Diane Ablonczy
Encyclopedia
Diane Ablonczy, PC
, MP
(icon ; born May 6, 1949) is a Canadian
Member of Parliament, representing the riding of Calgary--Nose Hill in the Canadian House of Commons
as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada
. She is the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs) and was appointed on January 4, 2011. She was previously appointed Minister of State
(Seniors) on January 19, 2010. She held the position of Minister of State
(Small Business and Tourism) from October 30, 2008, Secretary of State
(Small Business and Tourism) from August 14, 2007, and served as Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister of Finance
from February 2006. Previously, Ablonczy served as Chief Opposition Critic for Citizenship and Immigration
, Health
, and Human Resources Development
.
Ablonczy was first elected to the House of Commons
in 1993 as the Reform Party
Member of Parliament (MP) for Calgary North
. In the riding redistribution of 1996 the riding of Calgary North ceased to exist and Ablonczy was re-elected as MP for Calgary—Nose Hill
in 1997 (Reform Party), 2000 (Canadian Alliance
), 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011 (Conservative Party).
, Illinois
, United States
, as the oldest of six children. A year later the family moved to Three Hills
, Alberta
, and Ablonczy grew up in a variety of places in rural Alberta. In 1967 she graduated from High School in Lac la Biche
. In 1973 she received her Education degree from the University of Calgary
and subsequently taught English, creative writing and other subjects.
She married Tom Ablonczy, a well site engineer and refugee of the 1956 Hungarian revolution. They had one daughter. They ran a barley-growing operation, and in 1980 Diane earned her Law degree from the University of Calgary
. The family moved to Calgary
where she had her own general law practice from 1981–1991. She was widowed in 1984, and is now married to Ron Sauer. She has one daughter, four stepchildren and five grandchildren.
party, but left to join the Provincial Rights Association (PRA) a few months later. Since the PRA was formed too late to gain official political party status, she ran as an independent candidate in Calgary-Mountain View in the 1982 Alberta provincial election
.
In early 1987, Ablonczy joined the Reform Association of Canada, and later that year became a founding member of the Reform Party of Canada
. She was elected as the first Party Chairman, and served two terms in this role. As Chair she was active in developing the Party's organization, administration and communications structure, acting as a senior Party spokesperson and encouraging growth of the Party’s membership. In 1991, she set aside her law practice and went on staff for the Party as a special assistant to Reform Party Leader Preston Manning
, with responsibility for Party communications and strategic planning.
In the 1993 federal election
, Ablonczy was elected to Parliament
as the Reform Party candidate for the federal riding of Calgary North
. In the following years she continued to participate in Party affairs as a member of the Reform Party Strategy Committee. She also was a member of the Reform Party Expansion Committee, and she chaired the Reform Party Task Force on the Reform of Social Programs.
In 1998 and 1999, Ablonczy promoted the United Alternative
process to create a new federal political party on the political right. As co-chair of the UA policy committee, she took part in developing a comprehensive draft policy document and guiding it through a series of public consultations across the country. The resulting Declaration of Policy was approved as official Party Policy by members at the Founding Convention of the Canadian Alliance
on March 25, 2000. The Reform Party was dissolved, and the Canadian Alliance
created. Ablonczy was re-elected under the new party's banner in the 2000 federal election
.
In December 2001, Ablonczy entered the 2002 Canadian Alliance leadership contest on a platform of promoting “a process to combine the Canadian Alliance, the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
, and other interested partners into an effective, unified opposition party before the next election.” She placed third with 3.8% of the vote. In late 2003, the Progressive Conservative Party merged with the Canadian Alliance to create the new Conservative Party of Canada
.
On November 18, 2002, Ablonczy posed a question in the House of Commons concerning the government’s system of “screening and security checks” as related to Maher Arar
, a dual Canadian and Syria
n citizen who had recently been deported from the United States
to Syria as a terror suspect. Based on newly released information Ablonczy asked what the government “is doing to protect Canadian security” and why “the U.S. could uncover this man's background so quickly" when the Canadian government failed to find what she described as "his al-Qaeda links”. Ablonczy also criticized the Chrétien government for “chastising the U.S. for sending Arar back to Syria where he is also a citizen". Arar was imprisoned for over a year in Syria, and was repeatedly tortured by Syrian authorities. The RCMP later confirmed that Arar has no ties to any terrorist organizations.
On July 6, 2009, Conservative Member of Parliament Brad Trost
indicated that several Conservative parliamentarians were surprised by Ablonczy's decision to provide funding for the Toronto Pride Week Festival
. Ablonczy later lost authority over such funding projects to another cabinet minister, and some in the Canadian media have interpreted Trost's comments as suggesting that she was demoted for her decision. This was denied by government spokesman Darren Cunningham, as reported in the national media.
In a cabinet shuffle on January 19, 2010, Diane Ablonczy changed portfolios to become the Minister of State for Seniors. The move was widely seen as a demotion in response to her decision to provide funding to the Toronto Pride Week Festival; a move which resulted in backlash among some of her supporters.
On January 4, 2011 she received a promotion to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs).
35th Parliament
Diane Ablonczy was first elected to the House of Commons on October 25, 1993
. She won as candidate for the Reform Party
in Calgary North
, with a 52.5% majority. The Reform Party catapulted from 1 to 52 seats. Ablonczy served in the following positions:
From 1995-1997, she hosted a Calgary Cable bi-weekly live, phone-in TV show called Dial Your MP, which provided Calgarians with an opportunity to ask questions on a variety of federal government issues.
36th Parliament
On June 2, 1997
, after a riding redistribution in 1996 in which Calgary North
was dissolved, Ablonczy was re-elected as the MP for Calgary-Nose Hill
, with a 51.5% majority. The Reform Party won 60 seats and became the Official Opposition
. Ablonczy served in the following positions:
37th Parliament
On November 27, 2000
, Ablonczy was re-elected as the Calgary-Nose Hill MP for the Canadian Alliance
, this time with a 60.1% majority. The Alliance won 66 seats and became Official Opposition
. Ablonczy served in the following positions:
38th Parliament
On June 28, 2004
, Ablonczy was once more elected as the MP for Calgary-Nose Hill, this time for the new Conservative Party
. She won with an increased majority of 64.4%. The Conservative Party won 99 seats, making it the Official Opposition
. Ablonczy held the following positions:
In 2005, she chaired a series of National Consultations on Canada’s Immigration System and developed the Conservative Party’s immigration policies.
39th Parliament
On January 23, 2006
, Ablonczy was re-elected with an increased vote percentage of 68.5%. The Conservatives won 124 seats and formed a minority Conservative government. In the first 18 months of the Harper government Ablonczy served in the following positions:
In August 2007, Ablonczy was named to the Federal Cabinet as junior Minister holding the following positions:
40th Parliament
On October 14, 2008
, Ablonczy was re-elected with her largest majority ever: 69.6%. The Conservatives won a second minority government with 143 seats. On October 30, 2008, Diane Ablonczy was sworn into Cabinet as Minister of State
for Small Business & Tourism in the second Harper government. She served in the following Cabinet Committees:
Ablonczy oversaw the development and implementation of the following important Ministry initiatives:
In the cabinet shuffle of January 19, 2010, Diane Ablonczy changed portfolios and became the Minister of State for Seniors.
Bill C-40, An Act to establish National Seniors Day, introduced by Minister of State Ablonczy, received Royal Assent on November 18, 2010. Through this legislation, October 1 will now be recognized as National Seniors Day.
During 2010 Ablonczy continued to serve as Member of the Treasury Board, and also was Vice Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs.
On January 4, 2011, Ablonczy was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the position was expanded to include responsibility for the Americas and Consular Affairs. She became a member of the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, and continued to be a member of the Treasury Board.
41st Parliament
The May 2, 2011 election saw Ablonczy re-elected with 70.2% of the vote. The Conservatives formed a majority government with 166 seats, representing all provinces and the North. Ablonczy was re-appointed Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs) in the new cabinet announced on May 18, 2011.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, MP
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
(icon ; born May 6, 1949) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Member of Parliament, representing the riding of Calgary--Nose Hill in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
. She is the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs) and was appointed on January 4, 2011. She was previously appointed Minister of State
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
(Seniors) on January 19, 2010. She held the position of Minister of State
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
(Small Business and Tourism) from October 30, 2008, Secretary of State
Secretary of State (Canada)
Secretary of State was a title given to some Ministers of State in the Government of Canada sitting outside Cabinet from 1993 to 2003 and again from 2007 to 2008. Secretaries of State were members of the ministry and the Queen's Privy Council for Canada...
(Small Business and Tourism) from August 14, 2007, and served as Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (Canada)
The Minister of Finance is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible each year for presenting the federal government's budget...
from February 2006. Previously, Ablonczy served as Chief Opposition Critic for Citizenship and Immigration
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Citizenship and Immigration Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for issues dealing with immigration and citizenship...
, Health
Health Canada
Health Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for national public health.The current Minister of Health is Leona Aglukkaq, a Conservative Member of Parliament appointed to the position by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.-Branches, regions and agencies:Health Canada...
, and Human Resources Development
Human Resources Development Canada
The Department of Human Resources Development, also referred to as Human Resources Development Canada , is a former department of the Government of Canada...
.
Ablonczy was first elected to the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in 1993 as the Reform Party
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
Member of Parliament (MP) for Calgary North
Calgary North
Calgary North was a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1953 to 1997.This riding was created in 1952 from parts of the Bow River, Calgary West and East Calgary ridings....
. In the riding redistribution of 1996 the riding of Calgary North ceased to exist and Ablonczy was re-elected as MP for Calgary—Nose Hill
Calgary—Nose Hill
Calgary—Nose Hill is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997.-Geography:...
in 1997 (Reform Party), 2000 (Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
), 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011 (Conservative Party).
Background
Diane Ablonczy (maiden name Broadway) was born in 1949 in PeoriaPeoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, as the oldest of six children. A year later the family moved to Three Hills
Three Hills, Alberta
Three Hills is a town located in the southern part of the province of Alberta, Canada. It is so named because of the three highly visible hills that are situated to its north.-History:...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, and Ablonczy grew up in a variety of places in rural Alberta. In 1967 she graduated from High School in Lac la Biche
Lac la Biche
Lac la Biche can refer to:*Lac la Biche , a lake in Alberta, Canada*Lac La Biche, Alberta, a town in Alberta, Canada*Lac La Biche County, Alberta, a municipal district in Alberta, Canada...
. In 1973 she received her Education degree from the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
and subsequently taught English, creative writing and other subjects.
She married Tom Ablonczy, a well site engineer and refugee of the 1956 Hungarian revolution. They had one daughter. They ran a barley-growing operation, and in 1980 Diane earned her Law degree from the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
. The family moved to Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
where she had her own general law practice from 1981–1991. She was widowed in 1984, and is now married to Ron Sauer. She has one daughter, four stepchildren and five grandchildren.
Political background
Ablonczy's first political involvement was in 1982, when she briefly belonged to the Western Canada ConceptWestern Canada Concept
The Western Canada Concept was a Western Canadian political party founded in 1980 to promote the separation of the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia and the Yukon and Northwest Territories from Canada in order to create a new nation.The party argued that Western...
party, but left to join the Provincial Rights Association (PRA) a few months later. Since the PRA was formed too late to gain official political party status, she ran as an independent candidate in Calgary-Mountain View in the 1982 Alberta provincial election
Alberta general election, 1982
The Alberta general election of 1982 was the twentieth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 2, 1982 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
.
In early 1987, Ablonczy joined the Reform Association of Canada, and later that year became a founding member of the Reform Party of Canada
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
. She was elected as the first Party Chairman, and served two terms in this role. As Chair she was active in developing the Party's organization, administration and communications structure, acting as a senior Party spokesperson and encouraging growth of the Party’s membership. In 1991, she set aside her law practice and went on staff for the Party as a special assistant to Reform Party Leader Preston Manning
Preston Manning
Ernest Preston Manning, CC is a Canadian politician. He was the only leader of the Reform Party of Canada, a Canadian federal political party that evolved into the Canadian Alliance...
, with responsibility for Party communications and strategic planning.
In the 1993 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
, Ablonczy was elected to Parliament
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
as the Reform Party candidate for the federal riding of Calgary North
Calgary North
Calgary North was a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1953 to 1997.This riding was created in 1952 from parts of the Bow River, Calgary West and East Calgary ridings....
. In the following years she continued to participate in Party affairs as a member of the Reform Party Strategy Committee. She also was a member of the Reform Party Expansion Committee, and she chaired the Reform Party Task Force on the Reform of Social Programs.
In 1998 and 1999, Ablonczy promoted the United Alternative
Unite the Right
The Unite the Right movement was a Canadian political movement which existed from around 1996 to 2003. The movement came into being when it became clear that neither of Canada's two main right-of-center political parties: the Reform Party of Canada or the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada...
process to create a new federal political party on the political right. As co-chair of the UA policy committee, she took part in developing a comprehensive draft policy document and guiding it through a series of public consultations across the country. The resulting Declaration of Policy was approved as official Party Policy by members at the Founding Convention of the Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
on March 25, 2000. The Reform Party was dissolved, and the Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
created. Ablonczy was re-elected under the new party's banner in the 2000 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
.
In December 2001, Ablonczy entered the 2002 Canadian Alliance leadership contest on a platform of promoting “a process to combine the Canadian Alliance, the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
, and other interested partners into an effective, unified opposition party before the next election.” She placed third with 3.8% of the vote. In late 2003, the Progressive Conservative Party merged with the Canadian Alliance to create the new Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
.
On November 18, 2002, Ablonczy posed a question in the House of Commons concerning the government’s system of “screening and security checks” as related to Maher Arar
Maher Arar
Maher Arar is a telecommunications engineer with dual Syrian and Canadian citizenship who resides in Canada. Arar's story is frequently referred to as "extraordinary rendition" but the U.S. government insisted it was a case of deportation.Arar was detained during a layover at John F...
, a dual Canadian and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n citizen who had recently been deported from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to Syria as a terror suspect. Based on newly released information Ablonczy asked what the government “is doing to protect Canadian security” and why “the U.S. could uncover this man's background so quickly" when the Canadian government failed to find what she described as "his al-Qaeda links”. Ablonczy also criticized the Chrétien government for “chastising the U.S. for sending Arar back to Syria where he is also a citizen". Arar was imprisoned for over a year in Syria, and was repeatedly tortured by Syrian authorities. The RCMP later confirmed that Arar has no ties to any terrorist organizations.
On July 6, 2009, Conservative Member of Parliament Brad Trost
Brad Trost
Bradley Ryan "Brad" Trost is a Conservative Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Saskatoon—Humboldt....
indicated that several Conservative parliamentarians were surprised by Ablonczy's decision to provide funding for the Toronto Pride Week Festival
Pride Week (Toronto)
Pride Week is a ten-day event held in Toronto, Canada, during the end of June each year. It is a celebration of the diversity of the LGBT community in the Greater Toronto Area. It is one of the largest organized gay pride festivals in the world, featuring several stages with live performers and...
. Ablonczy later lost authority over such funding projects to another cabinet minister, and some in the Canadian media have interpreted Trost's comments as suggesting that she was demoted for her decision. This was denied by government spokesman Darren Cunningham, as reported in the national media.
In a cabinet shuffle on January 19, 2010, Diane Ablonczy changed portfolios to become the Minister of State for Seniors. The move was widely seen as a demotion in response to her decision to provide funding to the Toronto Pride Week Festival; a move which resulted in backlash among some of her supporters.
On January 4, 2011 she received a promotion to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs).
35th Parliament35th Canadian ParliamentThe 35th Canadian Parliament was in session from January 17, 1994 until April 27, 1997. The membership was set by the 1993 federal election on October 25, 1993, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dissolved prior to the 1997 election.It was controlled by...
(1993–1997)
Diane Ablonczy was first elected to the House of Commons on October 25, 1993Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
. She won as candidate for the Reform Party
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
in Calgary North
Calgary North
Calgary North was a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1953 to 1997.This riding was created in 1952 from parts of the Bow River, Calgary West and East Calgary ridings....
, with a 52.5% majority. The Reform Party catapulted from 1 to 52 seats. Ablonczy served in the following positions:
- WhipWhip (politics)A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
for the Reform Caucus (elected by her colleagues and the first woman of any party to hold that position.)
- Member of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsCanadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsThe Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs is a standing committee composed of the four political parties of the Government of Canada that is responsible for the procedural and administrative matters relating to the Canadian House of Commons. It has 12 members,...
- Member of the Reform Caucus Committee on Immigration.
- Reform Party Critic for Human Resources DevelopmentHuman Resources Development CanadaThe Department of Human Resources Development, also referred to as Human Resources Development Canada , is a former department of the Government of Canada...
- Member of the Standing CommitteeStanding CommitteeIn the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...
on Human Resources DevelopmentHuman Resources Development CanadaThe Department of Human Resources Development, also referred to as Human Resources Development Canada , is a former department of the Government of Canada...
.
- Deputy Critic for JusticeDepartment of Justice (Canada)The purpose of the Department of Justice is to ensure that the Canadian justice system is fair, accessible and efficient. The Department also represents the Canadian government in legal matters...
- Critic for Atlantic Issues
- Member of the Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs.
From 1995-1997, she hosted a Calgary Cable bi-weekly live, phone-in TV show called Dial Your MP, which provided Calgarians with an opportunity to ask questions on a variety of federal government issues.
36th Parliament36th Canadian ParliamentThe 36th Canadian Parliament was in session from September 22, 1997 until October 22, 2000. The membership was set by the 1997 federal election on June 2, 1997, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dissolved prior to the 2000 election.It was controlled by...
(1997–2000)
On June 2, 1997Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
, after a riding redistribution in 1996 in which Calgary North
Calgary North
Calgary North was a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1953 to 1997.This riding was created in 1952 from parts of the Bow River, Calgary West and East Calgary ridings....
was dissolved, Ablonczy was re-elected as the MP for Calgary-Nose Hill
Calgary-Nose Hill
Calgary-Nose Hill is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
, with a 51.5% majority. The Reform Party won 60 seats and became the Official Opposition
Official Opposition (Canada)
In Canada, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , commonly known as the Official Opposition, is usually the largest parliamentary opposition party in the House of Commons or a provincial legislative assembly that is not in government, either on its own or as part of a governing coalition...
. Ablonczy served in the following positions:
- Member of the Reform Party Shadow CabinetShadow CabinetThe Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
- Chief Official Opposition Critic for Human Resources DevelopmentHuman Resources Development CanadaThe Department of Human Resources Development, also referred to as Human Resources Development Canada , is a former department of the Government of Canada...
.
- Member of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities .
37th Parliament37th Canadian ParliamentThe 37th Canadian Parliament was in session from January 29, 2001, until May 23, 2004. The membership was set by the 2000 federal election on November 27, 2000, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dissolved prior to the 2004 election.It was controlled by...
(2000–2004)
On November 27, 2000Canadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
, Ablonczy was re-elected as the Calgary-Nose Hill MP for the Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
, this time with a 60.1% majority. The Alliance won 66 seats and became Official Opposition
Official Opposition (Canada)
In Canada, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , commonly known as the Official Opposition, is usually the largest parliamentary opposition party in the House of Commons or a provincial legislative assembly that is not in government, either on its own or as part of a governing coalition...
. Ablonczy served in the following positions:
- Member of the Canadian Alliance Shadow CabinetShadow CabinetThe Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
- Chief Official Opposition Critic for HealthHealth CanadaHealth Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for national public health.The current Minister of Health is Leona Aglukkaq, a Conservative Member of Parliament appointed to the position by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.-Branches, regions and agencies:Health Canada...
- Member of the Standing CommitteeStanding CommitteeIn the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...
on Health. In the spring of 2001, she embarked on a self-financed fact-finding mission to study health care systems in France, Sweden and the Netherlands. She resigned her Critic position on December 17, 2001 to become a candidate in the Canadian Alliance Leadership Election.
- Official Opposition Critic for Citizenship and ImmigrationCitizenship and Immigration CanadaCitizenship and Immigration Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for issues dealing with immigration and citizenship...
.
- Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration
- Associate Member of the Standing CommitteeStanding CommitteeIn the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...
on Public Accounts that investigated the sponsorship scandal.
38th Parliament38th Canadian ParliamentThe 38th Canadian Parliament was in session from October 4, 2004 until November 29, 2005. The membership was set by the 2004 federal election on June 28, 2004, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections, but due to the seat distribution, those few changes significantly...
(2004–2006)
On June 28, 2004Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
, Ablonczy was once more elected as the MP for Calgary-Nose Hill, this time for the new Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
. She won with an increased majority of 64.4%. The Conservative Party won 99 seats, making it the Official Opposition
Official Opposition (Canada)
In Canada, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , commonly known as the Official Opposition, is usually the largest parliamentary opposition party in the House of Commons or a provincial legislative assembly that is not in government, either on its own or as part of a governing coalition...
. Ablonczy held the following positions:
- Member of the Conservative Party Shadow Cabinet
- Chief Official Opposition Critic for Citizenship & Immigration.
- Member of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.
In 2005, she chaired a series of National Consultations on Canada’s Immigration System and developed the Conservative Party’s immigration policies.
39th Parliament39th Canadian ParliamentThe 39th Canadian Parliament was in session from April 3, 2006 until September 7, 2008. The membership was set by the 2006 federal election on January 23, 2006, and it has changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections...
(2006 - 2008)
On January 23, 2006Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
, Ablonczy was re-elected with an increased vote percentage of 68.5%. The Conservatives won 124 seats and formed a minority Conservative government. In the first 18 months of the Harper government Ablonczy served in the following positions:
- Parliamentary SecretaryParliamentary SecretaryA Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of FinanceMinister of Finance (Canada)The Minister of Finance is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible each year for presenting the federal government's budget...
.
- Canadian Representative at Organisation for Economic Co-operation and DevelopmentOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and DevelopmentThe Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an international economic organisation of 34 countries founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade...
and European Bank for Reconstruction and DevelopmentEuropean Bank for Reconstruction and DevelopmentFounded in 1991, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development uses the tools of investment to help build market economies and democracies in 30 countries from central Europe to central Asia. Its mission was to support the formerly communist countries in the process of establishing their...
meetings
- Member of the Standing Committee on Finance.
- Member of the historic all-Party Ad Hoc Committee to Review a Nominee for the Supreme Court of CanadaJudicial appointments in CanadaCanada is a federation composed of a federal government and of 10 provinces and 3 territories. There are two levels of courts in each province or territory : superior courts appointed by the federal government, and a provincial or territorial court appointed by the province or territory.Judicial...
that interviewed Supreme CourtSupreme Court of CanadaThe Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
Nominee Judge Marshall RothsteinMarshall RothsteinMarshall Rothstein, QC, B.Comm, LLB is a Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.-Early life:Born in Winnipeg to Jewish parents who immigrated from Eastern Europe, he received a Bachelor of Commerce in 1962 and an LL.B. in 1966 from the University of Manitoba...
on February 27, 2006, televised live on national news channels.
In August 2007, Ablonczy was named to the Federal Cabinet as junior Minister holding the following positions:
- Secretary of StateSecretary of State (Canada)Secretary of State was a title given to some Ministers of State in the Government of Canada sitting outside Cabinet from 1993 to 2003 and again from 2007 to 2008. Secretaries of State were members of the ministry and the Queen's Privy Council for Canada...
responsible for Small Business & Tourism.
- Member of the Cabinet Operations Committee
- Member of the Cabinet Committee for Economic Growth and Long Term Prosperity.
40th Parliament40th Canadian ParliamentThe 40th Canadian Parliament was in session from November 18, 2008 to March 26, 2011, and was the last Parliament of the longest-running minority government in Canadian history that began with the previous Parliament. The membership of its House of Commons was determined by the results of the 2008...
(2008-2011)
On October 14, 2008Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
, Ablonczy was re-elected with her largest majority ever: 69.6%. The Conservatives won a second minority government with 143 seats. On October 30, 2008, Diane Ablonczy was sworn into Cabinet as Minister of State
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
for Small Business & Tourism in the second Harper government. She served in the following Cabinet Committees:
- Treasury Board Submissions
- Economic Growth and Long Term Prosperity
- Environment and Energy Security.
Ablonczy oversaw the development and implementation of the following important Ministry initiatives:
- Paper Burden Reduction. On March 20, 2009, Ablonczy announced that the federal government had reached its goal of reducing the paperwork required of Canadian small businesses by 20 percent.
- BizPal, an online tool to simplify the permit application process for entrepreneurs, was expanded to a rapidly increasing number of governments
- Small Business Internship Program – a program designated to help small business by supplying the salaries of student interns to work in their offices.
- The Marquee Tourism Events Program – announced in Budget 2009 as a $100 million economic stimulus initiative for tourism. In time for the summer tourist season the MTEP provided funding for a few dozen large and well-established festivals across Canada to help them deliver world-class programs and draw bigger crowds.
- Development of a National Tourism Strategy to guide future investments and to bring greater coherence to federal activities in support of tourism.
In the cabinet shuffle of January 19, 2010, Diane Ablonczy changed portfolios and became the Minister of State for Seniors.
Bill C-40, An Act to establish National Seniors Day, introduced by Minister of State Ablonczy, received Royal Assent on November 18, 2010. Through this legislation, October 1 will now be recognized as National Seniors Day.
During 2010 Ablonczy continued to serve as Member of the Treasury Board, and also was Vice Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs.
On January 4, 2011, Ablonczy was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the position was expanded to include responsibility for the Americas and Consular Affairs. She became a member of the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, and continued to be a member of the Treasury Board.