Diversity in Alberta NDP caucus represents changing province, Notley says

Story by Michelle Bellefontaine • Yesterday 

Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley says the strength of the new 38-member caucus, the largest opposition in Alberta history, lies in its diversity.

"Our caucus represents a changing Alberta — more progressive, more forward-looking, and more focused on creating a better future for all," Notley said after all but two NDP MLAs took their oaths of office in a ceremony at the Alberta legislature Monday.

Fourteen newcomers — including Indigenous MLAs Jodi Calahoo-Stonehouse (Edmonton-Rutherford) and Brooks Arcand-Paul (Edmonton-West Henday) — joined re-elected veterans Joe Ceci, Sarah Hoffman and others as family and friends looked on.

The crowd cheered each time an MLA was sworn in. One of the loudest was for Rhiannon Hoyle, the MLA for Edmonton-South, who is the first Black woman ever elected to the Alberta legislature.

Notley said more than a third of the new caucus is racialized, and more than half are women. Notley said the caucus also has a record number of LGBTQ MLAs.

Diana Batten in Calgary-Acadia and Nagwan al-Guneid in Calgary-Glenmore were not included in Monday's ceremony. They can't be sworn in until their wins are confirmed in judicial recounts requested by their UCP opponents.

Both Arcand-Paul and Calahoo-Stonehouse said their oaths in Cree and English, while holding a sacred pipe.

"We got to speak our language, hold our pipes, and really honour our ancestors, our heritage, our family, our kinship, and it was really powerful and wonderful," Calahoo-Stonehouse said afterwards.

Nathan Ip, the new MLA for Edmonton-South West, said the significance of the moment made him emotional.

"I got a little bit teary-eyed," he said. "I could truly feel the gravitas and really the weight of this position … I take it very seriously."

Independent takes oath

Jennifer Johnson, the MLA for Lacombe-Ponoka, was sworn in in a separate ceremony on Monday.

Johnson was the UCP candidate for the central Alberta riding until mid-May when a leaked recording surfaced where she was heard comparing transgender students to feces in food.


Jennifer Johnson was sworn-in as the MLA for Lacombe-Ponoka in a separate ceremony. 

(Legislative Assembly of Alberta )© Provided by cbc.ca

Johnson apologized for the remarks but Premier Danielle Smith said she would not join the UCP caucus if elected.

Johnson won 67.6 per cent of the votes cast in Lacombe-Ponoka and will sit as an Independent.

She declined to speak to the media after Monday's ceremony.

The 48 members of the United Conservative caucus will be sworn in Tuesday morning. MLAs will then choose a new Speaker and deputy Speaker in the afternoon.

Current speaker Nathan Cooper, the MLA-elect for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, intends to run again.