Jason Stephan is a Canadian politician elected in the 2019 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Red Deer-South in the 30th Alberta Legislature.[1][2] He is a member of the United Conservative Party. Stephan is a tax lawyer, chartered accountant, and founder of the Red Deer Taxpayers Association.[3]
Jason Stephan | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Red Deer-South | |
| Assumed office April 16, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Barb Miller |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | United Conservative Party |
| Residence(s) | Red Deer, Alberta |
| Occupation | accountant, lawyer |
Political activity
editMLA Stephan currently serves on the Standing Committee on Alberta's Economic Future as well as the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.[4] Mr. Stephan has previously served on the Select Special Committee to Examine Safe Supply, the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing, as well as the Select Special Information and Privacy Commissioner Search Committee among others.[5]
Jason Stephan has been a outspoken critic of Canada's equalization system and of the federal government's Just Transition Plan, often speaking to them as ways the federal government takes advantage of Alberta.[6][7]
As a legislator, MLA Stephan has pushed for accountability on multiple projects, including the AHS expansion of the Red Deer Hospital and more funding into primary care.[8]
In January 2021, Stephan was found to be vacationing in Phoenix, Arizona, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and was asked to resign from his position on the Treasury Board as a result.[9] He defended his choice by stating that “International travel, in and of itself, does not negatively impact Alberta’s COVID curve if it is done responsibly.” He also said that "I do not consider myself an exception to health guidelines. I have never asked Albertans to do things that I myself would not do – and that includes not travelling".[10] Later that year, Stephan requested for a public inquiry into harms of COVID-19 restrictions,[11] often being more critical of restrictions during the pandemic.[12]
Electoral history
edit2023 general election
edit| 2023 Alberta general election: Red Deer-South | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| United Conservative | Jason Stephan | 13,469 | 56.06 | -4.25 | ||||
| New Democratic | Michelle Baer | 9,976 | 41.52 | +15.98 | ||||
| Green | Ashley MacDonald | 274 | 1.14 | +0.22 | ||||
| Wildrose Loyalty Coalition | Jesse Stretch | 160 | 0.67 | – | ||||
| Solidarity Movement | Pamela Liebenberg | 146 | 0.61 | – | ||||
| Total | 24,025 | 99.36 | – | |||||
| Rejected and declined | 155 | 0.64 | ||||||
| Turnout | 24,180 | 61.81 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 39,120 | |||||||
| United Conservative hold | Swing | -10.11 | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Elections Alberta[13] | ||||||||
2023 UCP Red Deer-South nomination contest
editMarch 4, 2023[14]
| Candidate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | |
| Jason Stephan | 591 | 71.7 |
| Adele Poratto | 233 | 28.3 |
| Total | 824 | 100.00 |
2019 general election
edit| 2019 Alberta general election: Red Deer-South | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| United Conservative | Jason Stephan | 16,159 | 60.31% | 8.11% | ||||
| New Democratic | Barb Miller | 6,844 | 25.54% | -10.31% | ||||
| Alberta Party | Ryan Mcdougall | 3,244 | 12.11% | 6.82% | ||||
| Freedom Conservative | Teah-Jay Cartwright | 299 | 1.12% | – | ||||
| Green | Lori Curran | 246 | 0.92% | -0.48% | ||||
| Total | 26,792 | – | – | |||||
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | 161 | 58 | 12 | |||||
| Eligible electors / turnout | 37,495 | 71.92% | 19.90% | |||||
| United Conservative gain from New Democratic | Swing | 13.27% | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: "79 - Red Deer-South, 2019 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020. | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ "Alberta election: Red Deer-North results | Globalnews.ca".
- ^ "Jason Stephan, United Conservative Party candidate for Red Deer-South – Red Deer Advocate". Reddeeradvocate.com. 2019-04-12. Retrieved 2019-04-17.
- ^ Spackman, Sheldon. "Stephan looking to restore Alberta's prosperity if elected". rdnewsNOW.
- ^ "Government committees and members". www.alberta.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
- ^ "Member Information". www.assembly.ab.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
- ^ Muma, Jonathan (12 June 2020). "Alberta MLA takes shot at feds and Quebec over equalization - 660 NEWS". Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ Stephan, Jason. (January 12, 2023) https://www.reddeeradvocate.com/opinion/stephan-just-transition-an-attack-on-albertas-prosperity/. Red Deer Advocate. Retrieved 03-17-2023.
- ^ "Red Deer NDP candidates promote Family Health Clinics to improve primary care - Red Deer Advocate". www.reddeeradvocate.com. 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
- ^ Canadian Press (January 4, 2021) "7 Alberta cabinet ministers, MLAs, staff resign after holiday travels: Kenney". Coast Mountain News. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
- ^ Snook, Andrew. "Red Deer-South MLA travelled to Arizona". rdnewsnow.com. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
- ^ Staff, rdnewsNOW. "MLA Stephan reiterates request for public inquiry into harms of COVID-19 restrictions". CHAT News Today. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
- ^ "Restriction exemption program divides Albertans, says Red Deer MLA - Red Deer Advocate". www.reddeeradvocate.com. 2021-09-27. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
- ^ "79 - Red Deer-South". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ "Red Deer-South" (PDF). United Conservative Party. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
External links
edit- Facebook post in which Mr. Stephan addresses his travel abroad.