Connie Osterman
Encyclopedia
Constance "Connie" Elaine Osterman (June 23, 1936) is a former provincial politician from Alberta
, Canada
. She served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1979 to 1992 sitting with the Progressive Conservative caucus in government. During her time in office she served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Premier Peter Lougheed
and Don Getty
from 1982 to 1989 managing various portfolios.
, Alberta
.
for the first time in the 1979 Alberta general election
. She stood as the Progressive Conservative
candidate in the electoral district of Three Hills defeating three other candidates by a large vote margin to win her first term and hold the seat for her party.
Osterman ran for a second term in the 1982 Alberta general election
. She won a landslide almost quadrupling the combined vote of her two opponents to win re-election. After the election Osterman was appointed by Premier Peter Lougheed
to the Executive Council of Alberta
to serve as the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs. Osterman was only the fifth woman in Alberta political history to be appointed to a portfolio in the provincial cabinet.
Premier Don Getty
appointed Osterman as Minister of Social Services and Community Health when he took power in 1985. Osterman ran for a third term in office in the 1986 Alberta general election
. She ran in a two way race against NDP candidate Vernal Poole and won a huge majority despite losing some of her popular vote from the 1982 election.
After the election Getty changed her portfolio to be Minister of Social Services. She ran for a fourth term in office in the 1989 Alberta general election
defeating three other candidates to keep her seat.
Osterman was fired from her cabinet post by Premier Don Getty
after the Principal Group scandal came to light. She resigned her seat in the legislature on May 5, 1992.
, and has served on the board of directors for the Head Injured Relearning Society in Calgary
.
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
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...
. She served as a 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...
from 1979 to 1992 sitting with the Progressive Conservative caucus in government. During her time in office she served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Premier Peter Lougheed
Peter Lougheed
Edgar Peter Lougheed, PC, CC, AOE, QC, is a Canadian lawyer, and a former politician and Canadian Football League player. He served as the tenth Premier of Alberta from 1971 to 1985....
and Don Getty
Don Getty
Donald Ross Getty, OC, AOE is a retired Canadian politician who served as the 11th Premier of Alberta between 1985 and 1992. A member of the Progressive Conservatives, he served as Energy Minister and Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in the government of Peter Lougheed before...
from 1982 to 1989 managing various portfolios.
Early life
Constance "Connie" Elaine Osterman was born on June 23, 1936 in the town of AcmeAcme, Alberta
Acme is a village in south-central Alberta, Canada. It is located northeast of Calgary, Alberta. It was the first village to be incorporated in Kneehill County....
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
.
Political career
Osterman ran for a seat to the Legislative Assembly of AlbertaLegislative 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...
for the first time in the 1979 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1979
The Alberta general election of 1979 was the nineteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 14, 1979 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. She stood 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 electoral district of Three Hills defeating three other candidates by a large vote margin to win her first term and hold the seat for her party.
Osterman ran for a second term in the 1982 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1982
The Alberta general election of 1982 was the twentieth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 2, 1982 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. She won a landslide almost quadrupling the combined vote of her two opponents to win re-election. After the election Osterman was appointed by Premier Peter Lougheed
Peter Lougheed
Edgar Peter Lougheed, PC, CC, AOE, QC, is a Canadian lawyer, and a former politician and Canadian Football League player. He served as the tenth Premier of Alberta from 1971 to 1985....
to the Executive Council of Alberta
Executive Council of Alberta
The Executive Council of Alberta is the cabinet of that Canadian province.Almost always made up of members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the Cabinet is similar in structure and role to the Cabinet of Canada while being smaller in size...
to serve as the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs. Osterman was only the fifth woman in Alberta political history to be appointed to a portfolio in the provincial cabinet.
Premier Don Getty
Don Getty
Donald Ross Getty, OC, AOE is a retired Canadian politician who served as the 11th Premier of Alberta between 1985 and 1992. A member of the Progressive Conservatives, he served as Energy Minister and Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in the government of Peter Lougheed before...
appointed Osterman as Minister of Social Services and Community Health when he took power in 1985. Osterman ran for a third term in office in the 1986 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1986
The Alberta general election of 1986 was the twenty-first general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on May 8, 1986 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. She ran in a two way race against NDP candidate Vernal Poole and won a huge majority despite losing some of her popular vote from the 1982 election.
After the election Getty changed her portfolio to be Minister of Social Services. She ran for a fourth term in office in the 1989 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1989
The Alberta general election of 1989 was the twenty-second general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 20, 1989 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
defeating three other candidates to keep her seat.
Osterman was fired from her cabinet post by Premier Don Getty
Don Getty
Donald Ross Getty, OC, AOE is a retired Canadian politician who served as the 11th Premier of Alberta between 1985 and 1992. A member of the Progressive Conservatives, he served as Energy Minister and Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in the government of Peter Lougheed before...
after the Principal Group scandal came to light. She resigned her seat in the legislature on May 5, 1992.
Late life
Osterman enjoys playing bridgeContract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
, and has served on the board of directors for the Head Injured Relearning Society 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...
.