WATCH ABOVE: It was a big day at the Legislature as dozens of new MLAs officially became politicians. Tom Vernon was there.
EDMONTON — Alberta’s new MLAs were sworn in on Monday at the Legislature. Last weekend the NDP 12-member cabinet was sworn in during an outdoor ceremony at the legislature in front of a large crowd of people. It was the first time a premier was sworn in outside and on the steps of the Alberta Legislature.
READ MORE: Who is in Alberta Premier Rachel Notley’s cabinet?
Premier Rachel Notley and 51 members of her caucus have been sworn in as MLAs, granting them the privilege to sit and conduct business in the house. The governing NDPs went first in the morning, while the Wildrose and Progressive Conservatives were sworn in later in the day.
A new Speaker will be chosen by a majority of MLAs in a secret ballot in the house on June 11.
The current Speaker, Tory Gene Zwozdesky, was defeated in the May 5 election. Bob Wanner, the incoming NDP MLA for Medicine Hat, confirmed last week Premier Rachel Notley took a direct role in getting him nominated to be, in effect, the next referee of the legislature. No other MLA has publicly announced a desire for the job.
READ MORE: Wildrose criticizes Notley for taking direct role in picking next Speaker
The Speaker, while coming from one of the parties in the house, has a critical role as an impartial arbiter, deciding which questions can and can’t be asked and disciplining members as required.
A total of 85 members were being sworn in. Two seats still remain vacant: Calgary-Glenmore and Calgary-Foothills. The first riding is having a judicial recount and the second was former premier Jim Prentice’s riding.
There are currently 52 NDP MLAs, 21 Wildrose MLAs, nine PC MLAs, one Liberal, one Alberta Party and one Independent. Calgary MLA Deborah Drever was suspended from the NDP caucus and now sits as an Independent.
The NDP ended 44 years of PC political reign in Alberta by winning a 54-seat majority in the May 5 election.
With files from Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press
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