Alberta Premier Rachel Notley

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley
Name	Rachel Notley
Caption	Rachel Notley in office
Birth date	17 October 1964
Birth place	Edmonton, Alberta
Office	17th Premier of Alberta
Term start	2015
Term end	2019
Party	Alberta New Democratic Party
Spouse	Stephen Mandel

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley

Rachel Notley (born October 17, 1964) is a Canadian politician and labour lawyer who served as the 17th Premier of Alberta from 2015 to 2019 and later returned as leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party. Raised in Edmonton within a family active in Canadian politics, Notley has been a prominent figure in debates involving Alberta's energy sector, Canadian federalism, and labour policy. Her tenure as premier overturned four decades of Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta governance and influenced discussions in Ottawa, Calgary, and international capital markets.

Early life and education

Notley was born in Edmonton into a family with strong connections to Canadian politics: her father, Grant Notley, led the Alberta New Democratic Party and served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. She grew up in a household engaged with figures from the New Democratic Party of Canada, Edmonton City Council, and provincial activists connected to labour unions such as the Canadian Labour Congress and the United Mine Workers of America. Notley attended Ross Sheppard High School before studying at Queen's University and later completing a law degree at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law. During her studies she was exposed to debates linked to the Constitution Act, 1982, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and policy discussions involving the Supreme Court of Canada.

Early career and activism

After law school, Notley worked as an employment lawyer and labour advocate in Edmonton and engaged with organizations such as the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the Alberta Federation of Labour. Her early career involved litigation and negotiation before tribunals including the Alberta Human Rights Commission and appearances related to matters overseen by the Law Society of Alberta. She volunteered with community groups connected to social policy and environmental debates involving the Athabasca River and the Boreal Forest. Notley also developed ties to national figures such as Tommy Douglas's legacy organizations and provincial leaders from parties like the British Columbia New Democratic Party and the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party.

Entry into politics and rise within the NDP

Notley was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in 2008 representing Edmonton-Strathcona, succeeding Rick Miller as the NDP MLA. Within the Alberta New Democratic Party caucus she served as critic for portfolios including Energy, Education (note: generic forbidden—avoid linking), and labour, engaging with ministers from the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta such as Ed Stelmach and Alison Redford. In 2014 she won the leadership of the Alberta NDP leadership election, 2014 to succeed Brian Mason, positioning her against opponents who had alliances with provincial figures like Jim Prentice and Jason Kenney. Her leadership aligned the NDP with labour leaders, municipal politicians from Calgary City Council and Edmonton City Council, and national NDP figures including Tom Mulcair.

2015 election and tenure as Premier of Alberta

In the 2015 Alberta general election, 2015, Notley led the Alberta New Democratic Party to a majority, defeating the long-governing Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta led by Jim Prentice and winning seats across Edmonton and Calgary. As premier she formed a cabinet that included ministers drawn from urban and rural regions, working with federal counterparts in Ottawa such as Justin Trudeau and engaging with provincial premiers including Rachel Notley's counterparts (do not link to subject). Her government introduced measures affecting the Alberta economy and the province's relationship with companies like Suncor Energy, Canadian Natural Resources Limited, and multinational firms involved in the oil sands. Notley's administration navigated crises including commodity price downturns, litigation over pipeline projects like the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and disputes with governments such as the Government of British Columbia.

Policies and major initiatives

Notley's government enacted policies on carbon pricing through a framework tied to the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change and implemented regulatory changes affecting the Alberta Energy Regulator and resource royalties, interacting with resource companies like Cenovus Energy and Imperial Oil. Her cabinet introduced labour reforms that altered relations with unions such as the United Steelworkers and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, and invested in public services affecting institutions like the University of Alberta and healthcare providers connected to Alberta Health Services. Notley's tenure included initiatives on fiscal policy that tied into credit rating decisions by agencies like Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's, and she engaged with premiers such as Rachel Notley's contemporaries (avoid linking subject) and federal ministers including Chrystia Freeland on intergovernmental fiscal arrangements.

Post-premiership and later political activity

After the Alberta general election, 2019, in which the United Conservative Party led by Jason Kenney won a majority, Notley served as Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and continued to represent Edmonton-Strathcona. She campaigned on issues involving pipeline approvals such as the Keystone XL pipeline debates, climate policy linked to the Paris Agreement, and labour rights in forums alongside figures from the Canadian Labour Congress and provincial NDP counterparts like John Horgan and Caroline Cochrane. Notley led the NDP to regain seats in subsequent elections, coordinating with federal NDP leaders and municipal officials in Calgary and Edmonton on strategies relating to regional development and social policy.

Political positions and public image

Notley is widely associated with social democratic positions prominent in the New Democratic Party of Canada tradition and has been compared to provincial leaders such as Roy Romanow and Allan Blakeney for her approach to resource revenue and public services. Her public image has been shaped by media outlets like the Globe and Mail, the National Post, and broadcasters such as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and CTV News, and she has faced critiques and endorsements from business groups like the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and environmental organizations including Greenpeace Canada. Notley's leadership style has drawn analysis in political science literature concerning Canadian provincial politics, federal-provincial relations, and the dynamics of party realignment exemplified by previous shifts involving parties like the Social Credit Party of Alberta.

Category:Premiers of Alberta Category:Alberta New Democratic Party politicians