Calgary & Southern Alberta

The UFA MLAs after the UFA's victory
in the 1921 provincial election. In the
centre of the front row is Mrs. Irene Parlby,
minister without a portfolio.

The United Farmers of Alberta was established in 1909 to represent the interests of farmers in rural economic and social issues. After the end of the First World War, the organization became active in provincial politics, and defeated the ruling Liberal government in the provincial election of 1921. Herbert Greenfield served as Premier until 1925 when John Brownlee was elected. Although Brownlee represented the interests of the farmers well, his policies of caution and economic restraint during the Great Depression (and widespread rumours of personal scandal) forced him out of office in 1934. R.G. Reid became Premier, but in 1935 the United Farmers were soundly defeated by the Social Credit Party.

Despite its rural orientation, the organisation was based in Calgary where it had the support of labor politicians and the working class. Henry Wise Wood, born in Carstairs, believed that government should consist of a coalition of occupation groups. Under Wood’s guidance, the organisation created co-operative ventures and many were located in Calgary. By the time of the Depression, however, the party began to fall apart as members split, with one side supporting monetary reform as proposed by William Aberhart’s Social Credit Party, and the other supporting the CCF which had been born in Calgary in 1932.

Henry E. Spencer, ca. 1920s
Courtesy of the Glenbow Collection

Henry Elvins Spencer, 1882-1972, was born in England. In 1908 he and his brother cameto Canada and homesteaded near Edgerton, Alberta. In 1913 he married Zella Crowe and they had three children. He farmed for 19 years, during which the became involved in various farm organizations. He served as a provincial director of the United Farmers of Alberta (UFA), 1917-1921. In 1921, he was elected to Parliament as the UFA Member of Parliament (MP) for Battle River. He was re-elected in 1925, 1926 and 1930, but was defeated in 1935. As part of the Ginger Group in Parliament, he pressed for monetary reforms, unemployment benefits and a national health program. After his defeat, he entered school and municipal work. He was president of the Alberta School Trustees' Association, 1944-1948, and secretary of the Canadian School Trustees' Association, 1948-1956. He retired to Comox, British Columbia in 1948.