Paul Chalifoux
Encyclopedia
Paul Chalifoux is a politician and the former mayor
of St. Albert, Alberta
, He has served two terms as mayor, first one having taken place from 1998 to 2001 and the second from 2004 to 2007.
Chalifoux's first attempt at winning elected office was in the 1968 federal election
, when he ran for the Liberal Party of Canada
in the riding of Pembina
. He finished a distant second to Progressive Conservative
Jack Bigg.
Before serving as mayor, Chalifoux was a city alderman
and the assistant principal of St. Albert Catholic High School
. In 1998, he defeated three-term incumbent Anita Ratchinsky in an election whose major issue was the alignment of the proposed West Regional Road
. Ratchinsky favoured a road that would bypass the developed portion of the city to the west by crossing the Sturgeon River
close to the mouth of Big Lake, while Chalifoux supported an alignment that would cross the river further upstream.
During Chalifoux's time as mayor, the road remained St. Albert's most contentious political issue. City Council approved Chalifoux's preferred alignment, by this time named Ray Gibbon Drive
. However, an aggressive public relations campaign by the Riel Park Business Association, which did not like the way the proposed road would pass through Riel Business Park, and a group calling itself S.E.N.S.I.B.L.E. Choice
, attacked the alignment. In the 2001 election, Chalifoux was defeated by former mayor Dr. Richard Plain
, who favoured the same alignment as Ratchinsky and proposed a plebiscite on the subject.
Chalifoux challenged Plain again in 2004, campaigning this time on issues other than the road, saying that "it [was] time to move on". He won narrowly. On May 22, 2007, Chalifoux announced that he would not seek re-election (and, in so doing, provoke a third consecutive electoral battle against Plain) and would instead seek the nomination for the Progressive Conservatives
in the next provincial election. Some perceived this as ironic given his past candidacy for the federal Liberals and given that he had inadvertently implicated the City of St. Albert in a minor scandal when he attended a fundraiser for the Alberta Liberal Party
at the city's expense, which violated provincial law. Chalifoux acknowledges that he has been a member of the Liberal Party at both the provincial and federal levels at various points in his life, but claims that it has been more than a decade since his last provincial membership expired. He was defeated on the first ballot by former aldermanic colleague Ken Allred
.
Chalifoux is a member of the Rotary Club and is a practising Catholic
. His late son, Rick Chalifoux, was a prominent educator and advocate on HIV/AIDS issues.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of St. Albert, Alberta
St. Albert, Alberta
St. Albert is a suburban city in Alberta, located northwest of Edmonton, on the Sturgeon River. It was originally settled as a Métis community, and is now the second largest city in the Edmonton area. St...
, He has served two terms as mayor, first one having taken place from 1998 to 2001 and the second from 2004 to 2007.
Chalifoux's first attempt at winning elected office was in the 1968 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1968
The Canadian federal election of 1968 was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 28th Parliament of Canada...
, when he ran for the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
in the riding of Pembina
Pembina (Alberta electoral district)
Pembina was a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1988.This riding was created in 1966 from parts of Athabaska, Edmonton West, Jasper—Edson and Vegreville ridings....
. He finished a distant second to Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
Jack Bigg.
Before serving as mayor, Chalifoux was a city alderman
St. Albert City Council
The St. Albert City Council is the governing body of the City of St. Albert, Alberta, Canada. It is composed of a mayor and six councillors, aldermen prior to 2001...
and the assistant principal of St. Albert Catholic High School
St. Albert Catholic High School
St. Albert Catholic High School is a high school in St. Albert, Alberta, Canada and is part of Greater St. Albert Catholic Regional Division No. 29. The school colours are yellow and blue. SACHS sports teams are the Skyhawks...
. In 1998, he defeated three-term incumbent Anita Ratchinsky in an election whose major issue was the alignment of the proposed West Regional Road
Ray Gibbon Drive
Ray Gibbon Drive, referred to as the West Regional Road during proposal and planning stages, is a developing freeway in west St. Albert, Alberta, Canada. Except for the Edmonton portion, it is only partially constructed as a two-lane road, it will form part of a future realigned Highway 2. Once...
. Ratchinsky favoured a road that would bypass the developed portion of the city to the west by crossing the Sturgeon River
Sturgeon River (Alberta)
Sturgeon River is a 260 km long river located in central Alberta, Canada. It is a major tributary of the North Saskatchewan River. The stream crosses Sturgeon County, which was named for this river....
close to the mouth of Big Lake, while Chalifoux supported an alignment that would cross the river further upstream.
During Chalifoux's time as mayor, the road remained St. Albert's most contentious political issue. City Council approved Chalifoux's preferred alignment, by this time named Ray Gibbon Drive
Ray Gibbon Drive
Ray Gibbon Drive, referred to as the West Regional Road during proposal and planning stages, is a developing freeway in west St. Albert, Alberta, Canada. Except for the Edmonton portion, it is only partially constructed as a two-lane road, it will form part of a future realigned Highway 2. Once...
. However, an aggressive public relations campaign by the Riel Park Business Association, which did not like the way the proposed road would pass through Riel Business Park, and a group calling itself S.E.N.S.I.B.L.E. Choice
S.E.N.S.I.B.L.E. Choice
S.E.N.S.I.B.L.E. Choice was a lobby group in St. Albert, Alberta that ran newspaper advertisements supporting a specific alignment for the West Regional Road and endorsed candidates for election to St. Albert City Council during the 2001 municipal election...
, attacked the alignment. In the 2001 election, Chalifoux was defeated by former mayor Dr. Richard Plain
Richard Plain
Richard Plain is a Canadian politician. Plain is the former mayor of St. Albert, Alberta, having served from 1974 to 1977 and again from 2001 to 2004. In February 2007, he announced that he would seek a third term as mayor in the 2007 election....
, who favoured the same alignment as Ratchinsky and proposed a plebiscite on the subject.
Chalifoux challenged Plain again in 2004, campaigning this time on issues other than the road, saying that "it [was] time to move on". He won narrowly. On May 22, 2007, Chalifoux announced that he would not seek re-election (and, in so doing, provoke a third consecutive electoral battle against Plain) and would instead seek the nomination for the Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
in the next provincial election. Some perceived this as ironic given his past candidacy for the federal Liberals and given that he had inadvertently implicated the City of St. Albert in a minor scandal when he attended a fundraiser for the Alberta Liberal Party
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...
at the city's expense, which violated provincial law. Chalifoux acknowledges that he has been a member of the Liberal Party at both the provincial and federal levels at various points in his life, but claims that it has been more than a decade since his last provincial membership expired. He was defeated on the first ballot by former aldermanic colleague Ken Allred
Ken Allred
George Kenneth Allred is a politician in Alberta, Canada and member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, in which he sits as a member of the Progressive Conservative caucus. He is also a former municipal councillor in St...
.
Chalifoux is a member of the Rotary Club and is a practising Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
. His late son, Rick Chalifoux, was a prominent educator and advocate on HIV/AIDS issues.