Heather Forsyth

Heather Forsyth
MLA for Calgary-Fish Creek
Incumbent
Assumed office 1993
Preceded by	William Edward Payne
Minister of Children's Services in the Alberta government
In office November 25, 2004 – December 15, 2006
Preceded by	Iris Evans
Succeeded by	Janis Tarchuk
Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security in the Alberta government
In office March 16, 2001 – November 25, 2004
Preceded by	Vacant
Succeeded by	Harvey Cenaiko
Personal details
Born	Heather Mae Forsyth[1] (1950-08-01) August 1, 1950 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Political party	Wildrose Alliance
Spouse(s)	Gordon
Residence	Calgary, Alberta
Occupation	sales and marketing manager
Website	heatherforsyth.com

Heather Mae Forsyth (born August 1, 1950) is a Canadian politician and current member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Calgary-Fish Creek as a Wildrose Alliance representative. She was a Progressive Conservative until she crossed the floor on January 4, 2010. In the Alberta general election, 2012, Forsyth was reelected along with 16 other Wildrose MLAs to form the Official Opposition. Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith appointed Forsyth as Health Critic.^[2]

Early life

Forsyth was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on August 1, 1950.^[3] Prior to being elected into the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Forsyth spent 15 years in the advertising industry as a sales and marketing manager, receiving both the Silver Marketing Award and the 1989 President’s Award. During this time, she was also an avid volunteer with various community groups, the Children’s Wish Foundation, the Calgary Board of Health, the Alberta Youth Justice Committee, and the Alberta Social Services Appeal Advisory Board.

Political career

Forsyth first sought public office in the 1993 provincial election in the constituency of Calgary-Fish Creek. In that election, she received 55% of the vote. She was reelected in each of the subsequent elections in 1997, 2001, 2004, and 2008, receiving 67%, 75%, 58% and 52% of the vote respectively.

Prior to her appointment to Cabinet, Forsyth was arguably best known for fighting for the issue of child prostitution. Her efforts resulted in the Protection of Children Involved in Prostitution Act, which recognized child prostitutes as victims of sexual abuse in need of protection. Forsyth's work on protecting children earned her the Canadian Hero award from Reader's Digest.^[4]

On March 16, 2001, Forsyth was appointed as Alberta’s Solicitor General. Throughout her tenure as Solicitor General, she continued to be a champion for children, launching the high-risk offender website and launching Canada’s first Amber Alert program and passing the Drug Endangered Children Act. The Integrated Response to Organized Crime (IROC) initiative, among other initiatives, was also advanced while she held the office of Solicitor General.

On November 25, 2004, Forsyth became Minister of Children’s Services, a position she held for two years. During this time, she focused her efforts on strengthening families and communities. She passed legislation to protect drug-endangered children (DECA – the first law of its type to be passed in Canada), created Bad Guy Patrol, a website dedicated to children’s education Internet safety through a partnership with Microsoft, and worked on many strategies regarding family violence and bullying.

In 2007, she became chair of the Crime Reduction and Safe Communities Task Force where she met with Albertans and stakeholders to discuss crime in their communities and reported back to the Minister of Justice with her findings.

Forsyth was the chair of the Standing Committee on the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund and was a member of the Standing Committee on Private Bills and the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing.

In January 2010, Forsyth and fellow PC MLA Rob Anderson crossed the floor to join the Wildrose Alliance Party.^[5]

She was re-elected as a Wildrose MLA in the 2012 Alberta Election, winning by just 74 votes over PC candidate Wendelin Fraser in a race which was the last in the entire province to have its winner declared.^[6]

Personal life

Forsyth is married to Gordon. The couple has two sons together. She enjoys reading, golfing, rock chimbing, gardening and giving back to the community. Forsyth founded and is the current chair of the Peanut Butter Classic Society, a non-profit organization that raises funds through an annual golf tournament to assist women and children. Of the many honours she has received, Forsyth identifies being given the Blackfoot name “Aahsoikinnah-kaiki”, which means healing woman, as one of her greatest.^[7]

Election results^{[citation needed]}

References