The Legislature officially resumed on April 9, 2001, and continued until the fourth session was prorogued and dissolved on October 25, 2004, prior to the 2004 Alberta general election on November 22, 2004.

The 25th Legislative Assembly was ushered in with a massive Progressive Conservative majority, with Alberta being dubbed Ralph's World following the 2001 general election.

Edmonton-Norwood MLA Gary Masyk would cross the floor to the Alberta Alliance which had been formed in 2002 and registered in 2003 creating the caucus for that party.

[4] The act did not amend Alberta's Marriage Act, but did amend 69 other Alberta laws following the 1999 landmark Supreme Court of Canada ruling in the case of M. v. H., which essentially required all provinces to extend the benefits of common-law marriage to same-sex couples, under the equality provisions of Section Fifteen of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Act was based on the January 2002 Alberta Law Reform Institute recommendations in Recognition of Rights and Obligations in Same-Sex Relationships which was funded in part by the provincial government.