Steve West | |
---|---|
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Vermilion-Lloydminster Vermilion-Viking (1986–1993) | |
In office May 8, 1986 –March 12, 2001 | |
Preceded by | Tom Lysons |
Succeeded by | Lloyd Snelgrove |
Personal details | |
Born | London,Ontario | May 21,1943
Political party | Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta |
Occupation | businessman,doctor,farmer,teacher |
Stephen Carlyle "Steve" West [1] (born May 21,1943) is a Canadian businessman,and a former veterinary doctor,teacher,farmer and former provincial level politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1986 to 2001. He served numerous portfolios in the cabinet for the Alberta government during his political career.
Stephen C. West was born in London,Ontario on May 21,1943.
He went to post secondary school at the Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate Institute,and earned his doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College. After college West moved to Vermilion and founded the West Veterinary Clinic. He operated his clinic for fifteen years and became a farmer in the area. In addition to his practice he also taught Animal Science Technology at Lakeland College. [2]
West was first elected to the Alberta Legislature in the 1986 Alberta general election. He easily won a two race over New Democrat candidate Mervin Stephenson in the electoral district of Vermilion-Viking. [3] He was re-elected to his second term in the 1989 Alberta general election winning a three-way race with a slightly reduced plurality over the last election. [4]
West was appointed to his first cabinet portfolio under the government of Don Getty. He served as Minister of Recreation and Parks from April 1989 to February 1992. He became Solicitor General in a cabinet shuffle and held that post until Ralph Klein became Premier in December 1992. Under the Ralph Klein government,West was appointed as Minister of Municipal Affairs. He held that post until December 1994. [2]
Vermilion-Viking was abolished due to redistribution in 1993,West ran for his third term in the new electoral district of Vermilion-Lloydminster. The race was a rerun of the 1989 Vermilion-Viking election as both the challenging candidates for the New Democrats and Liberals faced West for the second time. The race was hotly contested as Liberal candidate Greg Michaud quadrupled his popular vote. Despite the strong showing by the Liberal candidate West won the new district by increasing his popular vote. [5]
West was moved to the Transportation and Utilities portfolio in December 1994,he served that post until May 1996,when he was appointed Minister of Economics Development and Tourism. [2] West was re-elected to his fourth and final term as MLA in the 1997 Alberta general election. He won the electoral district in a landslide with his largest percentage and plurality of his political career. [6] After the election he was appointed Minister of Energy on March 26,1997. The last post he served in cabinet was as Minister of Finance.
West who served in numerous Cabinet positions through his career as a MLA was known for his efforts to privatize a number of government areas including liquor stores and vehicle registries. During this time West would earn the nickname "Dr. No" for his role in reducing government expenditures and payroll. [7]
In 2004 West would be hired as Premier Ralph Klein's Chief of Staff and abruptly let go seven months later following the 2004 Alberta general election. West's dismissal less than a year into his three-year contract and $180,000 severance package would become a controversy in the Alberta legislature later that year. [7]
Vermilion-Lloydminster was a provincial electoral district in Alberta,Canada,mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using first past the post method of voting from 1993 to 2019.
Calgary-Fish Creek is a provincial electoral district in Alberta,Canada. The district is one of 87 mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting.
Calgary-North West is a provincial electoral district in Calgary,Alberta,Canada. The district was created in 1979 and is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.
Lloydminster was a provincial electoral district in Alberta,Canada,mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting from 1971 to 1993.
Lawrence "Larry" Ralph Shaben was a Canadian politician of Lebanese descent and the first Muslim Cabinet Minister in Canada. He was also one of the first Muslims to be elected to higher office in North America. He held a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1975 to 1989 sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative Caucus. During his time in office he served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Premier Peter Lougheed and Don Getty occupying various portfolios from 1979 to 1989.
Kenneth Reginald Kowalski is a politician and former teacher from Alberta,Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta,where he served from 1979 to 2012,sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus under five different Premiers.
Anders Olav Aalborg was a teacher and a politician from Alberta,Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1948 to 1971 as a member of the Social Credit caucus,and served in the cabinets of Premier Ernest Manning and Harry Strom from 1952 to 1971.
Murray D. Smith is a businessman and former provincial-level politician from Alberta,Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1993 until 2004 sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus. During his time in office he served as a cabinet minister under the government of Ralph Klein serving various cabinet portfolios from 1994 to 2004.
Robert Arnold "Butch" Fischer was a Canadian provincial level politician from Alberta. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1982 until 2001 sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus. He was investigated for a conflict of interest in 2001 that led to his resignation. During his time in office he served in a couple of different cabinet portfolios under the Ralph Klein government.
Peter Trynchy was a Canadian businessman,farmer and long serving municipal and provincial level politician from Alberta. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 until 2001. During his time in public office,Trynchy served many cabinet portfolios in the Alberta provincial government.
Dianne Mirosh is a former provincial level politician from Calgary,Alberta,Canada. She served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1986 to 1997. During her time in office,she served a number of cabinet portfolios in the Don Getty and Ralph Klein governments. Dianne currently commits her time to a blind/deaf youth summer camp program,located in British Columbia.
Kenneth Leif Rostad is a former politician from Alberta,Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1986 to 1997. He held several cabinet portfolios in the Alberta provincial government.
Norman "Norm" Allen Weiss was a provincial level politician from Alberta,Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1979 to 1993 sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus. During his time in office he served a couple different cabinet portfolios under the government of Don Getty.
Archibald (Dick) Johnston was a provincial politician from Alberta,Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1975 to 1993.
Edwin LeRoy Fjordbotten was a Canadian provincial level politician and farmer. He served as cabinet minister in the government of Alberta serving various portfolios from 1982 to 1992. He held as seat in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta as an MLA in the governing Progressive Conservative caucus from 1979 to 1993.
Ian Wilson Carlyle Reid was a provincial level politician from Alberta,Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1979 to 1989. During his time in office,Reid served various portfolios in the Executive Council of Alberta under the Governments of Peter Lougheed and Don Getty from 1983 to 1989.
James "Bud" Edgar Miller was a provincial level politician and farmer from Alberta,Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 to 1986. During his time in provincial office he served in the Executive Council as the Minister of Public Lands and Wildlife from 1975 to 1982.
Ashley Horace Cooper was a provincial politician from Alberta,Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1959 to 1975 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in both government and opposition.
Edgar Henry Gerhart was a lawyer,judge and politician from Alberta,Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1952 to 1971 as a member of the Social Credit caucus in government. He served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Ernest Manning and Harry Strom from 1967 to 1971.
Richard Karl Alfred Starke is a Canadian politician who represented the electoral district of Vermilion-Lloydminster in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Starke was elected to his first term as MLA for Vermilion-Lloydminster on April 23,2012. Starke was appointed the minister for Tourism,Parks,and Recreation on February 4,2013. He was not included in the Cabinet sworn in on September 15,2014,but was appointed Chair of the Rural Health Services Review Committee on September 23,2014. He is one of only two PC MLAs to be elected outside the city of Calgary in the 2015 provincial election.