Leon Earl Benoit | |
---|---|
Member of Parliament for Vegreville—Wainwright Lakeland (1997-2004) Vegreville (1993-1997) | |
In office October 25, 1993 –August 4, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Don Mazankowski |
Succeeded by | Shannon Stubbs |
Personal details | |
Born | Lloydminster,Saskatchewan | July 7,1950
Political party | Conservative |
Spouse | Linda Benoit |
Residence(s) | Sherwood Park,Alberta |
Profession | farmer,economist |
Leon Earl Benoit (born July 7,1950) is a Canadian politician.
Benoit was a Conservative Party of Canada Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Canada,representing the riding of Vegreville—Wainwright from 2004 to 2015,Lakeland from 1997 to 2004 and Vegreville from 1993 to 1997. He has also been a member of the Canadian Alliance (2000-2003) and the Reform Party of Canada (1993-2000). Benoit is a former economist and farmer. As an Opposition MP Benoit was the official opposition critic of Public Works and Government Services and of the Canadian Wheat Board,Intergovernmental Affairs,Citizenship and Immigration,and National Defence.
In May 2007 when Benoit was the chair of the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade he came under scrutiny when he adjourned the committee after the opposition overruled him. His move was "unprecedented". After he abruptly adjourned the committee,the Vice-Chair took over and the meeting resumed after he and three of the four other Conservative members had left. [1]
The meeting had to do with North American Energy Security. Gordon Laxer presented a talk in which he questioned why Canada's oil exports were being used to guarantee US energy security,as opposed to Canada using its energy resources to provide for the security of Canadians first,and then others. Benoit felt Laxer had not been on topic. [2]
Regarding the Citizen's Arrest and Self-Defence Act,Benoit stated that the legislation would expand the circumstances in which citizens can make arrests,as well as it simplifies the self-defense and defense of property provisions in the Criminal Code. [3]
In 2013,Benoit joined two other Conservative MPs (Saskatchewan MP Maurice Vellacott and Ontario MP Wladyslaw Lizon) in writing a letter to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police requesting a homicide investigation into some late term abortions that may have resulted in live births. The letter was criticized as an attempt to reopen the abortion debate. Prime Minister Stephen Harper said,"I think all members of this House,whether they agree with it or not,understand that abortion is legal in Canada and this government,myself included,have made it very clear that the government does not intend to change the law in this regard." [4] [5] In 2017 Benoit endorsed Brad Trost for the 2017 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election he was the first MP in 2017 to have endorsed Trost before Maurice Vellacott in April 2017. [6]
Maurice Vellacott is a former Canadian politician. He served in the House of Commons of Canada from 1997 to 2015 as Member of Parliament (MP) for Saskatoon,Saskatchewan variously as a member of the Reform Party,the Canadian Alliance,and the Conservative Party. Vellacott was known as an outspoken social conservative,particularly in opposing same-sex marriage and abortion rights.
Andrew James Scheer is a Canadian politician who has served as the member of Parliament (MP) for Regina—Qu'Appelle since 2004. Scheer served as the 35th speaker of the House of Commons from 2011 to 2015,and was the leader of the Conservative Party and leader of the Official Opposition from 2017 to 2020.
Scott Jeffrey Reid is a Canadian politician. He has served in the House of Commons of Canada since 2000,and currently represents the Ontario riding of Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston as a member of the Conservative Party.
Bradley Ryan Trost is a former Canadian politician who served as a Conservative Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Canada,representing the ridings of Saskatoon—Humboldt from 2004 to 2015 and Saskatoon—University from 2015 to 2019. He was a candidate in the 2017 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election,finishing fourth. Trost was known for his support of socially conservative positions.
Stephen William Hammond is a British politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wimbledon since 2005. He is a member of the Conservative Party.
Mark Andrew Pritchard PC is a British Conservative politician and consultant. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for The Wrekin in Shropshire since the 2005 general election.
Louis Plamondon is a Canadian politician who served as the interim speaker of the House of Commons of Canada from September 27 to October 3,2023. A member of the Bloc Québécois,he has represented Bécancour—Nicolet—Saurel since 1984. As the longest-serving current member of the House of Commons,Plamondon is Dean of the House,and holds the record as Canada's longest-serving dean.
The Campaign Life Coalition is a Canadian political lobbyist organization founded in 1978. Based in Hamilton,Ontario,the organization advocates for socially conservative values. Campaign Life Coalition opposes abortion,euthanasia,embryonic stem cell research,IVF,same-sex marriage,and transgender rights legislation.
Royal Galipeau was a Canadian politician who was Member of Parliament for the Ottawa—Orléans federal constituency. He was first elected as a Conservative Party candidate in the 2006 election,and was reelected in 2008 and 2011. He was one of the Deputy Speakers of the House of Commons between the 2006 and 2008 elections. He was defeated in the 2015 election by retired Canadian Forces Lieutenant-General Andrew Leslie. In February 2014,he revealed that he was battling multiple myeloma,but insisted he would run for office again in the 2015 election. Galipeau died from the disease in 2018.
Candice Marie Bergen is a Canadian politician who served as the member of Parliament (MP) for Portage—Lisgar in Manitoba from 2008 to 2023. Previously,she served as the interim leader of the Conservative Party and the leader of the Opposition from February 2,2022 to September 10,2022.
Mark Steven Spencer is a British politician serving as Minister of State for Food,Farming and Fisheries since 2022. He previously served as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council from February to September 2022 and as Chief Whip from 2019 to 2022. A member of the Conservative Party,he has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Sherwood since 2010.
Wladyslaw Lizon is a Polish Canadian former politician. He was a Conservative member of the House of Commons of Canada from 2011 to 2015 who represented the Greater Toronto Area riding of Mississauga East—Cooksville. He was the second Polish-born Member of Parliament,after Alexandre-Édouard Kierzkowski.
The 2016 Conservative Party leadership election was held due to Prime Minister David Cameron's resignation as party leader. He had resigned after losing the national referendum to leave the European Union. Cameron,who supported Britain's continued membership of the EU,announced his resignation on 24 June,saying that he would step down by October. Theresa May won the contest on 11 July 2016,after the withdrawal of Andrea Leadsom left her as the sole candidate.
The 2017 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election was held on May 27,2017. Party members chose Andrew Scheer as leader,replacing Stephen Harper,who led the Conservative Party of Canada as its leader from 2004 following the merger of the Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative parties. Harper led the party through five federal elections:the party increased its seat count in the House of Commons in 2004,formed two minority governments in 2006,and 2008,and then a majority government in 2011. Following the defeat of the party in the 2015 federal election on October 19,Harper tendered his resignation as party leader. In a statement,Conservative Party President John Walsh said he had spoken to Harper,"and he has instructed me to reach out to the newly elected parliamentary caucus to appoint an interim Leader and to implement the leadership selection process."
Michael Cooper is the Conservative Member of Parliament for St. Albert—Edmonton. First elected in 2015,Michael was re-elected in 2019,and again in 2021. Michael serves as the Shadow Minister for Democratic Reform,and as a member of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. Michael is a lifelong resident of St. Albert and an active community volunteer. He is a Lector at St. Albert Catholic Parish and a member of the Knights of Columbus,St. Albert Rotary Club and the St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce. A graduate of the University of Alberta,Michael received a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws,both with distinction. He was called to the Alberta Bar in 2010. Prior to being elected Michael worked as a civil litigator at a leading Edmonton law firm.
Tomasz Kmiec is a Polish-Canadian politician who serves as the Member of Parliament for Calgary Shepard in the House of Commons of Canada under the Conservative Party of Canada,first elected in 2015. He currently serves as Shadow Minister for Immigration,Citizenship and Refugees.
Rachael Thomas is a Canadian politician who was elected to represent the riding of Lethbridge in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2015 federal election. A member of the Conservative Party,she was reelected in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections,and has been the Shadow Minister for Canadian Heritage since October 2022. Previously,Thomas has also served as the Official Opposition critic for Youth and Persons with Disabilities,the Status of Women,and Digital Government.
The 2018 Saskatchewan Party leadership election was held on January 27,2018,due to the announcement on August 10,2017,by Premier Brad Wall that he would be retiring from politics once his successor was chosen. The winner,Scott Moe,succeeded Wall as Premier of Saskatchewan on February 2,2018.
Leslyn Lewis is a Canadian lawyer and politician who has served as the member of Parliament (MP) for Haldimand—Norfolk since 2021. A member of the Conservative Party,Lewis contested the party leadership in the 2020 leadership election,placing third. She was the first visible minority woman to run for the federal Conservative Party leadership. Lewis was also a candidate in the 2022 Conservative leadership election,coming in third overall. She is known for her socially conservative views.
Alissa Golob is a Canadian pro-life activist,and co-founder of RightNow,a political group that aids in electing pro-life candidates in local nomination elections.