Doug Horner
Encyclopedia
Douglas Alan "Doug" Horner (born January 17, 1961) is a Canadian
politician, who represents the electoral district
of Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert
in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
. He was a candidate for the leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party
in its 2011 leadership election
, placing third.
He is Deputy Premier and President of the Treasury Board and Enterprise under Premier Alison Redford
. In 2006, when Ed Stelmach
became premier, Horner was appointed Minister of Advanced Education and Technology. He retained the position in cabinet shuffle on January 13, 2010, and was also appointed to the position of Deputy Premier. He was first elected in the 2001 provincial election
. He became the province's Minister of Agriculture in 2004 under Premier Ralph Klein.
Horner comes from a politically active family; his grandfather, Ralph Horner
, was a Senator for Saskatchewan
, his father, Dr. Hugh Horner
was a federal Member of Parliament under John Diefenbaker
and then Alberta's agriculture minister and deputy premier in the 1970s while his uncles Jack Horner
, Albert Horner
and Norval Horner
were also federal MPs.
. He graduated from from SAIT Polytechnic (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) with a diploma in business. After completing further studies, he was accredited by the Institute of Canadian Bankers.
and Alison Redford
). Redford won the run-off ballot held on October 1.
, Red Deer
, Grand Prairie, Fort McMurray, Lethbridge
, Medicine Hat and, Calgary
. Other speakers include John Furlong
, who provided leadership for the team that organized and delivered the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
, the Loyal Edmonton Regiment Association and several other service and community organizations.
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...
politician, who represents the electoral district
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert
Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert
Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.-Boundary history:-2004 general election:-2004 Senate nominee election district results:...
in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
. He was a candidate for the leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
in its 2011 leadership election
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leadership election, 2011
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leadership election, 2011 was prompted by Ed Stelmach's announcement that he would not be seeking re-election in the 28th general election and therefore would be resigning as leader of the Progressive Conservatives...
, placing third.
He is Deputy Premier and President of the Treasury Board and Enterprise under Premier Alison Redford
Alison Redford
Alison Merrilla Redford Q.C., MLA, is a Canadian politician, and the 14th and current Premier of Alberta, Canada. Upon winning the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta, in October 2011, she became the first female premier in Alberta...
. In 2006, when Ed Stelmach
Ed Stelmach
Edward Michael "Ed" Stelmach, MLA is a Canadian politician and served as the 13th Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 2006 to 2011. The grandson of Ukrainian immigrants, Stelmach was born and raised on a farm near Lamont and speaks fluent Ukrainian. He spent his entire pre-political adult life as a...
became premier, Horner was appointed Minister of Advanced Education and Technology. He retained the position in cabinet shuffle on January 13, 2010, and was also appointed to the position of Deputy Premier. He was first elected in the 2001 provincial election
Alberta general election, 2001
The Alberta general election of 2001 was the twenty-fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 12, 2001 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He became the province's Minister of Agriculture in 2004 under Premier Ralph Klein.
Early life
Born in Barrhead, Alberta, to Jean and Dr. Hugh Horner, Doug Horner has lived in Calgary, Consort, Slave Lake, Morinville and Spruce Grove.Horner comes from a politically active family; his grandfather, Ralph Horner
Ralph Horner
Ralph Byron Horner was a Canadian Senator, farmer, businessman and the patriarch of a Western Canadian political family.Born in North Clarendon, Quebec, Horner and his family settled in Blaine Lake, Saskatchewan....
, was a Senator for Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, his father, Dr. Hugh Horner
Hugh Horner
Hugh Macarthur Horner was a physician and surgeon. He served as a Canadian federal and provincial politician. Horner was born in Blaine Lake, Saskatchewan...
was a federal Member of Parliament under John Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
and then Alberta's agriculture minister and deputy premier in the 1970s while his uncles Jack Horner
Jack Horner (politician)
John Henry "Jack" Horner, PC was a rancher and former Canadian politician and Cabinet minister.Nicknamed "Cactus Jack", Horner was born in Saskatchewan, the fifth child in a family of six boys and three girls. His mother's uncle had been a prisoner of Louis Riel's provisional government...
, Albert Horner
Albert Horner
Albert Ralph Horner was a Saskatchewan politician, retired grain producer and livestock breeder. He was born in Shawville, Quebec...
and Norval Horner
Norval Horner
Norval Alexander Horner , is a Saskatchewan politician and former member of the Canadian House of Commons.Mr. Horner earned teaching and engineering degrees and worked as a businessman, farmer and school principal....
were also federal MPs.
Family life
Doug Horner married his wife Rose, in 1980. They have three children and two grandchildren. Doug Horner is a third generation Albertan.Education
Horner received his post-secondary education in AlbertaAlberta
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...
. He graduated from from SAIT Polytechnic (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) with a diploma in business. After completing further studies, he was accredited by the Institute of Canadian Bankers.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (2004-2006)
- Established Rural Alberta Development Fund.
- Established Biofuels Initiative.
- Vice-chair of the Alberta Grain Commission.
Minister of Advanced Education and Technology (2006-2011)
- Created Alberta Innovates, which focuses on research in bio solutions, energy and environment, technology futures and health sciences.
- Instrumental in creating two new universities: Grant MacEwan University and Mount Royal University.
- Led the creation of Campus Alberta and the establishment of Apply Alberta in an effort to streamline the application process.
- Chair of the Alberta government´s Information and Communications Technology Implementation Committee
Deputy Premier of Alberta (2010 - 2011)
Horner became Deputy Premier of Alberta in January 2010. He resigned in February 2011 to become a candidate for PC leadership. He was reappointed to this post again at the conclusion of the PC leadership election.Committee service
- Member of the Standing Committee on Law and Regulations
- Special Standing Committee on Members’ Services and the Standing Policy Committee on Justice and Government Services.
- Member of the Treasury Board and the Cabinet Policy Committee on the Economy.
- Member of the Standing Committee on Private Bills.
- Chair of the Alberta government's Information and Communications Technology Implementation Committee
PC leadership candidate, 2011
On February 4, 2011, Horner resigned from cabinet in order to run for the leadership of the PC Party in its 2011 leadership election. After the September 17 vote, he finished in the top three (behind Gary MarGary Mar
Gary Glen Mar QC, is a Canadian politician in Alberta, Canada. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1993 to 2007. On December 3, 2007, he was appointed as the Official Representative for Alberta in Washington, D.C., and worked in the Canadian Embassy with the official...
and Alison Redford
Alison Redford
Alison Merrilla Redford Q.C., MLA, is a Canadian politician, and the 14th and current Premier of Alberta, Canada. Upon winning the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta, in October 2011, she became the first female premier in Alberta...
). Redford won the run-off ballot held on October 1.
Leadership and influence
Horner is a featured speaker for the "Think Big Alberta" Tour. During the summer of 2011, the tour will visit the cities of EdmontonEdmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Red Deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
, Grand Prairie, Fort McMurray, Lethbridge
Lethbridge
Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's...
, Medicine Hat and, 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...
. Other speakers include John Furlong
John Furlong (Canadian)
John Furlong, O.C, O.B.C was the President and Chief Executive Officer of VANOC which oversaw the preparation and execution of the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2010 Winter Paralympics Games...
, who provided leadership for the team that organized and delivered the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Business career
Before being elected to the Alberta Legislature, Horner worked in the private sector, including banking in southern Alberta and agriculture. He was involved in the start-up and operations of his family's barley and oat processing mill. Later he became responsible for international marketing and sales of specialty grains for ConAgra from its Nebraska office. After three years he moved back to Canada and established a trading company for agrifoods and agrifeeds for domestic and international markets.Military service
Horner has served in the Canadian Forces Reserve, and as the Minister Liaison to the Canadian Forces.Community involvement
Horner is a member of the Spruce Grove & District Chamber of Commerce, the St. Albert Parkland Rotary Club, the Royal Canadian LegionRoyal Canadian Legion
The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization founded in 1925, with more than 400,000 members worldwide. Membership includes people who have served as current and former military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, direct relatives of...
, the Loyal Edmonton Regiment Association and several other service and community organizations.