Richard Junior (RJ) Sigurdson ECA MLA is a Canadian politician who has been the Alberta Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation since June 2023. He was elected in the 2019 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Highwood in the 30th Alberta Legislature.[1]

The Honourable
Richard Junior Sigurdson
Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation
Assumed office
June 9, 2023
Preceded byNate Horner
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Highwood
Assumed office
April 16, 2019
Preceded byWayne Anderson
Personal details
Political partyUnited Conservative Party
ResidenceOkotoks, Alberta

Policies

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In February 2021, in an Okotoks Today article, Sigurdson said that he shared the concerns of his constituents regarding the June 2020 rescinding of the 1976 coal policy.[2] Sigurdson supports "protecting the watershed of southern Alberta and the integrity of the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies."

In response to the Level 1 more stringent COVID-19 restrictions announced by Premier Jason Kenney on April 6, 2021, Sigurdson and 16 other UCP MLAs signed an open letter to the premier, calling on him to roll back the restrictions.[3] All of the MLAs who cosigned the appeal represent ridings outside the two largest cities of Calgary and Edmonton.[3]

Electoral history

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2023 general election

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2023 Alberta general election: Highwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Conservative R.J. Sigurdson 17,990 68.90 -4.36
New Democratic Jessica Hallam 7,540 28.88 +11.37
Wildrose Independence Mike Lorusso 580 2.22
Total 26,110 99.22
Rejected and declined 204 0.78
Turnout 26,314 67.31
Eligible voters 39,093
United Conservative hold Swing -7.86
Source(s)

2019 general election

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2019 Alberta general election: Highwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Conservative R.J. Sigurdson 18,635 73.26% -0.78%
New Democratic Erik Overland 4,453 17.51% -1.51%
Alberta Party Ron Kerr 1,988 7.82% 3.51%
Alberta Independence Dan Irving 362 1.42%
Total 25,438
Rejected, spoiled and declined 208 35 9
Eligible electors / turnout 35,422 72.43% 16.62%
United Conservative hold Swing 23.83%
Source(s)
Source: "65 - Highwood, 2019 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Alberta. Chief Electoral Officer (2019). 2019 General Election. A Report of the Chief Electoral Officer. Volume II (PDF) (Report). Vol. 2. Edmonton, Alta.: Elections Alberta. pp. 296–301. ISBN 978-1-988620-12-1. Retrieved April 7, 2021.

References

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  1. ^ "Alberta election: Highwood results | Globalnews.ca".
  2. ^ "Highwood MLA says he's hearing constituent concerns on coal policy". Okotoks Today. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Seventeen UCP MLAs release statement opposing pandemic restrictions". 660 NEWS. April 7, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  4. ^ "65 - Highwood". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 10, 2023.