Rachel Notley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Rachel Notley
Notley in 2015
17th Premier of Alberta
In office May 24, 2015 – April 30, 2019
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Lieutenant Governor	Donald Ethell Lois Mitchell
Deputy	Sarah Hoffman
Preceded by	Jim Prentice
Succeeded by	Jason Kenney
Leader of the Opposition in Alberta
In office April 30, 2019 – June 24, 2024
Preceded by	Jason Kenney
Succeeded by	Christina Gray
Leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party
In office October 18, 2014 – June 22, 2024
Preceded by	Brian Mason
Succeeded by	Naheed Nenshi
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Edmonton-Strathcona
In office March 3, 2008 – December 30, 2024
Preceded by	Raj Pannu
Succeeded by	Naheed Nenshi
Dean of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office April 16, 2019 – December 30, 2024
Preceded by	Brian Mason
Succeeded by	David Eggen
Personal details
Born	Rachel Anne Notley (1964-04-17) April 17, 1964 (age 61) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Political party	New Democratic
Spouse	Lou Arab ​ (m. 1997)​
Children	2
Alma mater	University of Alberta Osgoode Hall Law School
Profession	Lawyer
Signature

Rachel Anne Notley (born April 17, 1964) is a Canadian lawyer and politician. She served as the 17th premier of Alberta from 2015 to 2019. The premier is the head of the government in a Canadian province, similar to a prime minister for the whole country.

Notley was the leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party (NDP) from 2014 to 2024. She was also a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the area of Edmonton-Strathcona from 2008 to 2024. An MLA is a person elected to represent their community in the provincial government.

Before she entered politics, Notley was a lawyer who specialized in helping workers. She focused on issues like workers' rights and safety in the workplace.

Early Life and Education

Rachel Notley was born in Edmonton, Alberta, on April 17, 1964. She grew up near the town of Fairview, Alberta. Her father, Grant Notley, was also a politician and the leader of the Alberta NDP. Rachel is the first premier of Alberta to be born in Edmonton.

Her interest in politics and activism started early. Her mother, Sandy, took her to a peace demonstration when she was just a child. Notley has said that her parents and her high school social studies teacher inspired her interest in politics.

When Notley was 20 years old, her father died in a plane crash. This was a very difficult time for her and her family. She had to be the one to tell her mother the sad news. Many years later, she would lead a memorial for her father just one day after becoming the leader of the Alberta NDP.

Notley went to the University of Alberta, where she earned a degree in Political Science. This is the study of government and how it works. After that, she went to Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto to get her law degree.

In 1997, she married Lou Arab. They have two children and live in Edmonton.

Career Before Politics

After finishing law school, Notley began her career as a lawyer. She worked for the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, where she helped workers who had been injured on the job.

In 1994, she moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. There, she worked for a health sciences group, focusing on making workplaces safer for employees. She also worked for a short time as an assistant to a government minister. In this role, she helped change laws to give more rights to same-sex couples.

Notley was also active in her community. She was part of a group that supported the rights of children with special needs. After returning to Edmonton in 2002, she worked for several unions and organizations, including the United Nurses of Alberta.

Entering Politics

Rachel Notley as an MLA in 2009

Notley became more involved in provincial politics in the early 2000s. In 2008, she was elected as the MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona, taking over from the former NDP leader, Raj Pannu. She was re-elected in 2012.

In 2014, Notley decided to run for the leadership of the Alberta NDP. She won the election with 70% of the vote, becoming the new leader of the party.

The 2015 Election

In 2015, a provincial election was called. At the time, the Progressive Conservative party had been in power for 44 years. Most people expected them to win again. The NDP, led by Notley, was expected to become the Official Opposition, which is the party with the second-most seats.

But during the campaign, things started to change. Notley proved to be a strong leader. She did very well in the televised leaders' debate. Many people were unhappy with the current government's budget plan. Notley offered a different plan that included raising taxes on large companies instead of cutting services.

On election night, May 5, 2015, the NDP won a surprising victory. They won 54 seats, forming a majority government. This meant they had enough seats to pass laws without the support of other parties. It was a historic win that ended the Progressive Conservatives' long time in power.

Premier of Alberta (2015–2019)

Rachel Notley is sworn in as the 17th Premier of Alberta with her cabinet.

Rachel Notley was sworn in as Alberta's 17th premier on May 24, 2015. The ceremony was held outside on the steps of the Alberta Legislature Building so the public could attend.

As premier, Notley's government made many changes. Here are some of the key areas they focused on.

Government and Finance

• The government banned donations from corporations and unions to political parties.
• They changed the tax system. Instead of everyone paying the same tax rate (a "flat tax"), people with higher incomes began to pay a higher percentage in taxes.
• They created a committee with members from all political parties to find ways to make the government more open and accountable.

Environment and Climate Change

In 2015, Notley's government announced a new plan to fight climate change. The plan included:

• Putting a price on carbon pollution across the economy.
• Putting a limit on pollution from the oil sands.
• Phasing out electricity generated from coal by 2030.
• Encouraging the use of renewable energy like wind and solar power.

Relations with Indigenous Peoples

In 2015, Premier Notley formally apologized to the Indigenous peoples of Alberta. She apologized for the harm caused by the residential school system and for past governments not doing enough to help. Her government promised to work on improving the living conditions for Indigenous communities.

The government also provided money to improve water systems on First Nations reserves and supported a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Economy and Workers' Rights

• The minimum wage in Alberta was raised in steps, from $10.20 per hour in 2015 to $15.00 per hour in 2018.
• The government updated Alberta's labour laws for the first time in 30 years to give workers more protections.
• To help get Alberta's oil to more markets, the government leased thousands of railway cars to transport oil.

Education and Health

• The government froze tuition fees for post-secondary students for several years.
• They started a pilot program to provide healthy lunches for children in schools.
• New laws were passed to protect students in gay–straight alliance (GSA) clubs in schools.
• The government also made it easier for people at high risk of HIV to get preventative medicine.

Leader of the Opposition (2019–2024)

Notley in 2018

In 2017, the two main right-of-centre parties in Alberta, the Wildrose and the Progressive Conservatives, merged to form the United Conservative Party (UCP).

In the 2019 provincial election, the UCP won a majority government, and the NDP became the Official Opposition. This was the first time in Alberta's history that a government was not re-elected after its first term. Even so, the NDP won 24 seats, which was the largest opposition caucus the province had seen in many years. Notley continued to serve as the Leader of the Opposition.

In the 2023 election, the NDP won even more seats, increasing their total to 38. However, the UCP won the election again. The NDP formed the largest Official Opposition in Alberta's history.

On January 16, 2024, Notley announced she would step down as leader of the Alberta NDP. She was succeeded by Naheed Nenshi on June 22, 2024. Notley resigned as an MLA at the end of 2024 and returned to her career in law.

Election results

2023 general election

2019 general election

2015 general election

2012 general election

2008 general election