Rob Anderson (politician)
Encyclopedia
Rob Anderson is a Canadian
politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
, representing the constituency of Airdrie-Chestermere
as a member of the Wildrose Alliance
. He was a Progressive Conservative
until he crossed the floor
on January 4, 2010.
as the Member for Airdrie-Chestermere
on March 3, 2008.
In addition to his regular duties, he was a member of the Provincial Treasury Board and served on the standing and cabinet policy committees on Public Safety and Services as well as the Private Bills committee. Rob previously served as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Solicitor General & Minister of Public Security.
His duties as Parliamentary Assistant included overseeing stakeholder consultations toward developing Alberta’s new Law Enforcement Framework; conducting industry consultations for and sponsoring the Security Services and Investigators Act (2008); and sponsoring the Alberta Gaming & Liquor Amendment Act (2009).
Rob was also the writer and sponsor of a Private Members Bill, the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure (Third Party Advertising) Amendment Act (2009).
Rob left the Progressive Conservative Party in January 2010 to join the Wildrose Alliance.
on June 13, 1977, the oldest of seven children to his parents, Jane and Robert. The family lived in Sherwood Park for most of Rob’s early years before moving in 1990 to Airdrie
.
Rob spent much of his time playing sports – particularly hockey and football. He won the Edmonton City Championship as defensive captain for the Salisbury High School football team in Sherwood Park, and was named the starting goaltender for the Brigham Young University Cougar’s hockey team.
doing missionary service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he learnt to speak Mandarin Chinese fluently, and worked as a caregiver for high-needs individuals and taught English as a second language.
Three years later, he obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta graduating ‘with Distinction’ honours.
While at law school, Rob earned the coveted Merv Leitch QC Scholarship for superior academic standing in Constitutional Law and participation in related extra-curricular activities.
Rob co-founded the organization ‘Students for a Stronger Alberta’. This group advocated for democratic reform and more meaningful voter participation in the democratic process, printed a university newspaper (‘the Independent’) focused on debating relevant public policy and political issues of the day, and organized a speaker series on strengthening democracy that included among others, Preston Manning, Ted Morton and David Kilgour.
Rob earned the highest academic standing in the U of A law school’s ‘Law & Democratic Process’ course.
, Rob practiced corporate litigation law at Borden Ladner Gervais
LLP in Calgary
.
During his time at law school, Rob founded an online family entertainment business, selling it shortly before entering politics.
where they raise their four sons, Derek, Bryce, Spencer and Joshua.
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 Airdrie-Chestermere
Airdrie-Chestermere
Airdrie-Chestermere is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
as a member of the Wildrose Alliance
Wildrose Alliance Party of Alberta
The Wildrose Party, formerly Wildrose Alliance Party, is a conservative provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. It includes free market conservative, libertarian and socially conservative factions and was formed in 2008 following a merger of the Wildrose Party of Alberta and the Alberta...
. He was 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...
until he crossed the floor
Crossing the floor
In politics, crossing the floor has two meanings referring to a change of allegiance in a Westminster system parliament.The term originates from the British House of Commons, which is configured with the Government and Opposition facing each other on rows of benches...
on January 4, 2010.
Political career
Rob was elected to his first term in Alberta’s Legislative AssemblyLegislative 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...
as the Member for Airdrie-Chestermere
Airdrie-Chestermere
Airdrie-Chestermere is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
on March 3, 2008.
In addition to his regular duties, he was a member of the Provincial Treasury Board and served on the standing and cabinet policy committees on Public Safety and Services as well as the Private Bills committee. Rob previously served as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Solicitor General & Minister of Public Security.
His duties as Parliamentary Assistant included overseeing stakeholder consultations toward developing Alberta’s new Law Enforcement Framework; conducting industry consultations for and sponsoring the Security Services and Investigators Act (2008); and sponsoring the Alberta Gaming & Liquor Amendment Act (2009).
Rob was also the writer and sponsor of a Private Members Bill, the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure (Third Party Advertising) Amendment Act (2009).
Rob left the Progressive Conservative Party in January 2010 to join the Wildrose Alliance.
Early life
Rob was born in EdmontonEdmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
on June 13, 1977, the oldest of seven children to his parents, Jane and Robert. The family lived in Sherwood Park for most of Rob’s early years before moving in 1990 to Airdrie
Airdrie, Alberta
Airdrie is a city in Alberta, Canada, located just north of Calgary within the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor. The City of Airdrie is part of Calgary's Census Metropolitan Area and a member community of the Calgary Regional Partnership . Due to its proximity to Calgary, Airdrie's population has been...
.
Rob spent much of his time playing sports – particularly hockey and football. He won the Edmonton City Championship as defensive captain for the Salisbury High School football team in Sherwood Park, and was named the starting goaltender for the Brigham Young University Cougar’s hockey team.
Taiwan Missionary Service
When he was nineteen years old, Rob spent two years living in TaiwanTaiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
doing missionary service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he learnt to speak Mandarin Chinese fluently, and worked as a caregiver for high-needs individuals and taught English as a second language.
Education and Awards
In 2003, he graduated Magna Cume Laude from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications.Three years later, he obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta graduating ‘with Distinction’ honours.
While at law school, Rob earned the coveted Merv Leitch QC Scholarship for superior academic standing in Constitutional Law and participation in related extra-curricular activities.
Rob co-founded the organization ‘Students for a Stronger Alberta’. This group advocated for democratic reform and more meaningful voter participation in the democratic process, printed a university newspaper (‘the Independent’) focused on debating relevant public policy and political issues of the day, and organized a speaker series on strengthening democracy that included among others, Preston Manning, Ted Morton and David Kilgour.
Rob earned the highest academic standing in the U of A law school’s ‘Law & Democratic Process’ course.
Business Experience
Prior to his election as a Member of the Legislative AssemblyLegislative 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...
, Rob practiced corporate litigation law at Borden Ladner Gervais
Borden Ladner Gervais
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP is the largest full-service Canadian law firm. The Firm has over 750 lawyers, intellectual property agents and other professionals in offices in Calgary, Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Waterloo Region...
LLP in Calgary
Calgary
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...
.
During his time at law school, Rob founded an online family entertainment business, selling it shortly before entering politics.
Personal life
Rob and his wife, Anita, live in AirdrieAirdrie, Alberta
Airdrie is a city in Alberta, Canada, located just north of Calgary within the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor. The City of Airdrie is part of Calgary's Census Metropolitan Area and a member community of the Calgary Regional Partnership . Due to its proximity to Calgary, Airdrie's population has been...
where they raise their four sons, Derek, Bryce, Spencer and Joshua.
Election results
| 2008 Alberta general election results ( Airdrie-Chestermere Airdrie-Chestermere Airdrie-Chestermere is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting.... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 40.2% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
Progressive Conservative | Rob Anderson | 9,372 | 63% |
Wildrose Alliance Wildrose Alliance Party of Alberta The Wildrose Party, formerly Wildrose Alliance Party, is a conservative provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. It includes free market conservative, libertarian and socially conservative factions and was formed in 2008 following a merger of the Wildrose Party of Alberta and the Alberta... |
Jeff Willerton | 2,360 | 16% |
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... |
John Burke | 1,972 | 13% |
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... |
David Brandreth | 660 | 4% |
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... |
Bryan Young | 614 | 4% | |
| Total | 14978 | 100% | ||||||||||||||||||||||