,178 6.33% | | | David Hancock |
| Fort McMurray | | Guy C. Boutilier 5,914 64.36% | | John S. Vyboh 1,759 19.14% | | Lyn Gorman 1,498 16.30% | | | Guy C. Boutilier |
| Grande Prairie-Smoky | | Mel Knight 6,241 67.51% | | Barry Robinson 1,777 19.22% | | Leon R. Pendleton 842 9.11% | | Dennis Young (Ind.) 380 4.11% | Walter Paszkowski |
| Grande Prairie-Wapiti | | Gordon J. Graydon 5,674 65.40% | | Ray Stitsen 1,489 17.16% | | Elroy Deimert 819 9.44% | | Ivo Noga (SoCred) 432 4.98% Terry Dueck (Ind.) 136 Robert Weberg (Ind.) 112 1.29% | Wayne Jacques |
| Highwood | | Don Tannas 13,321 79.71% | | Leonard Borowski 2,000 11.97% | | Gunhild Hoogensen 773 4.63% | | Julie Walker (Green) 581 3.48% | Don Tannas |
| Innisfail-Sylvan Lake | | Luke Ouellette 9,725 74.40% | | Garth E. Davis 2,652 20.29% | | Eileen Clancy Teslenko 651 4.98% | | | Gary Severtson |
| Lac La Biche-St. Paul | | Ray Danyluk 5,335 59.92% | | Vital Ouellette 3,195 35.88% | | John Williams 356 4.00% | | | Paul Langevin |
| Lacombe-Stettler | | Judy Gordon 8,221 70.00% | | Doug McDavid 2,500 21.29% | | Lorenzo Fiorito 455 3.87% | | Douglas R. Chitwood (Ind.) 554 4.72% | Judy Gordon |
| Leduc | | Albert Klapstein 9,235 66.69% | | Joyce Assen 3,575 25.82% | | Leilani O'Malley 957 6.91% | | | Albert Klapstein |
| Lesser Slave Lake | | Pearl M. Calahasen 4,766 73.80% | | Rick Noel 1,429 22.13% | | Doris Bannister 232 3.59% | | | Pearl M. Calahasen |
| Lethbridge-East | | Ron Carroll 4,704 36.87% | | Ken Nicol 6,939 54.39% | | Gaye Metz 542 4.25% | | Mark Ogden (Ab. First) 554 4.34% | Ken Nicol |
| Lethbridge-West | | Clint Dunford 6,685 47.97% | | Leslie Vaala 5,496 39.43% | | Mark Sandilands 1,062 7.62% | | Brian Stewart (Ab. First) 662 4.75% | Clint Dunford |
| Little Bow | | Barry McFarland 6,881 64.70% | | Arij Langstraat 2,534 23.82% | | Andrea Enes 319 3.00% | | Jon Koch (Ind.) 885 8.32% | Barry McFarland |
| Livingstone-Macleod | | David Coutts 6,340 60.47% | | Ernie Patterson 3,035 28.95% | | James Tweedie 553 5.27% | | Larry Lybbert (Ab. First) 519 4.95% | David Coutts |
| Medicine Hat | | Rob Renner 8,109 61.80% | | Karen Charlton 4,166 31.75% | | Luke Lacasse 787 6.00% | | | Rob Renner |
| Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills | | Richard Marz 10,553 80.51% | | Gayleen Roelfsema 1,663 12.69% | | Brenda L. Dyck 383 2.92% | | Nicholas Semmler (SoCred) 460 3.51% | Richard Marz |
| Peace River | | Gary Friedel 3,782 64.29% | | Susan Callihoo 1,544 26.25% | | Steve Crocker 338 5.75% | | John Iftody (Ab. First) 206 3.50% | Gary Friedel |
| Ponoka-Rimbey | | Halvar C. Jonson 6,797 71.87% | | Tim Falkiner 1,296 13.70% | | Linda Roth 574 6.07% | | Charles Park (Ind.) 764 8.08% | Halvar C. Jonson |
| Red Deer-North | | Mary Anne Jablonski 5,025 57.04% | | Norm McDougall 3,110 35.30% | | Jim Guthrie 309 3.51% | | Patti Argent (Ab. First) 356 4.04% | Mary Anne Jablonski |
| Red Deer-South | | Victor Doerksen 7,684 59.93% | | Garfield Marks 3,927 30.63% | | Erika Bullwinkle 512 3.99% | | Bob Argent (Ab. First) 459 3.58% Ryan Lamarche (Ind.) 203 1.58% | Victor Doerksen |
| Redwater | | Dave Broda 7,319 58.14% | | Andrew Raczynski 3,924 31.17% | | Mike Radojcic 658 5.23% | | Tony Ollenberger (Ab. First) 647 5.14% | Dave Broda |
| Rocky Mountain House | | Ty Lund 7,820 70.27% | | Wijnand Horemans 1,171 10.52% | | Doug Mac Angus 408 3.67% | | Lavern J. Ahlstrom (SoCred) 1705 15.32% | Ty Lund |
| Sherwood Park | | Iris Evans 13,243 64.03% | | Louise Rogers 5,787 27.98% | | Chris Harwood 1,606 7.76% | | | Iris Evans |
| Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert | | Doug Horner 8,010 55.23% | | Colleen Soetaert 5,832 40.22% | | Dale Apostal 616 4.25% | | | Colleen Soetaert |
| St. Albert | | Mary O'Neill 9,537 52.50% | | Len Bracko 7,479 41.17% | | Michelle Mungall 1,122 6.18% | | | Mary O'Neill |
| Stony Plain | | Stan Woloshyn 9,197 67.06% | | Monika Cappis 3,228 23.54% | | Stephen Lindop 1,261 9.19% | | | Stan Woloshyn |
| Strathmore-Brooks | | Lyle Oberg 8,585 74.92% | | Barry Morishita 1,774 15.48% | | Don MacFarlane 290 2.53% | | Christopher Sutherland (Ind.) 511 4.46% Rudy Martens (SoCred) 273 2.38% | Lyle Oberg |
| Vegreville-Viking | | Ed Stelmach 7,191 60.63% | | Ross Demkiw 3,391 28.59% | | Greg Kurulok 1,243 10.48% | | | Ed Stelmach |
| Vermilion-Lloydminster | | Lloyd Snelgrove 6,978 73.01% | | David Tschorn 0,980 10.25% | | Raymond Stone 976 10.21% | | Grant West (Ab. First) 589 6.16% | Steve West |
| Wainwright | | Robert A. (Butch) Fischer 6,910 63.53% | | Ronald Williams 1,269 11.67% | | Lilas I. Lysne 420 3.86% | | Jerry D. Barber (Ab. First) 1,394 12.82% Jeff Newland (Ind.) 868 7.98% | Robert A. (Butch) Fischer |
| West Yellowhead | | Ivan J. Strang 5,763 59.10% | | Lyle Benson 3,180 32.61% | | Noel Lapierre 801 8.21% | | | Ivan J. Strang |
| Wetaskiwin-Camrose | | LeRoy Johnson 9,090 72.25% | | Stewart Larkin 1,671 13.28% | | Philip Penrod 1,420 11.29% | | Ben Lussier (Ind.) 382 3.04% | LeRoy Johnson |
| Whitecourt-Ste. Anne | | George VanderBurg 7,579 68.41% | | Derril Butler 2,890 26.09% | | Wade Franko 570 5.15% | | | Peter Trynchy |