Best of Alberta Politics

The Best of Alberta Politics is voted on by readers of Daveberta.ca.

Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to everyone who voted in the surveys. There is a lot of negativity in politics, so I started the annual Best of Alberta Politics survey back in 2017 as a way to give followers of provincial politics a chance to recognize and reward some of the best people involved in Alberta politics.

Best Alberta MLA 

2022: Janis Irwin, MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood

2021: Janis Irwin, MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood

2020: Janis Irwin, MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood

2019: Rachel Notley, Leader of the Official Opposition and MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona

2018: Rachel Notley, Premier of Alberta and MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona

2017: Rachel Notley, Premier of Alberta and MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona

Best Cabinet Minister

2022: Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Trade, Immigration and Multiculturalism

2021: Leela Aheer, Minister of Culture,Multiculturalism and Status of Women

2020: None

2019: Sarah Hoffman, Deputy Premier, Minister of Health, and MLA for Edmonton-Glenora

2018: Shaye Anderson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and MLA for Leduc-Beaumont

2017: David Eggen, Minister of Education and MLA for Edmonton-Calder

Best Opposition MLA

2022: Janis Irwin, MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood

2021: Rachel Notley, Leader of the Official Opposition and MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona

2020: Rachel Notley, Leader of the Official Opposition and MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona

2019: Rachel Notley, Leader of the Official Opposition and MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona

2018: Greg Clark, MLA for Calgary-Elbow

2017: Greg Clark, MLA for Calgary-Elbow

Up and comer to watch 

2022: Rakhi Pancholi, MLA for Edmonton-Whitemud

2021: Rakhi Pancholi, MLA for Edmonton-Whitemud

2020: Rakhi Pancholi, MLA for Edmonton-Whitemud

2019: Janis Irwin, MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood

2018: Jessica Littlewood, MLA for Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville

2017: David Shepherd, MLA for Edmonton-Centre

Biggest Issue

2022: The crisis in the health care system

2021: COVID-19 pandemic

2020: COVID-19 pandemic

2019: Budget cuts

2018: Pipelines, oil, and the economy

2017: The economy and jobs

Best political play

2022: Jason Kenney losing the United Conservative Party leadership

2021: Jyoti Gondek’s election as Mayor of Calgary

2020: UCP’s fight with Alberta’s Doctors

2019: The firing of Election Commissioner Lorne Gibson

2018: Draw (some variation of pipelines and oil industry actions)

2017: The formation of the United Conservative Party

Special Categories

Albertan most likely to be a future Premier

2020: Don Iveson and Naheed Nenshi (tie)

Best candidate who didn’t win in the 2019 election

2019: Danielle Larivee, NDP candidate in Lesser Slave Lake

New candidate to watch

2023: Brooks Arcand-Paul, NDP candidate in Edmonton-West Henday

2018: Janis Irwin, NDP candidate in Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood

Past award winners

Ryan Hastman, Rachel Notley and Dave Cournoyer (photography by Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta)
Ryan Hastman and Dave Cournoyer presenting Premier Rachel Notley with the Best Alberta MLA Award in 2018 (photography by Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta)
Presenting Jason Kenney with a Best of Alberta Politics Award in 2018.
Presenting Official Opposition Leader Jason Kenney with a Daveberta Podcast Best of Alberta Politics Award in 2018.
Adam Rozenhart and Dave Cournoyer presenting Minister of Education David Eggen with a Best of Alberta Politics Award in 2017.
Ryan Hastman, David Shepherd and Dave Cournoyer.
Ryan Hastman and Dave Cournoyer presenting Edmonton-Centre MLA David Shepherd with the Up and Coming MLA To Watch Award in 2017.
Ryan Hastman and Dave Cournoyer presenting Calgary-Elbow MLA Greg Clark with a Best of Alberta Politics Award in 2018.