Monte Solberg

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Hon. Monte Kenton Solberg

Ridings	Medicine Hat (1993-present)
Political party:	Reform (1993–2000) Canadian Alliance (2000–2003) Progressive Conservative (2003–2004) Conservative (2004–)
First elected:	1993 election
Profession(s):	Broadcaster, Businessman
Religion:	Evangelical [1]

Monte Kenton Solberg PC, MP (born September 17, 1958 in Calgary, Alberta) is a Canadian Member of Parliament, representing the riding of Medicine Hat in the Canadian House of Commons as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He is the current Minister of Human Resources and Social Development. He has also served as Critic for Foreign Affairs, National Revenue, and Human Resources Development.

A former broadcaster and businessman, Solberg was elected as a Reform Party Member of Parliament (MP) in 1993 and 1997, and as a Canadian Alliance MP in 2000. In 2001, Solberg was one of 13 MPs who were suspended from the Canadian Alliance caucus for criticizing the leadership of Stockwell Day. He sat as an Independent Alliance MP for the summer, but rejoined the Alliance caucus before the Democratic Representative Caucus was formed. He was also one of four Alliance MPs who agreed to sit with the Progressive Conservative caucus (to preserve their official party status) after the December 9, 2003 creation of the merged Conservative Party, as the Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance parliamentary caucuses were not officially merged until a few weeks later. He was re-elected as a Conservative MP in the 2004 election.

Solberg kept a high-profile blog, and in 2005, is thought to have made history when, using his BlackBerry, he blogged from the floor of the House of Commons immediately upon the passage of Bill C-38, which provided legal recognition of same-sex marriage. Solberg was opposed to the bill. In 2006, Solberg again won his Medicine Hat riding, with 79.7% of the vote. He suspended updating his blog after being appointed Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

On Janurary 4th 2007, during a pre-election cabinet shuffle, Solberg was appointed the new minister of Human Resources and Social Development, replacing Diane Finley.

[edit] External links

• Solberg's official Blog (Monte Solberg is no longer actively blogging)
• Federal Political Biography from the Library of Parliament

28th Ministry - Government of Stephen Harper
Cabinet Posts (2)
Predecessor	Office	Successor
Diane Finley	Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development (2007–) styled as Minister of Human Resources and Social Development	incumbent
Joe Volpe	Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (2006–2007)	Diane Finley

Preceded by Bob Porter

Member of Parliament for Medicine Hat 1993–

Succeeded by Incumbent

Members of the current Canadian Cabinet
Ambrose | Baird | Bernier | Blackburn | Cannon | Clement | Day | Emerson | Finley | Flaherty | Fortier | Harper | Hearn | LeBreton | Lunn | MacKay | Nicholson | O'Connor | Oda | Prentice | Skelton | Solberg | Strahl | Thompson | Toews | Van Loan | Verner Secretaries of State Guergis | Hill | Kenney | Paradis | Ritz

	Alberta Caucus serving in the 39th Canadian Parliament.
Senators	Tommy Banks (Lib), Joyce Fairbairn (Lib), Daniel Hays (Lib), Elaine McCoy (PC), Grant Mitchell (Lib), Claudette Tardif (Lib)
Members of Parliament	Diane Ablonczy (Con), Rona Ambrose (Con), Rob Anders (Con), Leon Benoit (Con), Blaine Calkins (Con), Rick Casson (Con), Ken Epp (Con), Peter Goldring (Con), Art Hanger (Con), Stephen Harper (Con), Laurie Hawn (Con), Rahim Jaffer (Con), Brian Jean (Con), Jason Kenney (Con), Mike Lake (Con), Ted Menzies (Con), Rob Merrifield (Con), Bob Mills (Con), Deepak Obhrai (Con), Jim Prentice (Con), James Rajotte (Con), Lee Richardson (Con), Monte Solberg (Con), Kevin Sorenson (Con), Brian Storseth (Con), Myron Thompson (Con), Chris Warkentin (Con), John Williams (Con)