Blair Lekstrom

Blair Lekstrom (born 1961) is a Canadian politician, formerly a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. He represented the riding of Peace River South having been first elected in the 2001 election.[1] Reelected in 2005 and 2009, he did not run in the 2013 provincial election.[2] He is now an advisor and spokesperson for HD Mining International, Ltd.[3] Since October 2008, he is a city councillor in Dawson Creek.

Blair Lekstrom
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Peace River South
In office
May 16, 2001 – May 14, 2013
Preceded byJack Weisgerber
Succeeded byMike Bernier
Minister of Community Development
of British Columbia
In office
June 23, 2008 – January 19, 2009
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byIda Chong
Succeeded byKevin Krueger
Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
of British Columbia
In office
January 19, 2009 – June 11, 2010
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byRichard Neufeld
Succeeded byBill Bennett
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure of British Columbia
In office
March 14, 2011 – September 5, 2012
PremierChristy Clark
Preceded byShirley Bond
Succeeded byMary Polak
Personal details
Born1961
North Battleford, Saskatchewan
Political partyLiberal (2001-2010, 2011-present)
Other political
affiliations		Independent (2010-2011)

Early life and education

He was born in 1961 in North Battleford, Saskatchewan and moved to Dawson Creek, British Columbia later that year. He graduated from the South Peace Secondary School, and worked with BC Tel starting in 1979 as an installer-repairman until his election in 2001.

Political career

Prior to provincial politics, he served as mayor of Dawson Creek for two terms,[4] and was a city councillor for three years prior.[1] Lekstrom was the president of the North Central Municipal Association for the 1999-2000 term.

He formerly served as the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Products in the government of Gordon Campbell, before resigning from the BC Liberal caucus over the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) on June 11, 2010, a policy that Lekstrom had previously endorsed.[5] Following the election of Christy Clark as the party's new leader in the 2011 leadership election, Lekstrom rejoined the Liberals on March 3, 2011.[6] Lekstrom announced in September 2012 that he would not run for office in the 2013 provincial election.[7]

In September 2013, he was hired by HD Mining International, Ltd.[8]

References
  1. "MLA: Blair Lekstrom". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
  2. "Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom joins list of departing B.C. Liberal MLAs". The Georgia Straight, September 4, 2012.
  3. "Who’s mining whom?" "Resource Clips", May 8, 2014.
  4. Meissner, Dirk (2009-06-30). "B.C. looks to carbon capture to balance clean-air targets with energy revenues". Coast Reporter. Canadian Press. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
  5. "B.C. Liberal resigns over HST". The Globe and Mail, June 11, 2010.
  6. "Lekstrom back, Bennett cools heels" Archived March 9, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. The Province, March 3, 2011.
  7. "Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom joins list of departing B.C. Liberal MLAs", September 4, 2012.
  8. "Former B.C. mines minister Blair Lekstrom takes job with controversial coal firm". Canadian Press, September 25, 2013.


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