Ric McIver

Ric McIver
MLA
Leader of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
Interim
In office
May 11, 2015 – March 18, 2017
Preceded by Jim Prentice
Succeeded by Jason Kenney
Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour for the Government of Alberta
In office
September 15, 2014 – May 24, 2015
Preceded by none
Succeeded by Lori Sigurdson
Minister of Infrastructure for the Government of Alberta
In office
December 6, 2013 – September 15, 2014
Preceded by Wayne Drysdale
Succeeded by Manmeet Bhullar
Minister of Transportation for the Government of Alberta
In office
May 8, 2012 – December 6, 2013
Preceded by Ray Danyluk
Succeeded by Wayne Drysdale
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Hays
Assumed office
April 23, 2012
Preceded by Art Johnston
City of Calgary Alderman Ward 12
In office
2001–2010
Preceded by Sue Higgins
Succeeded by Shane Keating
Personal details
Born Richard William McIver
(1958-08-28) August 28, 1958[1]
Woodstock, Ontario, Canada
Political party United Conservative
Spouse(s) Christine McIver
Children 4
Residence Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Occupation Politician, Businessman

Richard William "Ric" McIver (born August 28, 1958) is a politician and businessman from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, who has served on Calgary City Council (2001–10) and has been an MLA in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta since 2012. He served in several cabinet positions under Premiers Alison Redford, Dave Hancock and Jim Prentice. Following the party's defeat in the 2015 provincial election McIver was chosen interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta.

Municipal politics

McIver first ran for the position of Ward 12 Alderman in 1998 against long time incumbent Sue Higgins. McIver came second but lost by a huge margin with Higgins receiving 15,000 votes and McIver with just under 3000 votes. During that term McIver ran in a by-election for Ward 14 again placing second of twelve candidates losing to Diane Colley-Urquhart by 288 votes. After Sue Higgins announced she would not run again in Ward 12, McIver ran there again, this time successfully in 2001. He began his first term as Ward 12 Alderman in October 2001. He was acclaimed to a second term in 2004. In the 2007 election, he again faced opposition at the ballot box but was re-elected with a 91% majority.[2]

McIver held his post on Calgary City Council from his election in October 2001 until his run for mayor in October 2010.[3] On April 21, 2010, he announced his intentions to run for mayor in the October 2010 municipal election.[4]

He came in second in the mayoral election, garnering over 112,000 votes.

During his time on city council, McIver served on the following civic boards and committees:[5]

  • Calgary Housing Company, Chair for three years
  • Standing Policy Committee on Community and Protective Services, Chair
  • Standing Policy Committee on Finance and Corporate Services
  • Land and Asset Strategy Committee
  • Family and Community Support Services, Chair
  • Provincial Justice Policy Advisory Committee
  • Audit Committee
  • Emergency Management Committee, Chair
  • Aldermanic Office Coordinating Committee
  • Calgary Police Commission
  • Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, Vice President

Provincial politics

In December 2011, McIver ran at the provincial level challenging MLA Art Johnston for the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta nomination in the Calgary-Hays constituency. McIver defeated the incumbent by a margin of 285 votes, taking the election 406–121. On April 23, 2012, in the provincial election, McIver was elected into the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, receiving 8,614 votes out of 15,642 (55.07%) to become just the second representative for the Calgary-Hays district since its creation. McIver was sworn in on May 8, 2012.

In addition to his duties as MLA, McIver subsequently held the following roles in government:

  • Alberta's Minister of Transportation. (McIver was the first Minister of Transportation for Alberta to be selected from one of its major cities)
  • Government of Alberta's Treasury Board Committee.
  • Government's Operations and Policy Cabinet Committee.
  • Minister of Infrastructure. (assigned after a cabinet shuffle in December 2013)[6]

In March 2014, McIver participated in the March for Jesus. It was discovered that the organizer of the event had homophobic beliefs. McIver apologized for not researching the group more closely in a released statement.[7] McIver would later passionately address the issue of acceptance at a United Conservative Party convention.

In 2017, the United Conservative Party was formed under Jason Kenney in a historic merger of the Progressive Conservative Party and the Wildrose Party, with 95% approval.[8][9] McIver joined the United Conservative Party in 2017.

McIver is the approved United Conservative Party candidate by acclamation for the electoral riding of Calgary-Hays for the 2019 Alberta provincial election.[10]

Progressive Conservative Leadership Run

McIver resigned from cabinet in May 2014 in order to stand in the Progressive Conservative leadership election,[11] following the resignation of Premier Alison Redford. During the leadership campaign, he attended the March for Jesus. He later made it clear he did not share in the group's anti-gay beliefs after media attention to the event.[12] McIver placed second with 11.7% of the vote, losing to Jim Prentice.[13] On September 15, 2014, McIver was appointed Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour in Prentice's cabinet.[14]

Progressive Conservative Interim leader

On May 11, 2015, following the party's defeat in the 2015 provincial election the previous week and the resulting resignation of party leader Jim Prentice, McIver was chosen by caucus to be interim leader of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party. At the time, he did not rule out running for permanent leader at the leadership election to be held in 2017.[15]

On April 18, 2016, McIver was thrown out of the Alberta legislature by Speaker Bob Wanner for repeatedly refusing to sit down despite the Speaker's requests after learning that sheets explaining the Speaker's ruling for an NDP amendment on a motion tabled by McIver had been distributed before the amendment was even debated on the floor.[16]

McIver announced on November 8, 2016, that he would not be running for the permanent leadership and will remain interim leader until the March convention.[17]

United Conservative Party

In 2017, McIver joined the United Conservative Party, along with most of the PC caucus, when the party merged with Wildrose and remained an MLA.

At the party's founding convention in May 2018, McIver passionately argued against a proposed policy that would allow schools to inform parents if their child joins a gay-straight alliance. Addressing party delegates, he stated that “You may disagree with some people in the room with people being gay, but they are gay. They need to be safe. We cannot out kids that are in a club (designed) to protect themselves.”[18] McIver further argued "Don't be called the Lake of Fire Party. I am begging you."[19] Despite these pleas, the policy passed with 57% support.

Electoral record

Alberta general election, 2012: Calgary-Hays
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeRic McIver8,62155.09+0.86
WildroseWayne Anderson5,67036.23+25.60
LiberalBrian MacPhee8985.74-22.17
New DemocraticRegina Vergara4612.95+0.10
Total 15,650
Rejected, spoiled and declined
Eligible electors / Turnout %
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -12.37
Alberta general election, 2015: Calgary-Hays
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeRic McIver6,67138.26-16.83
New DemocraticCarla Drader5,13829.47+26.52
WildroseBob Mailloux4,56226.16-10.07
LiberalShawn Emran7224.14-1.60
GreenGraham MacKenzie2501.43
Social CreditZachary Doyle930.53
Total valid votes 17,436
Rejected, spoiled and declined 63
Turnout 17,49956.70
Eligible voters 30,865
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -21.68
Source: Elections Alberta[20]

References

  1. ↑ https://calgaryherald.com/news/McIver/3178995/story.html Ric McIver: Bio (Calgary Herald)
  2. ↑ McIver site
  3. ↑ "Bio « Ric McIver". Ric McIver. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  4. ↑ Guttormson, Kim (2010-03-31). "Mayoral candidates expected to step up". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
  5. ↑ "Biography of Alderman Ric McIver". The City of Calgary. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  6. ↑ "Premier Alison Redford shuffles cabinet". CBC News. December 6, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  7. ↑ "PCs trumpet 'acceptance' after Ric McIver's March for Jesus appearance". www.cbc.ca. CBC News. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  8. ↑ Edmonton Journal. "Wildrose, Progressive Conservative parties to merge with 95% approval". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  9. ↑ The Globe and Mail. "Alberta Wildrose, PC members voted to merge". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  10. ↑ https://unitedconservative.ca/Article?name=mciver_acclaimed
  11. ↑ "McIver resigns cabinet post, likely to enter Alberta PC leadership race". Globe and Mail. May 6, 2014. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Ric McIver defends March for Jesus attendance". CBC News. June 16, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Alberta PC leadership vote: Jim Prentice wins on 1st ballot". CBC News. September 6, 2014. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour Minister Ric McIver is congratulated by new Premier Jim Prentice during the swearing in ceremony for the Premier and cabinet ministers at Government House in Edmonton on Monday Sept. 15, 2014". Edmonton Journal. September 14, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Ric McIver appointed Interim Leader of PC Alberta". May 11, 2015. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  16. ↑ Bellefontaine, Michelle (April 18, 2016). "Dispute over ruling gets PC leader Ric McIver kicked out of legislature". CBC News. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  17. ↑ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/ric-mciver-not-running-progressive-conservative-1.3840595
  18. ↑ The Canadian Press (May 6, 2018). "Alberta conservatives vote to end carbon tax, tell parents if child joins GSA". City News. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  19. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/ucp-gay-straight-alliance-motion-1.4650727
  20. ↑ "2015 Provincial General Election Results". Elections Alberta. Archived from the original on 2017-07-30. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
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