Swann takes the helm of the Alberta Liberal Party

Alberta Liberals have given Calgary-Mountain View MLA David Swann the hefty job of making the party a viable option in the Tory-dominated province.

Swann will replace Kevin Taft, who announced in June that he was stepping down after the Alberta Liberal Party lost seven of its 16 seats in the March 3 vote.

They haven't won in Alberta since 1917 and took a beating in the last election, in whichEd Stelmach's Tories were returned to power in a landslide victory, taking 72 of the 83 seats in the legislature. As well,the Liberal party's coffers are empty due to a $400,000 campaign debt lingering since 2001.

Swann was chosen over two other Liberal leadership hopefuls, Calgary-Currie MLA Dave Taylor and former Edmonton-McClung MLA Mo Elsalhy.

Swann took about 2,500 votes, to 1,600 for Taylor and 500 for Elsalhy.

After his victory, Swann promised to work with Alberta's other political parties.

"We're building a new institution in Alberta. This is about bold, honest new political leadership in Alberta. I'm tired of the old politics of us versus them. I know Tories, Greens and New Democrats who all want something better," he said.

Swann was elected to the legislature in 2004 and currently serves as the Liberal critic on the environment, sustainable resource development and aboriginal relations portfolios.

He practised as a family physician from 1975 to 1984 and then as a public health consultant from 1988 to 2004.

In 2002, the province fired Swann as the medicalofficer of health for thePalliser Health Authority after he spoke out publicly in favour of the Kyoto Protocol.

Officials said that Swann's view about the negative health effects of burning fossil fuels conflicted with the board's position that Kyoto, which set binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas emissions,would hurt Alberta's economy.