Ronald Gordon "Ron" Stevens QC (September 17, 1949 – May 13, 2014) was a Canadian politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Calgary-Glenmore as a Progressive Conservative until his resignation on May 15, 2009.[1] He was subsequently appointed a Judge of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta on May 20, 2009, by the government of Canada.[2]

Ron Stevens
MLA for Calgary-Glenmore
In office
March 11, 1997 – May 15, 2009
Preceded byDianne Mirosh
Succeeded byPaul Hinman
6th Deputy Premier of Alberta
In office
June 22, 2007 – May 15, 2009
Preceded byShirley McClellan
Succeeded byDoug Horner
Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations in the Alberta government
In office
March 12, 2008 – May 15, 2009
Preceded byGuy Boutilier
Succeeded byLen Webber
Minister of Justice and Attorney General in the Alberta government
In office
November 25, 2004 – March 12, 2008
Preceded byDave Hancock
Succeeded byAlison Redford
Minister of Gaming in the Alberta government
In office
March 16, 2001 – November 25, 2004
Preceded byMurray Smith
Succeeded byGordon Graydon
Personal details
Born
Ronald Gordon Stevens

(1949-09-17)September 17, 1949
Empress, Alberta
DiedMay 13, 2014(2014-05-13) (aged 64)
Calgary, Alberta
Political partyProgressive Conservative
SpousePhyllis
Alma materUniversity of Calgary
University of Alberta
Occupationlawyer

Early life

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Stevens was born September 17, 1949, in Empress, Alberta. He graduated from the University of Calgary in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and went on to obtain a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1975 from the University of Alberta. Before being elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Stevens worked as a civil litigation lawyer and mediator with a major law firm in Calgary. In 1996, he was appointed Queen's Council.

An active community member, Stevens served in the role of president of the Palliser Bayview Pumphill Community Association, director of the Community Mediation Calgary Society, director of the Federation of Calgary Communities, and director and vice chair of the Calgary Housing Authority.

Political career

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Stevens first sought public office in the 1997 provincial election in the constituency of Calgary-Glenmore. In that election, he received 58% of the vote. In the 2001 provincial election that followed, Stevens was re-elected with 68% of the popular vote. That same year, he was appointed by Premier Ralph Klein as Minister of Gaming and was responsible for the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission and the Alberta Lottery Fund. Following the 2004 provincial election, where he received 50% of the vote, Stevens was sworn in as Minister of Justice and Attorney General. On June 27, 2007, he was named Alberta's Deputy Premier by newly elected Premier Ed Stelmach. In the 2008 provincial election, Stevens was elected for a fourth time receiving 51% of the vote. On March 12, 2008, he was sworn in as Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations.

Stevens served in a variety of capacities on numerous boards and committees. He held the title of Deputy Government House Leader, the position of chair for the Legislative Review Committee, the Oil Sands Ministerial Strategy Committee (Radke Report), the Health Information Legislation Committee, the Standing Policy Committee on Learning, the Private Schools Funding Task Force, the Non-Profit Tax Exemption Review Committee, the position of vice chair of the Agenda and Priorities Committee and the Standing Policy Committee on Justice and Government Services, and the position of deputy chair of the Select Special Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act Review Committee.

Stevens also served as a member of the Treasury Board, the Agenda and Priorities Committee, and the Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing Committee.[3]

As an MLA, Stevens successfully sponsored two governmental bills: the Holocaust Memorial Day and Genocide Remembrance Act and the Irrigation Districts Act. He also sponsored one private member's bill during his first term in office: the Emblems of Alberta (Alberta Dress Tartan) Amendment Act, 2000.

Hawaiian Stopover Controversy

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In October 2007, CBC News Calgary reported that Ron Stevens had used his government credit card to pay for drinks and meals for his wife and four other people while on a stopover in Hawaii in 2003. At the time, Stevens was serving as Alberta's Gaming Minister. His three-day Hawaiian stopover occurred as he was returning from Australia where he had been studying that country's gaming system. "I don't recall whether it was a three-day stop or not," Stevens told CBC when questioned about the trip. "But I do recall that we did it in that fashion because it was less expensive than flying business class. In other words, it was the most [economical] way of doing it."[4]

Personal life

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Stevens was married to Phyllis. The couple had two children together.[3] He died of natural causes on May 13, 2014, at the age of 64.[5]

Election results

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2008 Alberta general election results ( Calgary-Glenmore ) Turnout 45.6%
Affiliation Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative Ron Stevens 6,441 51%
Liberal Avalon Roberts 4,175 33%
Wildrose Alliance Ryan Sadler 1,019 8%
Green Arden Duncan Bonokoski 547 4%
New Democratic Holly Heffernan 478 4%
2004 Alberta general election results ( Calgary-Glenmore ) Turnout 48.4%
Affiliation Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative Ron Stevens 6,263 50.5%
Liberal Avalon Roberts 4,364 35.2%
Alberta Alliance Ernest McCutcheon 571 4.6%
Green Evan Sklarski 532 4.3%
New Democratic Holly Heffernan 553 4.5%
Social Credit Larry Heather 127 1.0%
2001 Alberta general election results ( Calgary-Glenmore ) Turnout 60.6%
Affiliation Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative Ron Stevens 9,678 67.7%
Liberal Michael Broadhurst 3,708 25.9%
New Democratic Jennifer Stewart 441 3.1%
Green James A. Kohut 467 3.3%
1997 Alberta general election results ( Calgary-Glenmore ) Turnout 59.6%
Affiliation Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative Ron Stevens 8,247 58.1%
Liberal Wayne Stewart 4,919 34.7%
New Democratic Grace Johner 435 3.1%
Social Credit Vernon Cook 583 4.1%

References

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  1. ^ Government of Alberta (May 15, 2009). "Cabinet veteran Ron Stevens announces his resignation". News Release. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2009.
  2. ^ Canada, Department of Justice (May 20, 2009). "Alberta Judicial Appointments Announced". News Release. Archived from the original on June 14, 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
  3. ^ a b "Steven's Legislative Assembly of Alberta biography".
  4. ^ "Alberta minister defends Hawaiian stopover". CBC News. October 3, 2007. Retrieved October 3, 2007.
  5. ^ Fergispm, Eva. "Former MLA Ron Stevens is mourned". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia News. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2014.