Jim Gurnett | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Spirit River-Fairview | |
| In office 1985–1986 | |
| Preceded by | Grant Notley |
| Succeeded by | district abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 10,1949 |
| Party | Alberta New Democratic Party |
James Gurnett (born October 10,1949) is a former politician from Alberta,Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1985 until 1986. He is currently the principal of Common Place Services,doing a variety of consulting work,primarily with NGOs.He has 45 years demonstrated success in senior leadership roles in education,social profit,and government sectors. [1]
From 2017 until 2025 he was the Pastoral Associate for Inner City Pastoral Ministry,offering support and accompaniment services to people in the urban core,connecting them to services as needed;organizing and guiding support groups;offering reflections and leading worship services for Community of Emmanuel;and providing workshops on social justice skills.
From 2015 until 2017 he was Executive Director of the Government Caucus at the Alberta Legislature. Responsibilities include designing and leading all aspects of setting up the range of services related to administration,communications,legislative duties,and outreach for 54 newly-elected MLAs,including hiring senior directors for each area of service and supervising their work,staffing of constituency offices,developing policies and procedures,training staff and MLAs in duties &responsibilities,supporting ministries,participating as member of senior government advisory team,overseeing $3.8 million budget to provide services,and creating strategic and operational plans. He also worked as Chief of Staff for the NDP Caucus at the Alberta Legislature from 2010 until 2012,with oversight of services on behalf of elected Members of the Legislative Assembly,including staff supervision;budget management;human resources matters;and planning and delivery of research,outreach,communications,and administrative services;as well as strategic and policy planning for the 2012 provincial election.
James Gurnett is a former Executive Director of Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers from 2001-2009. EMCN is a civil society organization providing programs and services for people who are immigrants and refugees,including settlement assistance,language training,employment and career services,community development,counseling,housing,and advocacy. The vision of the organization was that newcomers to Edmonton will achieve full participation,strengthening and enriching the lives of the whole community.
Previously,Gurnett was Manager of Community Services at Bissell Centre,serving people living in poverty in Edmonton’s urban core (1999–2001). Prior to that he was founding Executive Director of The Hope Foundation (1993–1999),affiliated with the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta,as a centre for research and services related to the intentional use of hope as a means of enjoying enhanced quality of life.
For 15 years Gurnett worked as teacher,program facilitator and administrator at schools in Alberta and Afghanistan (Teacher,Bowness High School,Calgary;Vice Principal,Ahlman Academy;Kabul,Afghanistan;Teacher,American International School of Kabul;Principal,Whitelaw School;Program Facilitator,Fairview School Division;Principal,Rycroft School;Principal,Woking School;Principal,Blueberry Creek School).
He has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta (Spirit River-Fairview,1985–86),the Director of Communications and Outreach for the Official Opposition at the Alberta Legislature (1990–1993),and a newspaper editor.
Gurnett was elected to the Alberta Legislature in a by-election for Spirit River-Fairview after the local MLA,party leader Grant Notley,died in a plane crash. He was a candidate for the New Democrats [2]
The Legislature was dissolved a little more than a year later and he ran for a second term in office. His electoral district of Spirit River-Fairview was redistributed for the 1986 Alberta general election and he ran in the new electoral district of Dunvegan. The election was a hotly contested two way race that saw him lose by two hundred votes to Progressive Conservative candidate Glen Clegg. He attempted to win his seat back in the 1989 Alberta general election. Despite a strong showing Clegg won his second term by a larger margin. [3]
Gurnett then ran in Sherwood Park (electoral district) in the 1993 provincial election,placing third.
Gurnett has four adult children and eleven grandchildren.
Community service and volunteerism includes:
•Board of Governors,NorQuest College (2018-2019) •Board of Directors,Edmonton Intercultural Centre (2019-2024) •Board of Directors,Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness (2017-2019) •Board of Directors,Boyle-McCauley News (2013-2019) •Social Justice Committee,Anglican Diocese of Edmonton (2015-2024) •Board of Directors,Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace (1998-2001,2021-2025) •Organizing Committee,Edmonton Good Friday Outdoor Way of the Cross (2000-2020) •Board of Directors,Canadians for a Civil Society (2016-2018,one year as president) •Board of Directors,Project Ploughshares Edmonton (2012-2019) •Vestry,St. Faith's Anglican parish,Diocese of Edmonton (2010-2016) •Board of Directors,Edmonton (later Alberta) Street News (2008-2015) •Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Council (Executive member 2006-2009,chair 2007-2009) •Board of Directors,Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (2006-2009) •Member,Social Work Program Advisory Committee,MacEwan University (2005-2009) •Chair,Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (2005-2007) •Member,Minister of Advanced Education's “Learning Alberta”committee,2005/05-2006/03 •Member,Cabinet Committee,United Way of the Alberta Capital Region (2005 &2006 campaigns) •Member,Government of Canada New Horizons for Seniors Program Alberta Regional Review Committee (2002-2005) •Trustee and Vice-chair,County of Strathcona Library Board (1999-2002) •Member,Steering Committee,Human Rights City Edmonton (2006-2009) •Alberta Centre for Well-being advisory committee for “Wellspring”publication (1994-1999) •Forum for Young Albertans (Trustee 1987-1994,Curriculum Committee chair 1991-1994) •New Democratic Party (including 2012- Chair,Strategy Committee of Election Planning Committee &member of core planning group for campaign;President,Alberta NDP 1986-1989;Member,Federal Executive 1989-1995)
He has had a children's book,The Meeting Place,published by the Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies,is author of one chapter in Search for Equality and Justice,Alberta's Human Rights Story,a book on the history of human rights in Alberta,published in 2012 by the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights. He is author of Together,Creating a Better World,a handbook for community work to end gender discrimination (2014),as well as a history of the Edmonton Good Friday Outdoor Way of the Cross.
He was educated at the Universities of Alberta (B.A.,1969) and Calgary.
Recognitions:2022 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal 2022 Doctor of Sacred Letters (honourary),St. Stephen’s College,University of Alberta 2021 Alberta NDP lifetime membership 2018 Reverend Marilyn McClung Memorial Award for Ecumenism (Edmonton &District Council of Churches) 2017 Friends of Diversity Award (Diversity magazine) 2015 Canadian Multicultural Education Foundation Multiculturalism Award 2013 John Humphrey Centre for Peace &Human Rights Randy Palivoda Public Service Award 2013 Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012 10 year volunteer service plaque,Homefest 2010 Homeward Trust Edmonton Larry Shaben Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Housing Sector 2009 Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness lifetime membership 2009 Edmonton Social Planning Council social justice advocacy award 2009 Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education and Action community award 2008 University of Alberta Distinguished Alumni award 2008 Grant MacEwan College Honourary Diploma in Community Studies 2007 Alberta Venture magazine “Alberta's 50 most influential people”listing 2007 Project Ploughshares Edmonton Salvos Prelorentzos Peace Award 2005 Alberta Centennial Medal 2004 Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal 1996,2002,2004,2005 Duncan &Craig Gold Laurel Award for innovation in not-for-profit sector programs