1915 Alberta liquor plebiscite

Prohibition was not a new concept for Albertans. Prior to the creation of the Province of Alberta in 1905, prohibition had been in effect in the North-West Territories from 1873 to 1891.[1][2] During this time, the federal policy of prohibition aimed to prevent the Territories' Indigenous population from purchasing liquor from American whiskey traders. However, white settlers were allowed to import liquor with readily available approval from the Lieutenant Governor.[3]

In 1891, prohibition was repealed in the North-West Territories through the Liquor License Ordinance, which was administered by the Board of License Commissioners rather than the local government. This followed a model already in place in Ontario and Manitoba.[4] The ordinance permitted hotels in communities to obtain a license to serve liquor. Communities with less than 500 people were limited to two licensed establishments, with an additional licensed establishment permitted for each additional 500 persons in the community.[5] The ordinance also mandated licensed hotels to provide food and lodging.[6] Liquor laws were enforced by liquor inspectors, and if an individual was known to drink excessively, an order by two concurring justices of the peace could prevent that person from buying liquor for one year.[7]

Prohibition remained a significant national issue in the late 19th century. During the 1896 Canadian federal election, Wilfrid Laurier promised that a Liberal government would give Canadians the opportunity to express their opinion on the sale of liquor. In the non-binding 1898 Canadian prohibition plebiscite, a slim majority of the country approved prohibition, with 51.26 per cent in favor and 44 percent of the Canadian electorate participating. In the North-West Territories, which included present-day Alberta, Saskatchewan, and parts of Manitoba, prohibition was approved by a clear majority of voters, with 68.8 per cent in favor. Despite the slim national majority, Laurier's government chose not to introduce a federal bill to implement prohibition.

After the confederation of Alberta in 1905, the movement for direct legislation began to take shape. Articles published in The Grain Growers Guide highlighted the benefits of direct legislation, while the United Farmers of Alberta, gaining momentum, exerted pressure on the Liberal government starting in 1909. The Conservative Party also embraced the issue, committing to holding a plebiscite on prohibition during their party convention in March 1912.[8] Finally, in 1913, the Direct Legislation Act was passed by the legislature, bringing the concept to fruition.[9][10][11]

Recognizing the potential revenue generated through licensing, the Liberal government hesitated to fully commit to prohibition,[10] preferring instead to advocate for incremental reforms aimed at improving conditions related to liquor.[10]

Responding swiftly to the introduction of direct legislation, the temperance movement submitted a petition signed by 23,656 individuals calling for a "Prohibitory Liquor Act" to Premier Arthur Sifton. According to the law, the premier was obligated to either pass such legislation or hold a referendum on the issue.

On October 13, 1914, Premier Sifton presented the petition in the 3rd Alberta Legislature.[12] To study the petition, a special committee was formed, consisting of Members George P. Smith, John M. Glendenning, and Albert Ewing.[13] A week later, on October 19, the committee declared that the petition met the requirements of the Direct Legislation Act, leading the Legislature to move forward with submitting the Liquor Act to a vote of the electors.[14]

The referendum was scheduled for July 21, 1915.

Louise McKinney, President of the Alberta-Saskatchewan Union of the Women's Christian Temperance Movement

Alberta's drive for prohibition was primarily driven forward by two temperance groups: the Women's Christian Temperance Movement (WCTM) and the Temperance and Moral Reform League (TMRL), along with the United Farmers of Alberta.[15] While sharing similar ideals, the TMRL was structured as a political party, with a central executive and local organizations in each of Alberta's electoral districts.[15] T. H. Miller served as the president of the TMRL leading up to the plebiscite.[16] Both the WCTM and TMRL aimed to ensure the election of temperance MLAs, regardless of party affiliation,[17][18] and found support among influential figures in Alberta such as Lieutenant Governor George H. V. Bulyea, Premier Alexander Cameron Rutherford, Minister William Henry Cushing, and Conservative leader R. B. Bennett.[18] Additional arguments advocating for prohibition were published in William McCartney Davidson's Calgary Albertan.[19] In 1908, Louise McKinney was appointed President of the Alberta-Saskatchewan Union of the WCTM, and she played a pivotal role in leading the organization through the prohibition plebiscite.[20] Two years later, McKinney made history by becoming the first woman legislator in the British Empire after being elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1917 general election.[21]

The public face of the prohibition movement mainly comprised preachers and newspapers. They effectively drew parallels between the struggle of soldiers in the First World War against the "evil" Central Powers and the temperance campaign's battle against the "evil" of liquor.[22] Proponents of prohibition also made strong arguments, such as the need to use valuable grains for the war effort rather than alcohol, and highlighted the irresponsible spending and neglect of family obligations by alcoholics.[22][23] The TMRL estimated that liquor sales in Alberta cost the public $12,292,215 per year (equivalent to CAD$285,340,597 in 2021) and allocated a $30,000 budget for their campaign.[16] The TMRL organized speakers from across Canada and the United States to discuss the benefits of prohibition, including Newton Rowell, the leader of the Ontario Liberal Party.[16] One surprising ally for the prohibition proponents was Bob Edwards, who publicly supported the cause through his newspaper, the Calgary Eye-Opener, despite his reputation as an alcoholic.[22]

A Calgary Sunday school promoting the prohibition vote

Arguments against prohibition primarily came from Ukrainian Canadians, French Canadians, and some soldiers. These groups often invited American speakers to discuss the failures of prohibition, but their efforts were labeled as unpatriotic by prohibition proponents, as the United States had not yet entered the First World War.[22] Opposition among men aged 18 to 40 was limited, as many were overseas for the war effort.[23] Other arguments included the assertion that the Liquor Act was ineffective in shutting down illegal liquor channels. Critics also expressed concerns about potential corruption among government liquor vendors, the transformation of drug stores into liquor stores, and physicians turning into liquor salesmen.[16] Additionally, opponents of prohibition pointed out that many American states had repealed their prohibition laws.[16] The anti-prohibition groups invited speaker A.C. Windle, who vividly described the potential issues arising from prohibition, such as the loss of economic activity and jobs for bartenders, hotel employees, truck drivers, and others.[24]

The two major Alberta newspapers, the Calgary Herald and Edmonton Journal, argued against prohibition and instead advocated for the idea of temperance without legal consequences.[19]

The Government of Alberta did not provide an official turnout for the 1915 Alberta liquor plebiscite, however the estimated turnout would have been around 70 per cent of eligible voters. A total of 95,804 people voted in the plebiscite, while the population of the province in 1911 was 374,000, with a voting population of approximately 107,487, which is estimated to have increased to between 136,000 and 140,000 by 1915.[36][24]