Garnett Genuis

Genuis ran in the 2012 Alberta general election as the Wildrose MLA candidate for Sherwood Park. He lost to Progressive Conservative candidate Cathy Olesen.[5]

In March 2014, Genuis announced his intention to seek the Conservative nomination for the 2015 Canadian federal election in the newly formed riding of Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan. He won the nomination in November 2014.[4] Genuis won the federal election on October 19, 2015, capturing 64% of the votes in the riding [6] and becoming its Member of Parliament.

In November 2015, Genuis was appointed deputy critic for Human Rights and Religious Freedom. He served under head critic David Anderson.[7] On August 30, 2017, he was made Deputy Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, after leaving his previous position.

In March 2016, Genuis was named one of the most outspoken MPs in the House of Commons by Maclean’s Magazine.[8] In November 2017, Genuis was named Maclean's Parliamentarian of the Year, based on a vote by members of the House of Commons. Genuis was the youngest recipient to date of the award.[9]

In a 2017 episode of the television series Political Blind Date, Genuis and Nathaniel Erskine-Smith discussed their differing perspectives on the legalization of marijuana in Canada.[10]

In May 2019, Genuis supported Andrew Scheer's vision for a new foreign policy.[11]

In August 2019, Genuis wrote an op-ed in which he explained his position on the Canada-China relations file. He suggested a curtailment of Canada's involvement in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and that Canada challenge China at the WTO. Genuis bases his analysis in human rights and a criticism of the so-called "self-identified experts".[12]

Genuis was re-elected to the 43rd Canadian Parliament with a whopping 73.4% of the popular vote. His party however only won 121 of 338 seats, so he remained in opposition.

Genuis was instrumental in the push for the House of Commons Special Committee on Canada-China Relations.[13] The Huawei pressure to build the Canadian 5G cellular network concerns him, as does the influence on Canadian campuses that is held by the Chinese firm.[14]

Genuis was openly hostile to the appointment of Dominic Barton as Canada's ambassador to China, being uncomfortable with the latter's work put him in a conflict of interest, because he had advised over 20 Chinese state-owned enterprises.[13]