Mary O'Neill
Encyclopedia
Mary O'Neill is a politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
.
O'Neill graduated from the University of Toronto
with a Bachelor of Arts, and subsequently received her teaching certification from the Ontario College of Education. She taught in both public and private schools. After retiring from teaching, she worked as a realtor and served as a school trustee with the Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools.
In the 1997 provincial election
, O'Neill was the Progressive Conservative
candidate in the riding of St. Albert
, where she faced Liberal
incumbent Len Bracko
. In the closest race of the election, O'Neill defeated Bracko by 16 votes. In a rematch during the 2001 election
, O'Neill increased her lead over Bracko to more than two thousand votes in her successful bid for re-election.
In office, O'Neill was best known for sponsoring the School Trustee Statutes Amendment Act, 2002, which proposed to prohibit teachers from serving as school trustees anywhere in the province (at the time, teachers were only prohibited from serving as trustees in the district in which they taught). The Act was passed by the legislature, but was struck down as contravening the Charter of Rights and Freedoms by the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench two years later. O'Neill also served as a member of one of the Ralph Klein government's "truth squads", formed to defend the government's highly controversial Health Care Protection Act (Bill 11). She chaired the 2000 Fees and Charges Review Committee, which made recommendations on a wide variety of government-assessed fees.
In the 2004 provincial election
, O'Neill was defeated by Liberal Jack Flaherty
. Since her defeat, she has served on the University of Alberta
Senate, on the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
Board of Governors, and as the Executive Director of the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation. She has remained politically active, organizing the first debate of the 2006 Progressive Conservative leadership election and endorsing Brent Rathgeber
in his bid to secure the Conservative Party of Canada
nomination in Edmonton—St. Albert
. In May 2007, O'Neill quelled speculation that she would run in the next provincial election, stating that she wasn't interested.
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
.
O'Neill graduated from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
with a Bachelor of Arts, and subsequently received her teaching certification from the Ontario College of Education. She taught in both public and private schools. After retiring from teaching, she worked as a realtor and served as a school trustee with the Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools.
In the 1997 provincial election
Alberta general election, 1997
The Alberta general election of 1997 was the twenty-fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 11, 1997 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
, O'Neill was the Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
candidate in the riding of St. Albert
St. Albert (provincial electoral district)
St. Albert formally styled Saint Albert is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is one of 83 current districts mandate to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta of Alberta, Canada....
, where she faced Liberal
Alberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
incumbent Len Bracko
Len Bracko
Len Bracko is a current municipal councillor in St. Albert, Alberta and a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.A high school social studies teacher by profession, Bracko entered politics by running for the Alberta Liberals in the 1989 Alberta provincial election in the riding of St....
. In the closest race of the election, O'Neill defeated Bracko by 16 votes. In a rematch during the 2001 election
Alberta general election, 2001
The Alberta general election of 2001 was the twenty-fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 12, 2001 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
, O'Neill increased her lead over Bracko to more than two thousand votes in her successful bid for re-election.
In office, O'Neill was best known for sponsoring the School Trustee Statutes Amendment Act, 2002, which proposed to prohibit teachers from serving as school trustees anywhere in the province (at the time, teachers were only prohibited from serving as trustees in the district in which they taught). The Act was passed by the legislature, but was struck down as contravening the Charter of Rights and Freedoms by the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench two years later. O'Neill also served as a member of one of the Ralph Klein government's "truth squads", formed to defend the government's highly controversial Health Care Protection Act (Bill 11). She chaired the 2000 Fees and Charges Review Committee, which made recommendations on a wide variety of government-assessed fees.
In the 2004 provincial election
Alberta general election, 2004
The Alberta general election of 2004 was the twenty-sixth general election for the province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 22, 2004 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
, O'Neill was defeated by Liberal Jack Flaherty
Jack Flaherty
Jack Flaherty is a politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Flaherty graduated with a Bachelor of Education, a Bachelor of Physical Education, and a Master's of Education from the University of Alberta. He worked as a teacher in Edmonton and Red Deer before becoming a...
. Since her defeat, she has served on the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
Senate, on the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology is located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and provides technical training and applied education designed to meet the demands of Alberta's industries...
Board of Governors, and as the Executive Director of the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation. She has remained politically active, organizing the first debate of the 2006 Progressive Conservative leadership election and endorsing Brent Rathgeber
Brent Rathgeber
Brent Rathgeber is a lawyer and politician from Alberta, Canada. Formerly a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 2001 to 2004, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2008 federal election.-Political career:Rathgeber won election to the provincial electoral district of...
in his bid to secure the Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
nomination in Edmonton—St. Albert
Edmonton—St. Albert
Edmonton—St. Albert is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004.-Geography:The riding includes the city of St...
. In May 2007, O'Neill quelled speculation that she would run in the next provincial election, stating that she wasn't interested.