Jim Gurnett
Encyclopedia
Jim Gurnett was a politician from Alberta
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1985 until 1986.
Previously, Jim was Manager of Community Services at Bissell Centre, serving people living in poverty in Edmonton’s urban core (1999-2001). Prior to that he was founding Executive Director of The Hope Foundation (1993-1999), affiliated with the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta, as a centre for research and services related to the intentional use of hope as a means of enjoying enhanced quality of life.
For 15 years Jim worked as teacher, program facilitator and administrator at schools in Alberta and Afghanistan (Teacher, Bowness High School, Calgary; Vice Principal, Ahlman Academy; Kabul, Afghanistan; Teacher, American International School of Kabul; Principal, Whitelaw School; Program Facilitator, Fairview School Division; Principal, Rycroft School; Principal, Woking School; Principal, Blueberry Creek School).
He has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta (Spirit River-Fairview, 1985-86), Director of Communications and Outreach for the Official Opposition at the Alberta Legislature (1990-1993), and a newspaper editor.
Gurnett was first elected to the Alberta Legislature in a by-election for the in Spirit River-Fairview
. He held the electoral district for the New Democrats
after, party leader Grant Notley
died in a plane crash, precipitating the by-election.
The Legislature was dissolved less than a year later and he ran for a second term in office. His electoral district of Spirit River-Fairview
was redistributed for the 1986 Alberta general election
and he ran in the new electoral district of Dunvegan
. The election was a hotly contested two way race that saw him lose by two hundred votes to Progressive Conservative
candidate Glen Clegg
. He would attempt to win his seat back in the 1989 Alberta general election
, despite a strong showing Clegg won his second term by a larger margin. Gurnett retired from provincial politics after that election.
Jim has four adult children and eight grandchildren. He is part of St. Faith’s (Anglican) parish. He writes sometimes for Edmonton Street News.
Current community service includes:
• Chair, Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance
• Board member, Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations
• Member, Advisory Board, Alberta Housing Coalition
• Communications spokesperson, Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness
• Member, Social Work Program Advisory Committee, Grant MacEwan College
• Member, Organizing Committee, Edmonton Good Friday Outdoor Way of the Cross.
He was educated at the Universities of Alberta (B.A., 1969) and Calgary.
Previous volunteer commitments have included:
Board member, Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace
Chair, Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Organizations
Campaign Cabinet, United Way of the Alberta Capital Region
Chair, Homefest planning committee, Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness
Member, A Learning Alberta (2005-2006)—Minister of Advanced Education initiative
Recognitions:
Queen’s Jubilee Medal (2004)
Alberta Centennial Medal (2005)
Project Ploughshares Edmonton Salvos Prelorentzos Peace Award (2007)
Grant MacEwan College (2008) Honourary diploma in Community Studies
Alberta Venture magazine (2007) “Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People”
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...
. He 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 1985 until 1986.
Career
Jim Gurnett was Executive Director of Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers from 2001-2009. EMCN is a civil society organization providing programs and services for people who are immigrants and refugees, including settlement assistance, language training, employment and career services, community development, counseling, housing, and advocacy. The vision of the organization is that newcomers to Edmonton will achieve full participation, strengthening and enriching the lives of the whole community.Previously, Jim was Manager of Community Services at Bissell Centre, serving people living in poverty in Edmonton’s urban core (1999-2001). Prior to that he was founding Executive Director of The Hope Foundation (1993-1999), affiliated with the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta, as a centre for research and services related to the intentional use of hope as a means of enjoying enhanced quality of life.
For 15 years Jim worked as teacher, program facilitator and administrator at schools in Alberta and Afghanistan (Teacher, Bowness High School, Calgary; Vice Principal, Ahlman Academy; Kabul, Afghanistan; Teacher, American International School of Kabul; Principal, Whitelaw School; Program Facilitator, Fairview School Division; Principal, Rycroft School; Principal, Woking School; Principal, Blueberry Creek School).
He has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta (Spirit River-Fairview, 1985-86), Director of Communications and Outreach for the Official Opposition at the Alberta Legislature (1990-1993), and a newspaper editor.
Gurnett was first elected to the Alberta Legislature in a by-election for the in Spirit River-Fairview
Spirit River-Fairview
Spirit River-Fairview was a provincial electoral district in Northwestern Alberta. In 1971 the district created by a merger of the Spirit River and Dunvegan electoral districts. The district was abolished in 1986 and recreated into Dunvegan....
. He held the electoral district for the New Democrats
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...
after, party leader Grant Notley
Grant Notley
Walter Grant Notley was a provincial politician in Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 to 1984 and also served as leader of the Alberta NDP from 1968 to 1984....
died in a plane crash, precipitating the by-election.
The Legislature was dissolved less than a year later and he ran for a second term in office. His electoral district of Spirit River-Fairview
Spirit River-Fairview
Spirit River-Fairview was a provincial electoral district in Northwestern Alberta. In 1971 the district created by a merger of the Spirit River and Dunvegan electoral districts. The district was abolished in 1986 and recreated into Dunvegan....
was redistributed for 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....
and he ran in the new electoral district of Dunvegan
Dunvegan (electoral district)
Dunvegan was a provincial electoral district in Northwestern Alberta. In 2004 the district was re-named Dunvegan-Central Peace. The district was created in 1986 from Spirit River-Fairview.-Members of the Legislative Assembly :...
. The election was a hotly contested two way race that saw him lose by two hundred votes to 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 Glen Clegg
Glen Clegg
Glen Clegg is a civil servant and former provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1986 until 2001.-Political career:...
. He would attempt to win his seat back 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....
, despite a strong showing Clegg won his second term by a larger margin. Gurnett retired from provincial politics after that election.
Jim has four adult children and eight grandchildren. He is part of St. Faith’s (Anglican) parish. He writes sometimes for Edmonton Street News.
Current community service includes:
• Chair, Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance
• Board member, Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations
• Member, Advisory Board, Alberta Housing Coalition
• Communications spokesperson, Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness
• Member, Social Work Program Advisory Committee, Grant MacEwan College
• Member, Organizing Committee, Edmonton Good Friday Outdoor Way of the Cross.
He was educated at the Universities of Alberta (B.A., 1969) and Calgary.
Previous volunteer commitments have included:
Board member, Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace
Chair, Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Organizations
Campaign Cabinet, United Way of the Alberta Capital Region
Chair, Homefest planning committee, Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness
Member, A Learning Alberta (2005-2006)—Minister of Advanced Education initiative
Recognitions:
Queen’s Jubilee Medal (2004)
Alberta Centennial Medal (2005)
Project Ploughshares Edmonton Salvos Prelorentzos Peace Award (2007)
Grant MacEwan College (2008) Honourary diploma in Community Studies
Alberta Venture magazine (2007) “Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People”