Mary LeMessurier
Encyclopedia
Mary J. LeMessurier is a former provincial level politician and social activist from Alberta
, Canada
. She served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1979 to 1986 and sat with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus. During her time in office she served in the Executive Council of Alberta
as Minister of Culture under the Peter Lougheed
government.
. She won the electoral district of Edmonton-Centre handily to hold it for the governing Progressive Conservative party. After the election Premier Peter Lougheed
appointed her to be the Minister of Culture.
LeMessurier ran for re-election in the 1982 Alberta general election
. She increased her popular vote but also faced stiff competition from challenging candidate Iain Taylor of the New Democratic party. On June 12, 1985 LeMessurier declared Alberta Government House
a provincial historical site.
She kept her portfolio after Don Getty
became premier in November 1985. She ran for a third term in the 1986 general election
but was defeated in a hotly contested race by William Roberts.
After her defeat from office, she was appointed by the Government of Alberta as the Agent General for Alberta. She spent six years in that position before returning to Alberta.
On October 21, 1998, LeMessurier was appointed as a companion to the Order of Canada.
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 1986 and sat with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus. During her time in office she served in 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...
as Minister of Culture under the 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....
government.
Political career
LeMessurier ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1979 Alberta general electionAlberta 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 won the electoral district of Edmonton-Centre handily to hold it for the governing Progressive Conservative party. After the election 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....
appointed her to be the Minister of Culture.
LeMessurier ran for re-election 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 increased her popular vote but also faced stiff competition from challenging candidate Iain Taylor of the New Democratic party. On June 12, 1985 LeMessurier declared Alberta Government House
Government House (Alberta)
Government House is the former official residence of the lieutenant governors of Alberta, currently retained for ceremonial events and entertaining.The property for the house was purchased by the Province of Alberta in 1910, as well as the surrounding area...
a provincial historical site.
She kept her portfolio after 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...
became premier in November 1985. She ran for a third term in the 1986 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....
but was defeated in a hotly contested race by William Roberts.
After her defeat from office, she was appointed by the Government of Alberta as the Agent General for Alberta. She spent six years in that position before returning to Alberta.
On October 21, 1998, LeMessurier was appointed as a companion to the Order of Canada.