Leonard Mitzel
Encyclopedia
Leonard Mitzel is a Canadian
politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
representing the constituency of Cypress-Medicine Hat
as a Progressive Conservative
.
and spent his early years in a farming environment near the now ghost town
of Hoping, Alberta southeast of Foremost, Alberta
. After graduating from high school, he took a job as a surveyor for Alberta Transportation where he worked for seven years. During that time, Mitzel rose through the ranks to become responsible for two crews, which were focused on the preliminary design and construction of major highways in southern Alberta. He then enrolled at the University of Lethbridge
as a second-year, pre-engineering student. When his father died in 1977, Mitzel returned to Foremost to run the family farm.
in the 2008 provincial election, where he received 63 per cent of the vote. He currently serves as Deputy Chair of Committees. Mitzel chairs the Legislative Offices Committee and sits on the Select Special Ethics Commissioner Search Committee.
He continues to advocate for a 24-hour Montana-Alberta border crossing at Wild Horse
and the development of an alternative north-south transportation corridor along the east side of Alberta and supports the Canadian Centre for Unmanned Vehicle Systems at Defence R&D Canada at Suffield
. In addition, Mitzel is the chair of the Montana-Alberta Bilateral Advisory Council, Alberta chair for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region and the Alberta representative on the Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance.
First elected in 2004, Mitzel received 55 per cent of the vote in his constituency. Since being elected, he has served on numerous committees, including the chairing of the Alberta Rail Crossing Study and the Health Facilities Review Committee, and co-chairing the Ambulance Governance Review Council.
Prior to entering provincial politics, Mitzel was a councillor in the County of Forty Mile No. 8
for 15 years and the Reeve for the last 12 years on the council. Concurrently, he sat on the board of the Palliser Health Region for six years, serving as chair for four of those years.
He has received a number of awards honouring his involvement in his community, including a 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal in 1992, Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and an Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005. The South East Alberta Water Task Force was awarded an Emerald Award during Mitzel's tenure as chair, for its work reclaiming abandoned water wells.
Mitzel is a father of two and grandfather of 4. He enjoys music, theatre, hunting, trail riding and golf.
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 Cypress-Medicine Hat
Cypress-Medicine Hat
Cypress-Medicine Hat is an Albertan provincial electoral district, located in the southeastern corner of the province.Under the Alberta electoral boundary re-distribution of 2004, the constituency covers the portion of Medicine Hat south of the South Saskatchewan River, the Trans-Canada Highway and...
as 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...
.
Early life
Mitzel was born in St. Michael's Hospital in LethbridgeLethbridge
Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's...
and spent his early years in a farming environment near the now ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
of Hoping, Alberta southeast of Foremost, Alberta
Foremost, Alberta
- See also :* List of communities in Alberta* List of villages in Alberta* Foremost Formation* Foremost Airport- External links :* * AlbertaFirst....
. After graduating from high school, he took a job as a surveyor for Alberta Transportation where he worked for seven years. During that time, Mitzel rose through the ranks to become responsible for two crews, which were focused on the preliminary design and construction of major highways in southern Alberta. He then enrolled at the University of Lethbridge
University of Lethbridge
The University of Lethbridge is a publicly-funded comprehensive academic and research university, founded in the liberal education tradition, located in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, with two other urban campuses in Calgary and Edmonton. The main building sits among the coulees on the west side of...
as a second-year, pre-engineering student. When his father died in 1977, Mitzel returned to Foremost to run the family farm.
Political life
Mitzel was elected to a second term representing the constituency of Cypress-Medicine HatCypress-Medicine Hat
Cypress-Medicine Hat is an Albertan provincial electoral district, located in the southeastern corner of the province.Under the Alberta electoral boundary re-distribution of 2004, the constituency covers the portion of Medicine Hat south of the South Saskatchewan River, the Trans-Canada Highway and...
in the 2008 provincial election, where he received 63 per cent of the vote. He currently serves as Deputy Chair of Committees. Mitzel chairs the Legislative Offices Committee and sits on the Select Special Ethics Commissioner Search Committee.
He continues to advocate for a 24-hour Montana-Alberta border crossing at Wild Horse
Wild Horse, Alberta
Wild Horse is an unincorporated community in southern Alberta within Cypress County, Canada. It is situated on Highway 41, south-west of Medicine Hat....
and the development of an alternative north-south transportation corridor along the east side of Alberta and supports the Canadian Centre for Unmanned Vehicle Systems at Defence R&D Canada at Suffield
Suffield, Alberta
Suffield is a hamlet in southern Alberta, Canada within Cypress County. It is located on the Trans-Canada Highway approximately northwest of Medicine Hat.- History :...
. In addition, Mitzel is the chair of the Montana-Alberta Bilateral Advisory Council, Alberta chair for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region and the Alberta representative on the Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance.
First elected in 2004, Mitzel received 55 per cent of the vote in his constituency. Since being elected, he has served on numerous committees, including the chairing of the Alberta Rail Crossing Study and the Health Facilities Review Committee, and co-chairing the Ambulance Governance Review Council.
Prior to entering provincial politics, Mitzel was a councillor in the County of Forty Mile No. 8
Forty Mile County No. 8, Alberta
The County of Forty Mile No. 8 is a municipal district in south eastern Alberta, Canada.It is located in Census Division 1, east of Medicine Hat. The municipal seat is in Foremost.-Demographics:...
for 15 years and the Reeve for the last 12 years on the council. Concurrently, he sat on the board of the Palliser Health Region for six years, serving as chair for four of those years.
Personal life
Mitzel lives with his wife, June Cole Mitzel, in Etzikom, Alberta. They are founding members and volunteer curators for the Etzikom Museum and the Canadian National Historic Windmill Centre [www.facebook.com/etzikommuseum]. In these endeavours, Mitzel was awarded the Lyle Flynn Award for Tourism Promotion for South East Alberta and a TIALTA Small Attractions Award. June Cole Mitzel's first husband, Gordon Cole, has been missing since May 23, 1981 after a hunting accident in which he was lost crossing a river.www.albertamissingpersons.caHe has received a number of awards honouring his involvement in his community, including a 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal in 1992, Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and an Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005. The South East Alberta Water Task Force was awarded an Emerald Award during Mitzel's tenure as chair, for its work reclaiming abandoned water wells.
Mitzel is a father of two and grandfather of 4. He enjoys music, theatre, hunting, trail riding and golf.
Election results
| 2008 Alberta general election results ( Cypress-Medicine Hat Cypress-Medicine Hat Cypress-Medicine Hat is an Albertan provincial electoral district, located in the southeastern corner of the province.Under the Alberta electoral boundary re-distribution of 2004, the constituency covers the portion of Medicine Hat south of the South Saskatchewan River, the Trans-Canada Highway and... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 35.5% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
Progressive Conservative | Len Mitzel | 5,640 | 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... |
Dan H. Pierson | 679 | 8% |
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... |
Richard (Dick) Mastel | 2,022 | 23% |
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... |
Bright Pryde | 215 | 2% |
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... |
Manuel Martinez | 347 | 4% | |
| Total | 8,903 | 100% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 Alberta general election Alberta general election, 2004 The Alberta general election of 2004 was the twenty-sixth general election for the province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 22, 2004 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.... results ( Cypress-Medicine Hat Cypress-Medicine Hat Cypress-Medicine Hat is an Albertan provincial electoral district, located in the southeastern corner of the province.Under the Alberta electoral boundary re-distribution of 2004, the constituency covers the portion of Medicine Hat south of the South Saskatchewan River, the Trans-Canada Highway and... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 38.4% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
Progressive Conservative | Len Mitzel | 4,628 | 55% |
Alberta Alliance | Dan H. Pierson | 652 | 8% |
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... |
Stuart Angle | 2,222 | 26% |
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... |
Cliff Aten | 358 | 4% |
Social Credit | Eric Solberg | 562 | 7% | |
| Total | 8,422 | 100% | ||||||||||||||||||||||