Gary Bikman
| Gary Bikman | |
|---|---|
 | |
| MLA for Cardston-Taber-Warner | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Broyce Jacobs |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 13, 1943 Lethbridge, Alberta |
| Political party | Wildrose Party (2012-2014) Alberta Progressive Conservative Party (2014-present) |
| Residence | Stirling, Alberta |
| Alma mater | Brigham Young University |
| Religion | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) |
| Website | bikman.ca |
Gary W. Bikman (born November 13, 1943) is a Canadian politician who is an elected member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the electoral district of Cardston-Taber-Warner.[1]
Bikman was first elected in the 2012 provincial election, as part of the Wildrose Party caucus. He currently serves as a member of the Standing Committee on Resource Stewardship and the Standing Committee on Legislative Offices. Bikman also serves the Wildrose Official Opposition Caucus as the Employment, Immigration and Enterprise Critic.[2]
Prior to his election to the legislature, Bikman served on the town council of Stirling, including stints as mayor, deputy mayor and councillor since 1980.
Bikman was born and raised in southern Alberta. He holds a bachelors of science degree and a masters in business administration degree from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Bikman has extensive business experience, having successfully owned and managed an oilfield service company for 25 years. He cofounded and led ChopStix Restaurants from 2006 to 2010 and ChopStix International Franchising from 2010 to 2012. Bikman has been a sessional instructor at the University of Lethbridge’s faculty of management and at Lethbridge College. He has also served intermittently as a member of the Chinook Arch Regional Library Board and as a scout leader in the village of Stirling.[2]
Bikman has been a critic of the Alberta government's decision to cut funding supports for persons with developmental disabilities in the 2013-2014 budget.[3]
After the 2012 election, he faced some controversy when, in an interview with CTV News shortly after the his election, he attributed his party's defeat to urban voters, who largely remained loyal to the governing Progressive Conservatives, possessing less "common sense" than the rural voters who turned to the Wildrose Party.[4]
On December 17, 2014, he was one of nine Wildrose MLAs who crossed the floor to join the Progressive Conservative caucus.[5]
Electoral history
2012 general election
| 2012 Alberta general election | Turnout % | Swing | |||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % | Party | Personal | ||
| Wildrose | Gary Bikman | 6,111 | 54.54% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Pat Shimbashi | 4,270 | 38.11% | % | |||
| NDP | Aaron Haugen | 482 | 4.30% | % | |||
| Liberal | Helen McMenamin | 341 | 3.04% | % | * | ||
| Total | ' | 100% | |||||
| Rejected, Spoiled and Declined | ' | ||||||
| Eligible Electors | |||||||
| Wildrose pickup from Progressive Conservative | Swing % | ||||||
References
- ↑ Alberta Election 2012: Riding-by-riding results. The Globe and Mail, April 23, 2012.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Legislative Assembly of Alberta Gary Bikman biography". Retrieved 2013-06-11.
- ↑ "More budget cuts make SASH future uncertain". Westwind Weekly. May 13, 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
- ↑ "Wildrose MLA Gary Bikman says rural voters have more common sense". Edmonton Journal, April 27, 2012.
- ↑ "9 Wildrose MLAs, including Danielle Smith, cross to Alberta Tories". CBC News, December 17, 2014.