Tanya Fir ECA MLA (born 1975) is a Canadian politician who was elected in the 2019 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Calgary-Peigan in the 30th Alberta Legislature. She is a member of the United Conservative Party.[1]
The Honourable Tanya Fir | |
|---|---|
 Tanya Fir | |
| Minister of Arts, Culture, and the Status of Women | |
| Assumed office June 9, 2023 | |
| Premier | Danielle Smith |
| Preceded by | Jason Luan |
| Alberta Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation | |
| In office August 26, 2022 – October 23, 2022 | |
| Premier | Jason Kenney, Danielle Smith |
| Preceded by | Doug Schweitzer |
| Succeeded by | Brian Jean |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Alberta Minister of Red Tape Reduction | |
| In office July 8, 2021 – October 23, 2022 | |
| Premier | Jason Kenney |
| Preceded by | Grant Hunter |
| Succeeded by | Dale Nally |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Peigan | |
| Assumed office April 16, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Riding established |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1975 (age 48–49) Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada |
| Political party | United Conservative Party |
| Residence(s) | Calgary, Alberta |
| Alma mater | University of Calgary |
Background
Born in Cranbrook, Fir moved to Calgary with her family in 1985.[2]
Prior to serving with the Legislative Assembly, Fir was employed with Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL) for 16 years as a Human Resources Advisor.[3]
Fir holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a concentration in Management of Organizations and Human Resources from the University of Calgary.[4]
Political Activity
In August 2018, Fir beat former Ontario MP Jeff Watson and past Wildrose candidate Jeevan Mangat to secure her party's nomination.[5][6] Her nomination campaign manager was longtime provincial Conservative party organizer Craig Chandler.[7]
On April 30, 2019, she was appointed to be the Minister for Economic Development, Trade and Tourism in the Executive Council of Alberta, holding that role until August 25, 2020. In January 2021, Fir was found to be vacationing in Las Vegas despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and advisory against nonessential travel.[8] She was demoted from her committee duties as a result.[9] Fir was later appointed Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction on July 8, 2021, and Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation on August 26, 2022. Fir held these roles until October 23, 2022. She was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women on October 24, 2022.[10]
On June 9, 2023, Fir was appointed Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women.[11]
Fir has sat on several committees of the Legislative Assembly including the Standing Committee on Families and Communities, the Standing Committee on Members' Services and others.[12] In addition to this service, Fir has been a member of the Social Services Cabinet Policy Committee.[13]
Fir has spoken to her opposition to red tape[14] and has sponsored two bills to which deal with reducing it.[15][16] Fir has also been the sponsor of Bill 23, as well as Bill 33 which sought to increase investment in Alberta.[17]
Electoral record
| 2023 Alberta general election: Calgary-Peigan | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| United Conservative | Tanya Fir | 11,892 | 55.02 | -4.81 | ||||
| New Democratic | Denis Ram | 9,095 | 42.08 | +12.84 | ||||
| Green | Shaun Pulsifer | 626 | 2.90 | – | ||||
| Total | 21,613 | 99.36 | – | |||||
| Rejected and declined | 139 | 0.64 | ||||||
| Turnout | 21,752 | 62.27 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 34,932 | |||||||
| United Conservative hold | Swing | -8.82 | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Elections Alberta[18] | ||||||||
| 2019 Alberta general election: Calgary-Peigan | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| United Conservative | Tanya Fir | 13,353 | 59.83% | 0.74% | ||||
| New Democratic | Joe Pimlott | 6,527 | 29.25% | -6.32% | ||||
| Alberta Party | Ronald Reinhold | 1,534 | 6.87% | – | ||||
| Liberal | Jaro Giesbrecht | 425 | 1.90% | 0.26% | ||||
| Freedom Conservative | Sheyne Espey | 299 | 1.34% | – | ||||
| Alberta Independence | Will Hatch | 180 | 0.81% | – | ||||
| Total | 22,318 | – | – | |||||
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | 165 | 50 | 2 | |||||
| Eligible electors / turnout | 33,899 | 66.33% | – | |||||
| United Conservative pickup new district. | ||||||||
Source(s)
Source: "22 - Calgary-Peigan, 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. 84–87. ISBN 978-1-988620-12-1. Retrieved April 7, 2021. | ||||||||
References
- ^ "Alberta election: Calgary-Peigan results – Calgary". Globalnews.ca. 2019-03-17. Retrieved 2019-04-17.
- ^ "Tanya Fir". United Conservative Caucus. 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ "Tanya Fir: Member Information". www.youcount.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ "Tanya Fir: Member Information". www.youcount.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ "Wednesday Morining Alberta Candidate Nomination Update – daveberta.ca – Alberta Politics".
- ^ "UCP Nomination Candidate Stands Behind Campaign Chair Who Spreads Conspiracies About Pedophiles and Police".
- ^ "Why so many Albertans are giving up on their country". macleans.ca. Nov 7, 2019.
...longtime provincial Conservative party organizer Craig Chandler—who earlier this year was the campaign manager for Jason Kenney's Economic Development, Trade and Tourism Minister Tanya Fir
- ^ "Canadians can still travel to the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic — just not by car". CBC News. 2020-06-12. Retrieved 2022-09-14.
- ^ "Calgary MLA apologizes for holiday travel a second time almost a month after the fact". CTV News. 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2022-09-14.
- ^ "Member Information: Tanya Fir". www.assembly.ab.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ "Premier Smith appoints new Alberta cabinet with many familiar faces in different portfolios". Edmonton. 2023-06-09. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
- ^ "Member Information: Tanya Fir". www.assembly.ab.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ "Government committees and members". www.alberta.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ Spackman, Sheldon. "Associate Minister highlights red tape reduction efforts". rdnewsnow.com. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ Bill 80, Red Tape Reduction Implementation Act 2021 (No. 2)*, 2nd Sess, 30th Leg, Alberta, 2021 (Assented to 8 December 2021).
- ^ Bill 21, Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 3rd Sess, 30th Leg, Alberta, 2022 (Assented to 31 May 2022).
- ^ Bill 33, Alberta Investment Attraction Act*, 2nd Sess, 30th Leg, Alberta, 2020 (Assented to 29 July 2020).
- ^ "22 - Calgary-Peigan". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 8, 2023.