Rick Strankman

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Rick Strankman
MLA
MLA for Drumheller-Stettler
Assumed office
2012
Preceded byJack Hayden
Personal details
Bornsmall
(1953-06-20) June 20, 1953 (age 70)
Oyen, Alberta
Diedsmall
Resting placesmall
Political partyWildrose Party
SpouseDianne Strankman
Parent
  • small
Residence(s)Altario, Alberta
Websiterickstrankman.ca

Richard Strankman (born June 20, 1953) is a Canadian politician who is an elected member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the electoral district of Drumheller-Stettler.[1]

In addition to serving on both the Standing Committee on Private Bills and the legislative policy committee on Alberta’s Economic Future, Strankman is the Tourism, Parks and Recreation critic for the Wildrose Party Official Opposition Caucus.[2]

Career

Strankman has owned and operated a farming business since 1973. From 1999 to 2011 he also volunteered as secretary/treasurer of the Western Barley Growers Association. Although initially interested in agriculture, Strankman became increasingly involved in politics and social activism in response to federal regulation of the agriculture industry, including legislation relating to the Canadian Wheat Board. His commitment to public service began early on and as a youth Strankman was honoured with the Queen’s scout award by Boy Scouts of Canada. Strankman also has a keen interest in aviation and has held a pilot’s licence and done aerial application since 1974.[2]

Strankman was jailed in 2002 after being charged under the Customs Act for taking 756 bushels of wheat across the U.S. border in protest of the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly. Strankman and other farmers arrested received a pardon from Prime Minister Stephen Harper on August 1, 2012, when the federal government's Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act came into effect,[3] which allowed producers to opt out of the Canadian Wheat Board and sell wheat on the open market.[4]

At a reunion with 12 of 13 farmers who had been jailed for taking wheat across the border, Strankman stood by his decision to participate in the act of civil disobedience. He served one week of a 180-day sentence.[5]

Electoral history

2012 general election

2012 Alberta general election: Drumheller-Stettler
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Wildrose Rick Strankman 7,452 49.38 +38.91
Progressive Conservative Jack Hayden 6,587 43.65 -25.25
New Democratic Aditya "Adi" Rao 408 2.70 -0.02
Liberal Cam Roset 362 2.40 -12.03
Alberta Party Andrew Berdahl 281 1.86
Total valid votes 15,090
Rejected, spoiled, and declined 49 57 2
Registered electors / turnout 24,788 61.31 +17.58
Wildrose gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +32.08
Source(s)
Elections Alberta. "Electoral division results: Drumheller-Stettler". Retrieved July 16, 2018.
Chief Electoral Officer (2012). The Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the 2011 Provincial Enumeration and Monday, April 23, 2012 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-eighth Legislative Assembly (PDF). Edmonton: Elections Alberta. pp. 342–344. OCLC 824182259. Retrieved November 16, 2020.

2015 general election

2015 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Wildrose Rick Strankman 7,563 47.6
Progressive Conservative Jack Hayden 5,399 34.0
New Democratic Emily Shannon 2,928 18.4

References

External links