Rachel Notley is right at home as NDP leader, having been raised by one and spending a lifetime with unions and party politics..Rachel Anne Notley was born April 17, 1964 in Edmonton and raised on a farm near Fairview with brothers Paul and Stephen. Their father Grant Notley was NDP leader from 1968 to 1984, while mother Sandy was a devout Anglican from Massachusetts who moved to Alberta in adulthood. Notley’s mom brought her to an anti-war demonstration before the age of ten..Grant Notley became the first NDP leader of the opposition in Alberta in 1982, but died in a plane crash on October 19, 1982 while Rachel was earning a BA in Political Science in Edmonton. While completing law studies at York University, she backed former BC premier Dave Barrett for the NDP leadership, helping him to second place in 1989. .Notley articled for Edmonton lawyer Bob Blakely, then represented Workers Compensation cases for the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees. She headed the election-planning subcommittee for the Alberta NDP before the party was shut out in 1993..In 1994, Notley moved to Vancouver and worked for the Health Sciences Association of BC as their occupational health and safety officer. Privately, Notley advocated for special needs children with “Moms on the Move” and sat on the board of Vancouver Community College..Notley also spent a year as a ministerial assistant to NDP Attorney General Ujjal Dosanjh, who later became BC premier and a federal Liberal Minister of Health. In her role, Notley expanded BC family relation laws to same-sex couples. She also represented labour in the negotiation and draft of new workplace health and safety standards..After her 2002 return to Edmonton, Notley had stints with the National Union of Public and General Employees, Athabasca University, and as a labour relations officer for the United Nurses of Alberta. She coordinated volunteers for the Friends of Medicare "Romanow Now" campaign. She also volunteered for the Strathcona Community league to rally for the installation of sidewalks..Notley married Lou Arab who does communications for the Canadian Union of Public Employees. They have two children and the family lives together in the south-central Edmonton neighbourhood of Old Strathcona. Notley, a former smoker, enjoys cycling, jogging, and skiing..In October 2006, Notley was acclaimed as the NDP candidate in Edmonton-Strathcona. She won the riding in 2008 and was re-elected in 2012 with the highest share of any candidate in Alberta. On October 18, 2014, she won NDP leadership with 70% support over MLA David Eggen and union leader Rod Loyola. She also served as critic for Health, International and Intergovernmental Relations, Status of Women, Justice, and Executive Council..In 2015, Notley led the NDP to 54-seat majority that swept Edmonton, Red Deer, and Lethbridge and took 15 ridings in Calgary and 15. Her cabinet of 12 was the smallest in Canada, partly due to a caucus with 50 first-time MLAs..The NDP victory ended an 80-year streak of centre-right governments in Alberta and prompted a merger between the Progressive Conservatives and Wildrose Party in 2017. Notley became opposition leader after the UCP won 55% of the vote and 63 seats in 2019, leaving the NDP 33% of the vote and 24 seats. NDP ridings included 18 of 19 in Edmonton, three in Calgary, Lethbridge-West and St. Albert.
