Brian Mason

For the meteoriticist, see Brian Harold Mason.

Brian Mason MLA
Mason, giving a speech about campaign financing. Calgary, February 14, 2008
Leader of the Alberta New Democrats
Incumbent
Assumed office September, 2004
Preceded by	Raj Pannu
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Edmonton Highlands-Norwood
Incumbent
Assumed office 2004
Preceded by	New district
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Edmonton Highlands
In office 2000–2004
Preceded by	Pam Barrett
Succeeded by	District abolished
Personal details
Born	(1953-10-12) October 12, 1953
Political party	Alberta New Democratic Party

Brian Mason (born October 12, 1953) is a Canadian politician and current leader of the Alberta New Democrats. Mason was first elected as a Member of the Alberta Legislative Assembly for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood in a 2000, and his career in politics spans more than 20 years.

Mason first became politically active in the mid-1970s while studying political science at the University of Alberta. He served as executive director of the Federation of Alberta Students from 1977-79. Upon leaving university Mason began working as bus driver with the Edmonton Transit System.

He re-entered politics in 1989 with a dynamic campaign running for Edmonton city council in Ward 3. Mason's campaign came on the heels of a legal challenge he mounted against a provincial law forbidding municipal employees from running as candidates in a civic election unless they resigned their position with the city.

The legal challenge was unsuccessful, but it cemented Mason’s image in the community as a principled politician who stands up for ordinary Albertans. Mason was elected city councilor for Ward 3 on October, 1989.

Shortly after the election the law Mason challenged was repealed, and municipal workers in Edmonton are today allowed to run for civic office without resigning their positions.

Mason remained on city council until 2000, following the mid-term resignation of then-leader of the Alberta's New Democrat Opposition Pam Barrett, MLA Edmonton Highlands. Mason ran for the NDP in the ensuing by-election and easily held the Legislative Assembly of Alberta seat. He was re-elected in the general election of March 12, 2001.

Mason was appointed the role of interim party leader for the NDP following the resignation of then leader Raj Pannu in July 2004. He became the official leader of the Alberta NDP Edmonton on September 18, 2004, following a vote at the party convention.

Mason held his seat during the 26th Alberta general election in 2004. The caucus also welcomed the return of former leaders Pannu and Ray Martin, along with newcomer David Eggen. In the 27th Alberta general election in 2008 Mason again retained his seat, and was joined in the caucus by newly elected NDP MLA Rachel Notley from Edmonton-Strathcona, the seat held previously by Pannu. Notley was the only other candidate for the NDP to be elected to the Alberta Legislative Assembly in 2008. Martin and Eggen both lost closely contested races to their PC challengers.

During his tenure as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, Mason's has become the outspoken champion of issues such as protecting public health care and long-term care, defending senior citizens, diversifying Alberta's economy, energy deregulation, education funding and high automobile insurance rates.

In recent years Mason has hosted various community meetings around the province of Alberta, in contrast to dwindling public consultation on behalf of the governing PCs.

In 2009 Mason hosted a Round Table forum to discuss provincial budget concerns with a wide cross-section of Albertans. In 2009 and 2010 Mason hosted two provincial tours, each visiting several Alberta communities.

The first tour took place in September 2009. The NDP held public extensive with Albertans focusing on health care concerns, and resulted in the publication of the What People Want report, which included more than 35 recommendations for health care reforms that would protect public services, and improve the general health of Albertans.

The second tour took place in May 2010. Again the NDP help public consultations, this time inviting Albertans to discuss concerns over the future of Alberta's energy economy and environment, as well as concerns over the erosion of public health services including long-term care.

Mason has lived in Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood for over 20 years. He and his wife Karin have two sons, Peter and Alex.

Election Results

2004 general election

2004 Alberta general election results

Turnout 42.74%

Swing

Affiliation

Candidate

Votes

%

Party

Personal

NDP

Brian Mason

6,054

62.62%

*

Progressive Conservative

Terry Martinuk

2,208

22.84%

*

Liberal

Jason Manzevich

1,035

10.71%

*

Alberta Alliance

Ray Loyer

305

3.15%

*

Independent

Dale Ferris

66

0.68%

*

Total

9,668

100%

Rejected, Spoiled and Declined

91

20,681 Eligible Electors

NDP pickup new district

Swing N/A

2008 general election

2008 Alberta general election results			Turnout 32.54%		Swing
Affiliation		Candidate	Votes	%	Party	Personal	NDP	Brian Mason	4,754	50.95%	-11.67%		Progressive Conservative	Andrew Beniuk	2,978	31.92%	9.08%	*	Liberal	Brad Smith	1,132	12.13%	1.42%	*	Wildrose Alliance	Travis Loewen	245	2.63%	-0.52	*	Green	Mohamad Maie	221	2.37%	*
Total			9,330	100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined			39
28,795 Eligible Electors							NDP hold				Swing -10.38%

External links

• Alberta NDP Opposition homepage (caucus)
• Alberta NDP homepage (party)
• Party info about Brian Mason
• Legislative Assembly of Alberta biography