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Neil Brown (Alberta politician)
Encyclopedia
Dr. Neil Brown is a lawyer, biologist, Canadian
politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
, representing the constituency of Calgary-Nose Hill as a Progressive Conservative
.
, and earned a Bachelor of Science
in biology
from the University of Calgary
in 1971. He subsequently earned a Master of Science
in zoology
from the University of Alaska in 1974 and a Ph.D.
in biology from McGill University
in 1977. He worked as an assistant professor of biology at Trent University
before returning to the University of Calgary to earn his Bachelor of Laws
, which he received in 1982. He worked for McLaws and Company (now Parlee McLaws LLP) in civil litigation before opening his own practice in 1987.
, when he ran as the Progressive Conservative
candidate in the newly-formed Calgary-Nose Hill
. He defeated his closest challenger, Liberal
Len Borowski, by more than 1,500 votes. During his first term, in addition to his responsibilities as an MLA, Brown served as chair of both the Private Bills Committee and the Conflicts of Interest Act Review Committee. He was also a member of the Cabinet Policy Committee on Resources and the Environment, the Standing Committee on Government Services, the MLA Committee on AISH Review, the MLA Committee on Métis Harvesting, the Agenda and Priorities Committee, the Public Accounts Committee, and the Legislative Review Committee. He also served as chair of the Alberta Forestry Research Institute.
Brown faced Borowski again in the 2008 election, and defeated him by a similar margin.
Currently, in addition to his duties as MLA for Calgary-Nose Hill, Brown serves as chair of the Private Bills Committee and is a member of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and Services. He also holds the position of chair of the Cabinet Policy Committee on Public Safety and Servies with Responsibilities to the departments of Executive Council, Treasury Board, Justice, Aboriginal Relations, Solicitor General and Public Security, and Service Alberta.
Mo Elsalhy
, Harry B. Chase
, and Dan Backs
spoke in support of the bill, although New Democrat
Raj Pannu
expressed concern that a provision that created unlimited liability corporations would flood Alberta with de facto American corporations that were registered in Alberta but did their business elsewhere. This bill was followed by the Business Corporations Amendment Act (No. 2), which provided protection for minority shareholders in the event that a corporation was converted to unlimited liability over opposition, and which clarified the period during which former shareholders in unlimited liability corporations remained liable. It passed with Liberal support, although Pannu expressed concern that the new protections were not sufficient. Also in 2005, Brown sponsored the Employment Pension Plans Amendment Act, which implemented uncontroversial changes to the regulation of private pensions and which received support from all parties.
Brown sponsored two government bills in 2006. The Persons with Developmental Disabilities Community Governance Amendment Act dissolved the Persons with Developmental Disabilities Provincial Board and transferred its authority to the Minister of Seniors and Community Supports, while expanding the authority of the six regional boards. MLAs from all parties, including Liberals Bharat Agnihotri
, Hugh MacDonald
, and Bridget Pastoor
, Alberta Alliance leader Paul Hinman
, and New Democrats Ray Martin
, Brian Mason
, and Raj Pannu
, supported the bill. The Health Information Amendment Act made a number of changes to the conditions under which health information would be disclosed, including preventing the automatic reporting of private information to American authorities under the PATRIOT Act. New Democrats Pannu and David Eggen
and Liberals Elsalhy, Pastoor, and Bruce Miller
spoke in favour of the bill, although Liberal Laurie Blakeman
expressed reservations that the content of the bill didn't reflect the recommendations of the legislature's special committee whose work led to the bill.
In 2007, Brown sponsored one of the new Ed Stelmach
government's flagship pieces of legislation, the Conflicts of Interest Amendment Act, which lengthened the cooling off period during which cabinet ministers and other high-ranking members of government to engage in certain activities after leaving the government's employment. It also placed a requirement on MLAs that they report any personal litigation in which they were engaged, and was supported by all parties. The same year he sponsored the Limitation Statutes Amendment Act, which was also supported by the opposition and which amended Alberta's statute of limitations
for some civil matters.
Finally, Brown sponsored the Appeal Procedures Statutes Amendment Act. This bill made some amendments to the procedures of the Alberta Court of Appeal. It was supported by Liberals Elsalhy and Maurice Tougas
, but Pannu expressed some concern with a provision that would have made the keeping of transcripts of procedures discretionary.
In recognition of his commendable work, he has received a number of prestigious awards and honours including: National Research Council of Canada Scholar, National Sciences and Engineering Research Council grant, Chief Justice McGillivray Shield (University of Calgary, Faculty of Law), President’s Citation (University of Calgary Students’ Union), Award of Merit Honoree (Alumni Association of the University of Calgary), Canada 125 Medal for Service to Community and Canada, and the Alberta Centennial medal for outstanding service to Alberta.
Brown is unmarried and has no children. In his spare time, he enjoys various activities such as curling, canoeing, hunting, and fishing, in addition to creative writing, reading, and traveling. He identifies John A. Macdonald
and Winston Churchill
as his political heroes.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
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...
, representing the constituency of Calgary-Nose Hill as a 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...
.
Early life
Brown was born in CalgaryCalgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, and earned a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
from the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
in 1971. He subsequently earned a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
from the University of Alaska in 1974 and a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in biology from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in 1977. He worked as an assistant professor of biology at Trent University
Trent University
Trent University is a liberal arts and science-oriented institution located along the Otonabee River in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.The enabling legislation is the Trent University Act, 1962-63. The University was founded through the efforts of a citizens' committee interested in creating a...
before returning to the University of Calgary to earn his Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
, which he received in 1982. He worked for McLaws and Company (now Parlee McLaws LLP) in civil litigation before opening his own practice in 1987.
Political career
Brown first sought election in the 2004 provincial electionAlberta 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....
, when he ran as 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 newly-formed Calgary-Nose Hill
Calgary-Nose Hill
Calgary-Nose Hill is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
. He defeated his closest challenger, 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...
Len Borowski, by more than 1,500 votes. During his first term, in addition to his responsibilities as an MLA, Brown served as chair of both the Private Bills Committee and the Conflicts of Interest Act Review Committee. He was also a member of the Cabinet Policy Committee on Resources and the Environment, the Standing Committee on Government Services, the MLA Committee on AISH Review, the MLA Committee on Métis Harvesting, the Agenda and Priorities Committee, the Public Accounts Committee, and the Legislative Review Committee. He also served as chair of the Alberta Forestry Research Institute.
Brown faced Borowski again in the 2008 election, and defeated him by a similar margin.
Currently, in addition to his duties as MLA for Calgary-Nose Hill, Brown serves as chair of the Private Bills Committee and is a member of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and Services. He also holds the position of chair of the Cabinet Policy Committee on Public Safety and Servies with Responsibilities to the departments of Executive Council, Treasury Board, Justice, Aboriginal Relations, Solicitor General and Public Security, and Service Alberta.
Legislative initiatives
Although he has never been a cabinet minister, Brown has sponsored a large number of government bills, all of which have passed through the legislature. The Business Corporations Amendment Act was a 2005 bill that made a variety of changes to the management of corporations domiciled in Alberta, including prohibiting accountants who owned shares in a corporation from acting as its auditor. LiberalsAlberta 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...
Mo Elsalhy
Mo Elsalhy
- Career :Mo contested the nomination for Edmonton McClung against Maurice Tougas in 2004, and started campaigning three months before the nomination day. He was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing Edmonton McClung in the 2004 general election for the Alberta...
, Harry B. Chase
Harry B. Chase
Harry B. Chase is a Canadian politician. He is a provincial MLA as a member of the Alberta Liberal Party.-Early life:...
, and Dan Backs
Dan Backs
Dan Backs is a politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He was elected as a Liberal candidate in the 2004 provincial election, but was kicked out of the Liberal caucus by leader Kevin Taft, who cited concerns about Backs' ability to work as a member of a team...
spoke in support of the bill, although New Democrat
Alberta New Democratic Party
The Alberta New Democratic Party or Alberta NDP is a social-democratic political party in Alberta, Canada, which was originally founded as the Alberta section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
Raj Pannu
Raj Pannu
Raj Pannu is a Canadian educator and politician, who led the Alberta New Democratic Party from 2000 to 2004.Pannu was born in Punjab, India completing an undergraduate degree before immigrating to Canada in 1962...
expressed concern that a provision that created unlimited liability corporations would flood Alberta with de facto American corporations that were registered in Alberta but did their business elsewhere. This bill was followed by the Business Corporations Amendment Act (No. 2), which provided protection for minority shareholders in the event that a corporation was converted to unlimited liability over opposition, and which clarified the period during which former shareholders in unlimited liability corporations remained liable. It passed with Liberal support, although Pannu expressed concern that the new protections were not sufficient. Also in 2005, Brown sponsored the Employment Pension Plans Amendment Act, which implemented uncontroversial changes to the regulation of private pensions and which received support from all parties.
Brown sponsored two government bills in 2006. The Persons with Developmental Disabilities Community Governance Amendment Act dissolved the Persons with Developmental Disabilities Provincial Board and transferred its authority to the Minister of Seniors and Community Supports, while expanding the authority of the six regional boards. MLAs from all parties, including Liberals Bharat Agnihotri
Bharat Agnihotri
Bharat Agnihotri is a Canadian politician and a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He represented the constituency of Edmonton Ellerslie, sitting as a Liberal...
, Hugh MacDonald
Hugh MacDonald (politician)
Hugh MacDonald is a Canadian politician, who currently represents the electoral district of Edmonton-Gold Bar in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He is a member of the Alberta Liberal Party. On Sept...
, and Bridget Pastoor
Bridget Pastoor
Bridget A. Pastoor is a Canadian politician who has been serving as a member of the Alberta legislative assembly since 22 November 2004....
, Alberta Alliance leader Paul Hinman
Paul Hinman
Paul Hinman is a provincial politician and small business entrepreneur from Alberta, Canada. He was formerly the leader of the Wildrose Alliance. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 2004 to 2008 representing the electoral district of Cardston-Taber-Warner...
, and New Democrats Ray Martin
Ray Martin (politician)
Raymond Martin is a politician in Alberta, Canada and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Born in 1941 in Delia, Alberta, Martin attended the University of Alberta in Edmonton. He was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity...
, Brian Mason
Brian Mason
Brian Mason is a Canadian politician and leader of the Alberta New Democrats . Mason was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood in a 2001 byelection, and his career in politics spans more than 20 years.Mason first became politically active...
, and Raj Pannu
Raj Pannu
Raj Pannu is a Canadian educator and politician, who led the Alberta New Democratic Party from 2000 to 2004.Pannu was born in Punjab, India completing an undergraduate degree before immigrating to Canada in 1962...
, supported the bill. The Health Information Amendment Act made a number of changes to the conditions under which health information would be disclosed, including preventing the automatic reporting of private information to American authorities under the PATRIOT Act. New Democrats Pannu and David Eggen
David Eggen
David Eggen is a Canadian politician. He is a former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the riding of Edmonton-Calder.- Educator :...
and Liberals Elsalhy, Pastoor, and Bruce Miller
Bruce Miller (politician)
Bruce Miller is a politician in Alberta, Canada and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the constituency of Edmonton-Glenora. He was first elected on November 22, 2004 as a Liberal, but was defeated in his 2008 re-election bid by Progressive Conservative Heather Klimchuk.He...
spoke in favour of the bill, although Liberal Laurie Blakeman
Laurie Blakeman
Laurie Blakeman is a Canadian politician, who currently represents the electoral district of Edmonton Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta...
expressed reservations that the content of the bill didn't reflect the recommendations of the legislature's special committee whose work led to the bill.
In 2007, Brown sponsored one of the new Ed Stelmach
Ed Stelmach
Edward Michael "Ed" Stelmach, MLA is a Canadian politician and served as the 13th Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 2006 to 2011. The grandson of Ukrainian immigrants, Stelmach was born and raised on a farm near Lamont and speaks fluent Ukrainian. He spent his entire pre-political adult life as a...
government's flagship pieces of legislation, the Conflicts of Interest Amendment Act, which lengthened the cooling off period during which cabinet ministers and other high-ranking members of government to engage in certain activities after leaving the government's employment. It also placed a requirement on MLAs that they report any personal litigation in which they were engaged, and was supported by all parties. The same year he sponsored the Limitation Statutes Amendment Act, which was also supported by the opposition and which amended Alberta's statute of limitations
Statute of limitations
A statute of limitations is an enactment in a common law legal system that sets the maximum time after an event that legal proceedings based on that event may be initiated...
for some civil matters.
Finally, Brown sponsored the Appeal Procedures Statutes Amendment Act. This bill made some amendments to the procedures of the Alberta Court of Appeal. It was supported by Liberals Elsalhy and Maurice Tougas
Maurice Tougas
Maurice Tougas is a Canadian politician, who formerly represented the electoral district of Edmonton Meadowlark in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He is a member of the Liberal Party...
, but Pannu expressed some concern with a provision that would have made the keeping of transcripts of procedures discretionary.
Personal life
Brown has made a number of notable contributions to the public sector; he served on the Board of Governors and Senate of The University of Calgary, was Past-president of the Alumni Association of The University of Calgary, and was member of Student Legal Aid at The University of Calgary. He also held the titles of Vice-president and chair of his Community Association, Associate (voting) member of the Royal Canadian Legion for over 25 years, Director of the Midnapore Church of England Society (historic site), and Lecturer at the Historic Calgary Week of Chinook Country Historical Society. Brown also volunteered with the Booster Club of Thorncliffe-Greenview Community Association and canvassed for the Canadian Cancer Society, the Kidney Foundation, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the Alberta Lung Association.In recognition of his commendable work, he has received a number of prestigious awards and honours including: National Research Council of Canada Scholar, National Sciences and Engineering Research Council grant, Chief Justice McGillivray Shield (University of Calgary, Faculty of Law), President’s Citation (University of Calgary Students’ Union), Award of Merit Honoree (Alumni Association of the University of Calgary), Canada 125 Medal for Service to Community and Canada, and the Alberta Centennial medal for outstanding service to Alberta.
Brown is unmarried and has no children. In his spare time, he enjoys various activities such as curling, canoeing, hunting, and fishing, in addition to creative writing, reading, and traveling. He identifies John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
and Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
as his political heroes.
Election results
| 2008 Alberta general election results ( Calgary-Nose Hill ) | font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 35.2% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
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... |
Neil Brown | 4,584 | 49.3% |
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... |
Len Borowski | 2,759 | 29.7% |
Wildrose Alliance | John Murdoch | 954 | 10.3% |
Green Green Party of Alberta The Green Party of Alberta, also known as the Alberta Greens, was a provincial political party in the province of Alberta, Canada.The Alberta Greens were formed in 1986 and received official party status on April 6, 1990... |
Nick Burman | 613 | 6.6% |
NDP Alberta New Democratic Party The Alberta New Democratic Party or Alberta NDP is a social-democratic political party in Alberta, Canada, which was originally founded as the Alberta section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... |
Tristan Ridley | 388 | 4.2% | |||||
| 2004 Alberta general 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.... results ( Calgary-Nose Hill ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 39.6% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
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... |
Neil Brown | 4,372 | 47.0% |
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... |
Len Borowski | 2,607 | 28.0% |
Alberta Alliance | Bill McGregor | 1,009 | 10.8% |
Green Green Party of Alberta The Green Party of Alberta, also known as the Alberta Greens, was a provincial political party in the province of Alberta, Canada.The Alberta Greens were formed in 1986 and received official party status on April 6, 1990... |
John Johnson | 583 | 6.3% |
NDP Alberta New Democratic Party The Alberta New Democratic Party or Alberta NDP is a social-democratic political party in Alberta, Canada, which was originally founded as the Alberta section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... |
Dick Huysman | 549 | 5.9% |
Social Credit Social Credit Party of Alberta The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values.... |
Raymond (Chick) Hurst | 180 | 1.9% | |