Don Iveson
Encyclopedia
Don Iveson is a Canadian
politician and a municipal councillor in Edmonton
.
's Parkallen neighbourhood, the only child of Margaret, an education
professor at the University of Alberta
, and Bob Iveson, a sculptor
. As a child, Iveson loved books, both fiction and non-, reading C. S. Forester
's Horatio Hornblower
series by seventh grade. He was also active in scouting
and debate
. He earned a Bachelor of Arts
from the University of Alberta in 2001. While there, he served as managing editor of the Gateway
, the university's student newspaper. He did the last year of his degree on exchange at the University of Toronto
, and stayed in Toronto
upon his graduation to serve as president of the Canadian University Press
for a year. Two years as business manager of the Gateway followed before he took a job as advocacy director with the University of Alberta Students' Union
. There, he played a leading role in negotiations with the City of Edmonton for the development of a Universal Transit Pass
for University of Alberta students. He left the position in 2007, and entered politics shortly thereafter.
, when he ran for the Edmonton City Council
in ward 5. Both of the ward's incumbents, Bryan Anderson
and Mike Nickel
, were seeking re-election. His campaign stressed improved transit services, densification of housing, and increased affordable housing
, and won endorsements from former councillors Larry Langley, Janice Melnychuk, Michael Phair
, and Gene Dub
, and members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Don Massey
and Raj Pannu
. In a result that media sources called the election's biggest surprise, Iveson finished more than two thousand votes ahead of Nickel (although more than one thousand behind Anderson) to capture the ward's second council seat.
After taking office, Iveson was assigned the environmental
portfolio by mayor Stephen Mandel
. In this capacity, he attended the 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference
in Bali
, Indonesia
. He has also endorsed a municipal tax on plastic bags and a reduction of cosmetic pesticide
use, although he stopped short of endorsing the ban called for by the Canadian Cancer Society
.
In response to the news that municipal spending would necessitate larger than normal property tax
increases in 2008 and 2009, Iveson expressed support for maintaining levels of spending, saying that he was "tired of this city cheaping out". He later clarified that he was referring principally to needed infrastructure investment. He advocated a more progressive taxation scheme that better matched household impact, possibly substituting more stable fee-based revenue for property taxes that were subject to variation based on fluctuating property value.
. He has a son named Dexter. He is an avid sailor
, and once taught the sport at Lake Wabamun. He is also a fan of Star Trek
and Arcade Fire.
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 a municipal councillor in Edmonton
Edmonton
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...
.
Early life
Don Iveson grew up 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...
's Parkallen neighbourhood, the only child of Margaret, an education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
professor at 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...
, and Bob Iveson, a sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
. As a child, Iveson loved books, both fiction and non-, reading C. S. Forester
C. S. Forester
Cecil Scott "C.S." Forester was the pen name of Cecil Louis Troughton Smith , an English novelist who rose to fame with tales of naval warfare. His most notable works were the 11-book Horatio Hornblower series, depicting a Royal Navy officer during the Napoleonic era, and The African Queen...
's Horatio Hornblower
Horatio Hornblower
Horatio Hornblower is a fictional Royal Navy officer who is the protagonist of a series of novels by C. S. Forester. He was later the subject of films and television programs.The original Hornblower tales began with the 1937 novel The Happy Return Horatio Hornblower is a fictional Royal Navy...
series by seventh grade. He was also active in scouting
Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada is a Canadian Scouting association that, in affiliation with the French-language Association des Scouts du Canada, is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement...
and debate
Debate
Debate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
. He earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of Alberta in 2001. While there, he served as managing editor of the Gateway
The Gateway (newspaper)
The Gateway is the student newspaper at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.-History:The newspaper was founded in North Garneau at the home of Liddy Lloyd on October 26, 1910. A group of students had gathered to discuss the creation of a student newspaper. They came up with the...
, the university's student newspaper. He did the last year of his degree on exchange at 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...
, and stayed in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
upon his graduation to serve as president of the Canadian University Press
Canadian University Press
Canadian University Press is a non-profit co-operative and newswire service owned by almost 90 student newspapers at post-secondary schools in Canada. Founded in 1938, CUP is the oldest student newswire service in the world and the oldest national student organization in North America. Many...
for a year. Two years as business manager of the Gateway followed before he took a job as advocacy director with the University of Alberta Students' Union
University of Alberta Students' Union
The University of Alberta Students' Union is the student society that represents undergraduate students at the University of Alberta. Originally established in 1909, it is a non-profit corporation that operates under the authority of the Post-Secondary Learning Act...
. There, he played a leading role in negotiations with the City of Edmonton for the development of a Universal Transit Pass
Universal Transit Pass
In North America,Universal Transit Pass is a program that gives students enrolled in participating post-secondary institutions unlimited access to local transit. Programs are typically funded through mandatory fees that eligible students pay in each term in which they are registered. Fees are...
for University of Alberta students. He left the position in 2007, and entered politics shortly thereafter.
Political career
Iveson first sought political office in the 2007 municipal electionEdmonton municipal election, 2007
The 2007 Edmonton municipal election was held Monday, October 15, 2007 to elect a mayor and 12 councillors to the city council, eight of the nine trustees to Edmonton Public Schools, and four of the seven trustees to the Edmonton Catholic Schools...
, when he ran for the Edmonton City Council
Edmonton City Council
The Edmonton City Council is the governing body of the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors. Until 2010, Edmonton was divided in six wards with two councillors representing citizens in each ward...
in ward 5. Both of the ward's incumbents, Bryan Anderson
Bryan Anderson (politician)
Bryan Kent Anderson is a Canadian politician in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He was first elected to the Edmonton City Council in 1998 representing Ward 5. He was re-elected in 2001, 2004, and 2007...
and Mike Nickel
Mike Nickel
Mike Nickel is a politician in Alberta, Canada and a former municipal councillor in Edmonton.Nickel was born in Edmonton and attended the University of Alberta, earning a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and a Master's degree in Statistics and Media Studies...
, were seeking re-election. His campaign stressed improved transit services, densification of housing, and increased affordable housing
Affordable housing
Affordable housing is a term used to describe dwelling units whose total housing costs are deemed "affordable" to those that have a median income. Although the term is often applied to rental housing that is within the financial means of those in the lower income ranges of a geographical area, the...
, and won endorsements from former councillors Larry Langley, Janice Melnychuk, Michael Phair
Michael Phair
Michael Phair is a Canadian politician, who served on Edmonton City Council from 1992 until 2007. He was the first openly gay elected politician in the province of Alberta.-External links:**...
, and Gene Dub
Gene Dub
Gene Dub is a Canadian architect and former politician. Born in Edmonton, Dub is a first generation Ukrainian-Canadian...
, and members 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...
Don Massey
Don Massey
Don Massey is a former municipal and provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1993 until 2004. In that period he also served as Leader of the Official Opposition and Leader of the Alberta Liberal Party in 2004...
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...
. In a result that media sources called the election's biggest surprise, Iveson finished more than two thousand votes ahead of Nickel (although more than one thousand behind Anderson) to capture the ward's second council seat.
After taking office, Iveson was assigned the environmental
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
portfolio by mayor Stephen Mandel
Stephen Mandel
Stephen Mandel is a Canadian politician and the current mayor of Edmonton, Alberta.-Biography:Mandel received an Associate of Arts Degree from Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Miami University, and his Masters in Political Science from...
. In this capacity, he attended the 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference
2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference
The 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference took place at the Bali International Conference Centre, Nusa Dua, in Bali, Indonesia, between December 3 and December 15, 2007 . Representatives from over 180 countries attended, together with observers from intergovernmental and nongovernmental...
in Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. He has also endorsed a municipal tax on plastic bags and a reduction of cosmetic pesticide
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
use, although he stopped short of endorsing the ban called for by the Canadian Cancer Society
Canadian Cancer Society
The Canadian Cancer Society is a national, community-based charitable organization of volunteers whose mission is to eradicate cancer and enhance the quality of life of those living with the disease....
.
In response to the news that municipal spending would necessitate larger than normal property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
increases in 2008 and 2009, Iveson expressed support for maintaining levels of spending, saying that he was "tired of this city cheaping out". He later clarified that he was referring principally to needed infrastructure investment. He advocated a more progressive taxation scheme that better matched household impact, possibly substituting more stable fee-based revenue for property taxes that were subject to variation based on fluctuating property value.
Personal life
Iveson is married to Sarah Chan, a music teacher, and lives with her and Dougal, their border terrierBorder Terrier
The Border Terrier is a small, rough-coated breed of dog of the terrier group. Originally bred as fox and vermin hunters, Border Terriers share ancestry with Dandie Dinmont Terriers and Bedlington Terriers....
. He has a son named Dexter. He is an avid sailor
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
, and once taught the sport at Lake Wabamun. He is also a fan of Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
and Arcade Fire.