Jim Gurnett was a politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1985 until 1986.
Jim Gurnett was Executive Director of Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers from 2001-2009. EMCN is a civil society organization providing programs and services for people who are immigrants and refugees, including settlement assistance, language training, employment and career services, community development, counseling, housing, and advocacy. The vision of the organization is that newcomers to Edmonton will achieve full participation, strengthening and enriching the lives of the whole community.
Previously, Jim was Manager of Community Services at Bissell Centre, serving people living in poverty in Edmonton’s urban core (1999–2001). Prior to that he was founding Executive Director of The Hope Foundation (1993–1999), affiliated with the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta, as a centre for research and services related to the intentional use of hope as a means of enjoying enhanced quality of life.
For 15 years Jim worked as teacher, program facilitator and administrator at schools in Alberta and Afghanistan (Teacher, Bowness High School, Calgary; Vice Principal, Ahlman Academy; Kabul, Afghanistan; Teacher, American International School of Kabul; Principal, Whitelaw School; Program Facilitator, Fairview School Division; Principal, Rycroft School; Principal, Woking School; Principal, Blueberry Creek School).
He has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta (Spirit River-Fairview, 1985–86), Director of Communications and Outreach for the Official Opposition at the Alberta Legislature (1990–1993), and a newspaper editor.
Gurnett was first elected to the Alberta Legislature in a by-election for the in Spirit River-Fairview. He held the electoral district for the New Democrats after, party leader Grant Notley died in a plane crash, precipitating the by-election.[1]
The Legislature was dissolved less than a year later and he ran for a second term in office. His electoral district of Spirit River-Fairview was redistributed for the 1986 Alberta general election and he ran in the new electoral district of Dunvegan. The election was a hotly contested two way race that saw him lose by two hundred votes to Progressive Conservative candidate Glen Clegg. He would attempt to win his seat back in the 1989 Alberta general election, despite a strong showing Clegg won his second term by a larger margin. Gurnett retired from provincial politics after that election.[2]
Jim has four adult children and eight grandchildren. He is part of St. Faith’s (Anglican) parish. He writes sometimes for Edmonton Street News.
Current community service includes: • Chair, Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance • Board member, Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations • Member, Advisory Board, Alberta Housing Coalition • Communications spokesperson, Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness • Member, Social Work Program Advisory Committee, Grant MacEwan College • Member, Organizing Committee, Edmonton Good Friday Outdoor Way of the Cross.
He was educated at the Universities of Alberta (B.A., 1969) and Calgary.
Previous volunteer commitments have included: Board member, Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace Chair, Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Organizations Campaign Cabinet, United Way of the Alberta Capital Region Chair, Homefest planning committee, Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness Member, A Learning Alberta (2005–2006)—Minister of Advanced Education initiative
Recognitions: Queen’s Jubilee Medal (2004) Alberta Centennial Medal (2005) Project Ploughshares Edmonton Salvos Prelorentzos Peace Award (2007) Grant MacEwan College (2008) Honourary diploma in Community Studies Alberta Venture magazine (2007) “Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People”
| Legislative Assembly of Alberta | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Grant Notley |
MLA Spirit River-Fairview 1985–1986 |
Succeeded by District Abolished |