Bruce McAllister (politician)

Bruce McAllister MLA
MLA for Chestermere-Rocky View
Incumbent
Assumed office 2012
Preceded by	District created
Personal details
Born	(1971-03-27) March 27, 1971 Fredericton, New Brunswick
Political party	Wildrose (2012–2014) Alberta Progressive Conservatives (2014–present)
Residence	Chestermere, Alberta
Profession	Broadcast journalist
Website	brucemcallister.ca

Bruce H. McAllister (born March 27, 1971) is a Canadian politician who is an elected member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the electoral district of Chestermere-Rocky View.^[1][2] After the 2012 Alberta election, McAllister along with 16 other Wildrose MLAs formed the Official Opposition. Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith appointed McAllister as Education and Advanced Education Critic.^[3]

After completing a diploma in broadcast journalism from Loyalist College in Belleville, Ontario, McAllister has had a lengthy career in broadcast journalism, working in cities across the country – including Halifax, Winnipeg, Medicine Hat, and Victoria.^[3][4] From 2004 to autumn 2011 (immediately prior to running in the 2012 provincial election)^[4] he was co-anchor of the morning news program on Global Calgary.^[5] While Bruce was a popular news reader, Global Calgary was unsuccessful in negotiating a new contract with McAllister and as such he was terminated on September 9, 2011.^[6][7]

Bruce became a Wildrose party member after just a month of looking for work.^[8] McAllister was avid critic of the long seated Alberta PC party and he was particularly effective in criticism of the PC governments lack of education reform.^[9][10]

In the 2012 fall Legislative session as a member of the Wildrose party, McAllister brought forward amendments to the Education Act that would have ended school fees for mandatory curriculum activities, and would have guaranteed the rights of teachers to grade students with a zero where warranted.^[11][12]

On December 17, 2014, he was one of nine Wildrose MLAs who defected from the Wildrose party and crossed the floor to join the Alberta Progressive Conservative caucus.^[13] On December 18, 2014, the President of the Chestermere-Rocky View PC constituency association said that "...people in our constituency right now that are lost. They are dumbfounded..."^[14] By February however, Bruce was soon welcomed by PC Party leadership in Edmonton as one of their own even though local support remained questionable.^[15]

In March 2015, Bruce had two declared competitors for the riding of Chestermere-Rocky View. One was Jamie Lall, a long time PC party member and local resident, competing against McAllister for the PC nomination.^[16] The other is Leela Sharon Aheer, who is running as the Wildrose candidate.^[17][18]

While some in the PC party remain critical of Bruce's decision to changing parties without an democratic process, he remains confident in his decision; “Although I can’t speak for all of them, those people that wrote cheques and supported me as a Wildrose MLA, to the large degree, those same people will be writing cheques for me as a PC MLA".^[19]

In February 2015 several high profile PC party members including the Premier came to Chestermere with Bruce in campaign-style event that was geared to supporting the local PC party including Bruce.^[20]

On March 23, 2015 Bruce McAllister voted in favour of the 2015 Alberta Budget which contained the largest cumulative tax increase and the largest annual budget deficit in Alberta history.^[21]

On March 28, 2015 Bruce's only competition for the PC nomination, Jamie Lall,^[22] was disqualified under mysterious circumstances.^[23]

Electoral history

2012 general election

References