Mary Anne Jablonski
Encyclopedia
Mary Anne Jablonski is a Canadian
politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
representing the constituency of Red Deer North
as a Progressive Conservative
.
. She studied psychology and political science at Brock University
on scholarship. She married her husband, Bob, in 1971. The couple has three children.
In 1980, Bob was transferred to Penhold
with the Canadian Forces
and the family moved to Alberta
with him. Mary Anne Jablonski participated in a successful lobby effort in the early 1980s, petitioning the federal government for dental plans for families of military personnel and Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) members, and promoting the rights of military spouses.
Jablonski worked in a bank for seven years. She and her husband also owned and operated a fiberglass manufacturing company for many years. They employed 18 people and produced a variety of objects, including waterslides, jet boats and RV parts.
, who resigned to seek the leadership of the federal Canadian Alliance
party. Since her election, Jablonski has been a member of numerous committees and chaired the Cabinet Policy Committee on Community Services; Alberta Mental Health Board Liaison and Advisory Committee; Standing Policy Committee on Justice and Government Services; Youth Secretariat; and Corrections Review Committee.
Jablonski was elected to her fourth term representing the constituency of Red Deer North
in the 2008 provincial election. Premier Ed Stelmach
appointed her minister of Seniors and Community Supports on March 13, 2008. Stelmach gave Jablonski a mandate of improving quality, supply and choice in the continuing care system, and supporting persons with disabilities' independence and self-reliance through employability incentives. In addition, Jablonski formed a Demographic Planning Commission to consult with Albertans and to develop an Aging Population Framework. She also began meeting with major stakeholder groups and touring care facilities throughout Alberta.
As of January 2010, she is being criticized for cuts being made to Alberta's Person's With Developmental Disabilities Program (P.D.D.).
In response to public criticism of cuts to the PDD program Jablonski has clarified that, "due to fiscal restraint measures taken across government, this increase is reduced by $11.3 million, or about two per cent of the overall program budget. The end result is still an increase to the PDD budget of approximately $22 million." Many people involved in the care of Persons with a Developmental Disability
, feel that the cuts are "the wrong decision."
. The couple has three adult children and five grandchildren. In her free time, she enjoys camping and hiking with family.
Jablonski has been active in many community groups, including the Catholic Women's League, Girl Guides of Canada and the Chamber of Commerce. In 1999, as a member of ITC (formerly Toast Mistresses), she won the international speech competition in Kobe
, Japan
.
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 Red Deer North
Red Deer North
Red Deer North is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
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
Jablonski was born and raised with three sisters and a brother in St. Catharines, OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. She studied psychology and political science at Brock University
Brock University
Brock University is a comprehensive university located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Brock offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs that include co-op and other experiential learning opportunities to an enrolment of over 17,000 full-time students.The enabling legislation is...
on scholarship. She married her husband, Bob, in 1971. The couple has three children.
In 1980, Bob was transferred to Penhold
Penhold, Alberta
Penhold is a town in central Alberta, Canada. Penhold is surrounded by the county of Red Deer No. 23, south of Red Deer at the junction of Highway 2A and Highway 42. It is located north of Calgary, along the Red Deer River...
with the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
and the family moved to 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...
with him. Mary Anne Jablonski participated in a successful lobby effort in the early 1980s, petitioning the federal government for dental plans for families of military personnel and Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP) members, and promoting the rights of military spouses.
Jablonski worked in a bank for seven years. She and her husband also owned and operated a fiberglass manufacturing company for many years. They employed 18 people and produced a variety of objects, including waterslides, jet boats and RV parts.
Political career
Jablonski was first elected in a 2000 by-election to fill a spot left vacant by Stockwell DayStockwell Day
Stockwell Burt Day, Jr., PC, MP is a former Canadian politician, and a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He is a former cabinet minister in Alberta, and a former leader of the Canadian Alliance. Day was MP for the riding of Okanagan—Coquihalla in British Columbia and the president of...
, who resigned to seek the leadership of the federal Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
party. Since her election, Jablonski has been a member of numerous committees and chaired the Cabinet Policy Committee on Community Services; Alberta Mental Health Board Liaison and Advisory Committee; Standing Policy Committee on Justice and Government Services; Youth Secretariat; and Corrections Review Committee.
Jablonski was elected to her fourth term representing the constituency of Red Deer North
Red Deer North
Red Deer North is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
in the 2008 provincial election. Premier Ed Stelmach
Ed Stelmach
Edward Michael "Ed" Stelmach, MLA is a Canadian politician and served as the 13th Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 2006 to 2011. The grandson of Ukrainian immigrants, Stelmach was born and raised on a farm near Lamont and speaks fluent Ukrainian. He spent his entire pre-political adult life as a...
appointed her minister of Seniors and Community Supports on March 13, 2008. Stelmach gave Jablonski a mandate of improving quality, supply and choice in the continuing care system, and supporting persons with disabilities' independence and self-reliance through employability incentives. In addition, Jablonski formed a Demographic Planning Commission to consult with Albertans and to develop an Aging Population Framework. She also began meeting with major stakeholder groups and touring care facilities throughout Alberta.
As of January 2010, she is being criticized for cuts being made to Alberta's Person's With Developmental Disabilities Program (P.D.D.).
In response to public criticism of cuts to the PDD program Jablonski has clarified that, "due to fiscal restraint measures taken across government, this increase is reduced by $11.3 million, or about two per cent of the overall program budget. The end result is still an increase to the PDD budget of approximately $22 million." Many people involved in the care of Persons with a Developmental Disability
Developmental disability
Developmental disability is a term used in the United States and Canada to describe lifelong disabilities attributable to mental or physical impairments, manifested prior to age 18. It is not synonymous with "developmental delay" which is often a consequence of a temporary illness or trauma during...
, feel that the cuts are "the wrong decision."
Personal life
Jablonski lives with her husband Bob in Red DeerRed Deer, Alberta
Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and is surrounded by Red Deer County. It is Alberta's third-most-populous city – after Calgary and Edmonton. The city is located in aspen parkland, a region of rolling hills...
. The couple has three adult children and five grandchildren. In her free time, she enjoys camping and hiking with family.
Jablonski has been active in many community groups, including the Catholic Women's League, Girl Guides of Canada and the Chamber of Commerce. In 1999, as a member of ITC (formerly Toast Mistresses), she won the international speech competition in Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Election results
| 2008 Alberta general election results ( Red Deer-North Red Deer North Red Deer North is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district 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 29.5% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
Progressive Conservative | Mary Anne Jablonski | 4,715 | 57.9% |
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 Farrand | 1,770 | 21.7% |
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... |
Rueben Tschetter | 463 | 5.7% |
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... |
Shawn Nielsen | 560 | 6.9% |
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... |
Urs Lehner | 630 | 7.7% | |
| 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 ( Red Deer-North Red Deer North Red Deer North is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district 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 39.1% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
Progressive Conservative | Mary Anne Jablonski | 3,733 | 42.8% |
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... |
Norm McDougall | 2,647 | 30.4% |
Alberta Alliance | Rand Sisson | 1,657 | 19.0% |
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... |
Steven Bedford | 432 | 5.0% |
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... |
Colin Fisher | 244 | 2.8% | |
| 2001 Alberta general election Alberta general election, 2001 The Alberta general election of 2001 was the twenty-fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 12, 2001 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.... results ( Red Deer-North Red Deer North Red Deer North is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district 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 40.7% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
Progressive Conservative | Mary Anne Jablonski | 5,025 | 57.1% |
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... |
Norm McDougall | 3,110 | 35.3% |
Alberta First Alberta First Party The Alberta First Party was a right-wing political party that operated in Alberta, Canada from 1999 until 2003. It was founded by former members of the Social Credit Party of Alberta. The party was registered with Elections Alberta on November 2, 1999... |
Patti Argent | 356 | 4.0% | |||||||||
| 2000 Alberta by-election results ( Red Deer-North Red Deer North Red Deer North is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district 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 20.4% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
Progressive Conservative | Mary Anne Jablonski | 2,026 | 48.8% |
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... |
Norm McDougall | 1,634 | 39.4% |
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... |
Linda Roth | 152 | 3.7% |
Alberta First Alberta First Party The Alberta First Party was a right-wing political party that operated in Alberta, Canada from 1999 until 2003. It was founded by former members of the Social Credit Party of Alberta. The party was registered with Elections Alberta on November 2, 1999... |
Patti Argent | 338 | 8.1% | |||||