Rick Strankman

Rick Strankman
MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Drumheller-Stettler
Assumed office
April 23, 2012
Preceded by Jack Hayden
Personal details
Born (1953-06-20) June 20, 1953
Oyen, Alberta
Political party United Conservative Party
Spouse(s) Dianne Strankman
Residence Altario, Alberta
Website rickstrankman.ca

Richard Strankman (born June 20, 1953) is a Canadian politician who is an elected member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the electoral district of Drumheller-Stettler.[1]

In addition to serving on both the Standing Committee on Private Bills and the legislative policy committee on Alberta’s Economic Future, Strankman is the Tourism, Parks and Recreation critic for the Wildrose Party Official Opposition Caucus.[2]

Strankman will not be running in the 2019 election after losing his nomination bid to Nate Horner for the constituency of Dumheller-Stettler.[3]

Career

Strankman has owned and operated a farming business since 1973. From 1999 to 2011 he also volunteered as secretary/treasurer of the Western Barley Growers Association. Although initially interested in agriculture, Strankman became increasingly involved in politics and social activism in response to federal regulation of the agriculture industry, including legislation relating to the Canadian Wheat Board. His commitment to public service began early on and as a youth Strankman was honoured with the Queen’s scout award by Boy Scouts of Canada. Strankman also has a keen interest in aviation and has held a pilot’s licence and done aerial application since 1974.[2]

Strankman was jailed in 2002 after being charged under the Customs Act for taking 756 bushels of wheat across the U.S. border in protest of the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly. Strankman and other farmers arrested received a pardon from Prime Minister Stephen Harper on August 1, 2012, when the federal government's Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act came into effect,[4] which allowed producers to opt out of the Canadian Wheat Board and sell wheat on the open market.[5]

At a reunion with 12 of 13 farmers who had been jailed for taking wheat across the border, Strankman stood by his decision to participate in the act of civil disobedience. He served one week of a 180-day sentence.[6]

Climate Change Controversy

Strankman has been criticized for alleged Climate change denial. He has raised questions in the Legislative Assembly and in the media on whether anthropomorphic climate change is real.[7]

Electoral history

2012 general election

Alberta general election, 2012: Drumheller-Stettler
Party Candidate Votes%±%
WildroseRick Strankman7,45249.38+38.91
Progressive ConservativeJack Hayden6,58743.65-25.25
New DemocraticAditya "Adi" Rao4082.70-0.02
LiberalCam Roset3622.40-12.03
Alberta PartyAndrew Berdahl2811.86
Total valid votes 15,090
Rejected, spoiled, and declined 108
Registered electors / Turnout 24,78861.31+17.58
Wildrose gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +32.08
Source(s)
Elections Alberta. "Electoral division results: Drumheller-Stettler". Retrieved July 16, 2018.

2015 general election

Alberta general election, 2015
Party Candidate Votes%
WildroseRick Strankman7,56347.6
Progressive ConservativeJack Hayden5,39934.0
New DemocraticEmily Shannon2,92818.4

References

  1. ↑ Alberta Election 2012: Riding-by-riding results Archived 2012-04-24 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. 1 2 "Legislative Assembly of Alberta Rick Strankman biography". Retrieved 2013-06-11.
  3. ↑ "Incumbent MLA who once compared carbon tax to Ukrainian genocide loses UCP nomination vote | CBC News". CBC.
  4. ↑ ""Grain Marketing Freedom Day" championed by Prime Minister Harper". Southwest Booster. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
  5. ↑ "MLA Strankman pardoned by Prime Minister Stephen Harper". Drumheller Mail. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
  6. ↑ "Jailed anti-CWB protestors reunite". Western Producer. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
  7. ↑ Thomson, Graham (March 15, 2016). "Graham Thomson: Wildrose tries to bury climate-change controversy unearthed by their own MLA". Edmonton Journal.


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