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Brian Mason

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Brian Mason
Mason in 2015
Minister of Transportation[a]
In office
May 24, 2015 – April 29, 2019
PremierRachel Notley
Preceded byWayne Drysdale
Succeeded byRic McIver
Leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party
In office
July 13, 2004 – October 18, 2014
Interim: July 13, 2004 – September 18, 2004
Preceded byRaj Pannu
Succeeded byRachel Notley
Member of the
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood
(Edmonton-Highlands; 2000–2004)
In office
June 12, 2000 – April 15, 2019
Preceded byPam Barrett
Succeeded byJanis Irwin
Personal details
Born
Brian David Mason

(1953-10-12) October 12, 1953 (age 71)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Political partyAlberta New Democratic Party
Alma materUniversity of Alberta
OccupationPolitician, bus driver
PortfolioMinister of Infrastructure, Minister of Transportation

Brian David Mason ECA (born October 12, 1953) is a Canadian politician who was leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party from 2004 to 2014 and served the Minister of Transportation in Rachel Notley's NDP government.[1] He also served as the Government House Leader. Mason was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the now-defunct riding of Edmonton Highlands in a 2000 byelection. He was subsequently re-elected, and was elected in Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood after the riding was created in 2004. He chose not to seek re-election in 2019, and was succeeded by Janis Irwin. Mason was the longest serving NDP MLA in Alberta history, with a political career spanning more than 20 years.[2]

Early political involvement

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Mason was born in Calgary in 1953,[3] the son of Robert George Mason, an electrical engineer, and a Red Tory who was a founding member of the Reform Party of Canada.[4] Robert Mason, was also the stepson of Conservative Senator John Alexander Buchanan.[5] Mason's mother, Patricia Kavanagh was a Liberal.[2]

Mason first became politically active in the mid-1970s while studying political science at the University of Alberta. He served as executive director of the Federation of Alberta Students from 1977 to 1979. While there he boarded at the traditionally Tory fraternity Phi Gamma Delta and was roommates with future Progressive Conservative Premier Dave Hancock, who teased him by calling him a communist.[6] Upon leaving university Mason began working as bus driver with the Edmonton Transit Service.[2]

Municipal politics

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Mason first ran for Edmonton city council after he was temporarily laid off from ETS in 1983, before becoming president of the Edmonton Voters Association, a municipal political party.[6] He tried again for a seat on the council in 1989 with a dynamic campaign running in Ward 3. Mason's campaign came with a legal challenge he mounted against a provincial law forbidding municipal employees from running as candidates in a civic election unless they resigned their position with the city.[6]

The legal challenge was unsuccessful, however Mason was elected city councillor for Ward 3 in October 1989.[6] Shortly after the election the law Mason challenged was repealed, and municipal workers in Edmonton were subsequently allowed to run for civic office without resigning their positions. Mason remained on city council until 2000, when he ran for political office for the New Democratic Party.[7]

Provincial politics

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In 2000, following the mid-term resignation of then leader of the Alberta New Democrats and MLA for Edmonton Highlands Pam Barrett, Mason left city council and ran for the NDP in the ensuing by-election. He held the Legislative Assembly seat with a strong majority, and was re-elected in the 2001 provincial election.[7]

Alberta NDP Leader

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Mason was appointed the role of interim party leader for the NDP following the resignation of then leader Raj Pannu in July 2004. He became the official leader of Alberta's NDP on September 18, 2004, following a vote at the party convention.

Mason held his seat during the provincial election in 2004, which saw the caucus welcome the return of former leaders Pannu and Ray Martin, along with newcomer David Eggen. In the provincial election of 2008 Mason again retained his seat, and was joined in caucus by newly elected NDP MLA Rachel Notley from Edmonton-Strathcona, the seat previously held by Pannu.

In the 2012 provincial election the NDP picked up two seats in Edmonton, regaining their previous four seat total. Both Notley and Mason safely held onto their seats while David Eggen was re-elected as the member for Edmonton-Calder. Newcomer Deron Bilous was also elected in Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview, the seat formerly held by Martin. In many other ridings the party also won more votes than it had attained previously.[8]

On April 29, 2014, Brian Mason announced that he would step down as leader as soon as a leadership election could be held to choose his successor.[9] Mason who had mentored Rachel Notley convinced her to run for the leadership which she won. During the final few months of Mason's tenure the party was already enjoying strong polling in Edmonton, something which would eventually grow into the larger electoral sweep that the Alberta NDP managed in the 2015 provincial election under Mason's successor Notley that resulted in the formation of Alberta's first ever NDP government.[10]

Member of Notley cabinet

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On May 24, 2015, Mason was appointed Minister of Infrastructure and Minister of Transportation, as well as Government House Leader.[6]

Mason announced on July 4, 2018 that he would not seek re-election in the 2019 provincial election.[11][12] He remained as a minister until April 30, 2019, when the new United Conservative Party government of Jason Kenney was sworn in.

Edmonton provincial election riding results, 2000 to 2015

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2000 by-election

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Alberta provincial by-election, Monday, June 12, 2000: Edmonton-Highlands
following the resignation of Ms. Pamela Barrett on February 2, 2000
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Brian Mason 4,863 59.04 +8.40
Liberal Terry Kirkland 1,508 18.31 -2.21
Progressive Conservative Barbara Fung 1,406 17.07 -8.02
Alberta First John Reil 270 3.28
Social Credit Pat Hansard 156 1.89 -1.87
Independent Adil Pirbhai 34 0.41
Total 8,237 100.00
Rejected, spoiled, and declined 28
Eligible electors / turnout 19,714 41.92 -17.19
New Democratic hold Swing +5.30
Source(s)
Alberta. Chief Electoral Officer (2000). The Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the Edmonton-Highlands By-election held June 12, 2000 and the Red Deer-North By-election held September 25, 2000 (PDF) (Report). Edmonton: Legislative Assembly of Alberta; Chief Electoral Officer. Retrieved April 15, 2021.

2001 general election

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2001 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Highlands
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Brian Mason 4,641 46.23 -12.81
Progressive Conservative Robert Bilida 3,477 34.63 +17.57
Liberal Kim Cassady 1,921 19.14 +0.83
Total 10,039 100.00
Rejected, spoiled, and declined 35
Eligible electors / turnout 21,539 46.77 +4.85
New Democratic hold Swing -15.19
Source(s)
"Results for Edmonton-Highlands". Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 2018-03-12.

2004 general election

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2004 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Brian Mason 6,054 62.62%
Progressive Conservative Terry Martiniuk 2,208 22.84%
Liberal Jason Manzevich 1,035 10.71%
Alberta Alliance Ray Loyer 305 3.15%
Independent Dale W. Ferris 66 0.68%
Total 9,668
Rejected, spoiled and declined 54 36 1
Eligible electors / turnout 22,832 42.58%
New Democratic pickup new district.
Source(s)
Source: "00 - Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood, 2004 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Alberta. Chief Electoral Officer (2005). Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the General Enumeration and General Election of the Twenty-sixth Legislative Assembly (Report). Edmonton: Alberta Legislative Assembly, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer.

2008 general election

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2008 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Brian Mason 4,754 50.95% -11.67%
Progressive Conservative Andrew Beniuk 2,978 31.92% 9.08%
Liberal Brad Smith 1,132 12.13% 1.43%
Wildrose Alliance Travis Loewen 245 2.63% -0.52%
Green Mohamed Maie 221 2.37%
Total 9,330
Rejected, spoiled and declined 11 27 1
Eligible electors / turnout 27,079 34.50% -8.09%
New Democratic hold Swing -10.37%
Source(s)
Source: "33 - Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood, 2008 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Chief Electoral Officer (2008). The Report on the March 3, 2008 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-Seventh Legislative Assembly (Report). Edmonton, Alta.: Elections Alberta. Retrieved April 7, 2021.

2012 general election

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2012 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Brian Mason 6,824 54.16% 3.21%
Progressive Conservative Cristina Basualdo 2,778 22.05% -9.87%
Wildrose Alliance Wayde Lever 2,022 16.05% 13.42%
Liberal Keegan Wynychuk 587 4.66% -7.47%
Alberta Party Cam McCormick 200 1.59%
Evergreen Dari Lynn 188 1.49% -0.88%
Total 12,599
Rejected, spoiled and declined 115 63 6
Eligible electors / turnout 28,251 45.02% 10.53%
New Democratic hold Swing +3.21%
Source(s)
Source: "36 - Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood, 2012 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Chief Electoral Officer (2012). The Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the 2011 Provincial Enumeration and Monday, April 23, 2012 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-eighth Legislative Assembly (PDF) (Report). Edmonton, Alta.: Elections Alberta. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.

2015 general election

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2015 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Brian Mason 11,555 78.11% 23.94%
Progressive Conservative Jonathan Weiqun Dai 1,778 12.02% -10.03%
Wildrose Joshua Loeppky 967 6.54% -9.51%
Liberal Matthew R. Smith 494 3.34% -1.32%
Total 14,794
Rejected, spoiled and declined 81 45 34
Eligible electors / turnout 34,163 43.64% -1.38%
New Democratic hold Swing 16.99%
Source(s)
Source: "36 - Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood, 2015 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Chief Electoral Officer (2016). 2015 General Election. A Report of the Chief Electoral Officer (PDF) (Report). Edmonton, Alta.: Elections Alberta.

References

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  1. ^ "Rachel Notley sworn in as Alberta premier, reveals cabinet," CBC News May 24, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "Brian Mason resigns as leader of Alberta NDP". CBC News. April 28, 2014. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  3. ^ "Brian Mason to step down as Alberta NDP leader". Calgary Herald. April 29, 2014. Archived from the original on June 1, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  4. ^ "Mason's political style marked by wit and passion during his years with the NDP". Edmonton Journal. October 11, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  5. ^ "Margaret Dell Buchanan". Women Building Alberta. 2016-03-30. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  6. ^ a b c d e Jen Gerson (May 23, 2015). "Brian Mason, former bus driver who led the Alberta NDP for a decade, poised to wield real power for the first time". National Post. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Cosh, Colby (May 21, 2015). "How Rachel Notley became Canada's most surprising political star". Maclean's. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  8. ^ "NDP Leader Brian Mason glides to victory". CBC News. April 23, 2012. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  9. ^ Bennett, Dean (May 2, 2014). "Alberta NDP to pick new leader in Edmonton". The Canadian Press. Global News. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  10. ^ Ryan Tumilty (7 May 2015). "Alberta NDP insiders say path to Rachel Notley's historic victory started long before election began". Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  11. ^ "Longtime MLA Brian Mason farewells party faithful at NDP convention". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  12. ^ "After nearly 30 years in politics, MLA Brian Mason retiring". Edmonton. 2018-07-04. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  1. ^ Office known as "Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation" from May 24, 2015 to October 17, 2017.
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