Murray Smith (Alberta politician)

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Murray D. Smith is a lawyer and former provincial level politician and civil servant from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1993 until 2004.

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[edit] Early life

Smith took his post secondary education as the University of Calgary.[1] After University he worked in the Alberta energy sector prior to his involvement in provincial politics.[2] In addition to his involvement in the private sector, he was an active community volunteer.

[edit] Political career

Smith was an early member of the Reform Party of Canada. He ran in the 1988 Canadian federal election in the electoral district of Calgary North. He finished a distant second place to Al Johnson of the Progressive Conservatives.

After being defeated Smith moved to provincial politics. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1993 Alberta general election. He won the new electoral district of Calgary Varsity for the Progressive Conservatives with a large majority.[3]

He was appointed to the provincial cabinet a year later and served as Minister of Economic Development. During his tenure of the portfolio from 1994 to 1996 he phased out the Machinery and Equipment Tax, and also introduced legislation known as the Vencap Equities Alberta Act Repeal Act.[2] The Act allowed for the provincial government to dispose of its holdings in Vencap Equities.[4] In 1996 he became the Minister of Labour in a cabinet shuffle.

Smith was re-elected in the 1997 Alberta general election with a larger majority.[3] In 1999 Smith became Minister of Gaming.[2] He was re-elected to his third and final term in office winning a landslide in the 2001 Alberta general election.[3] After his election in 2001 he was reassigned to be the Minister of Energy and Utilities Board. He retired at the end of his third term in office.

[edit] Washington appointment

After retiring from the Alberta Legislature, Smith was appointed to a controversial new position as the Official Representative of the Province of Alberta to the United States of America.[1] The position was regarded by critics as a wasteful patronage appointment.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Murray D. Smith Minister-Counsellor, Government of Alberta Embassy of Canada. Government of Alberta (October 2006). Retrieved on 2008-03-15.
  2. ^ a b c Murray Smith bio. Foster Learning Inc.. Retrieved on 2008-03-15.
  3. ^ a b c Calgary Varsity Official Results 1993-1997 Alberta general election. Alberta Heritage. Retrieved on 2008-03-08.
  4. ^ Government and Vencap Announce Terms Of Sale Process. Business Wire (September 5, 1995). Retrieved on 2008-03-15.


Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Preceded by
New District		 MLA Calgary Varsity
1993-2004		 Succeeded by
Harry Chase