The Honourable Rachel Notley MLA |
|
---|---|
Notley in 2015
|
|
17th Premier of Alberta | |
Assumed office May 24, 2015 |
|
Monarch | Elizabeth II |
Lieutenant Governor |
Donald Ethell Lois Mitchell |
Preceded by | Jim Prentice |
Leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party | |
Assumed office October 18, 2014 |
|
Preceded by | Brian Mason |
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Edmonton-Strathcona | |
Assumed office March 3, 2008 |
|
Preceded by | Raj Pannu |
Personal details | |
Born |
Rachel Anne Notley April 17, 1964 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
Political party | New Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Lou Arab |
Alma mater |
University of Alberta Osgoode Hall Law School |
Profession | Lawyer |
Rachel Anne Notley MLA (born April 17, 1964) is a Canadian politician and the 17th and current Premier of Alberta, since 2015. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Edmonton-Strathcona, and leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party. The daughter of former Alberta NDP leader Grant Notley, Notley's career before politics focused on labour law, with a specialty in workers' compensation advocacy and workplace health and safety issues.
Notley was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 2008 provincial election, succeeding former NDP leader Raj Pannu. Six years later on October 18, 2014, Notley won the Alberta New Democrat leadership election on the first ballot with 70% of the vote and went on to lead the party to a majority victory in the 2015 provincial election. Notley leads the first NDP government in the history of the province and is the first non-Progressive Conservative Premier of Alberta since Harry Strom of the Social Credit Party, who served until 1971.
"My parents taught me that an NDPer in Alberta has to work three times harder than any other politician to earn votes. It's a lesson I won't forget."
Notley was born on April 17, 1964, in Edmonton, Alberta, and was raised outside of the town of Fairview, Alberta, the daughter of Sandra Mary "Sandy" Wilkinson and Alberta NDP Leader and MLA Grant Notley. She is the first Alberta Premier to be born in Edmonton. Notley is the sister of Paul Notley and Stephen Notley, author and illustrator of Bob the Angry Flower. Her mother, a devout Anglican, was born in Concord, Massachusetts, and moved to Alberta as an adult.