Mike Cardinal
Encyclopedia
Mike Cardinal is a politician from Alberta
, Canada
and a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
, having served in that capacity from 1989 until 2008. He sat as a Progressive Conservative
and represented the districts of Athabasca-Lac La Biche
, Athabasca-Wabasca
, and Athabasca-Redwater
. He also held five cabinet posts in the government of Ralph Klein.
, the son of a trapper and a homemaker. He dropped out of school in grade 8 to work, but eventually returned to school and graduated from grade 12. He spent ten years in the forestry and sawmill industries before entering the public sector. He worked as a mortgage
officer with the Alberta Housing Corporation before transferring to the Alberta Human Resources Development Authority. There he developed a native housing/relocation program before moving to the department of Advanced Education and Manpower, where he served as regional supervisor of Employment/Counselling Services for ten years. He served a further three years as a regional manager of Employment and Relocation Counselling Services, and three more as a senior consultant to the Assistant Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and Manpower.
and on the school board of the Northland School Division No. 61, where he chaired the board for three of his six years of service.
, when ran as a Progressive Conservative
against incumbent New Democrat Leo Piquette
in the riding of Athabasca-Lac La Biche
. He defeated Piquette by more than 900 votes. When electoral boundaries were re-drawn in advance of the 1993 election
, Cardinal ran in the new riding of Athabasca-Wabasca
. He was elected here not only in 1993, but also in 1997
and 2001
, taking well over fifty percent of the vote each time. In 2004 this riding too was abolished, and Cardinal served his last term as the member for Athabasca-Redwater
, which he won handily in the 2004 election
. He did not seek re-election at the conclusion of this term.
from the time of his election until Ralph Klein became premier in December 1992. During this time, he sponsored the Metis Settlements Land Protection Act of 1990, a government bill designed to give Metis
settlements ownership over the land. It passed without significant controversy, though Liberal
Nicholas Taylor
questioned a portion of the bill that stipulated that the land, as it was communally owned, could not be mortgaged.
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...
and a former 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...
, having served in that capacity from 1989 until 2008. He sat 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...
and represented the districts of Athabasca-Lac La Biche
Athabasca-Lac La Biche
Athabasca-Lac La Biche was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada from 1986 until 1993, when it was dissolved.-MLAs:The district elected the following members to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta:-Election results:...
, Athabasca-Wabasca
Athabasca-Wabasca
Athabasca-Wabasca was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.The riding was created in 1993 when the district of Fort McMurray shrank to encompass the northern Alberta city. Athabasca-Wabasca completely covered the same boundaries except for the city of Fort...
, and Athabasca-Redwater
Athabasca-Redwater
Athabasca-Redwater is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is one of 83 mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
. He also held five cabinet posts in the government of Ralph Klein.
Early life
Mike Cardinal was born into a family of 13 in 1941 in northern AlbertaAlberta
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...
, the son of a trapper and a homemaker. He dropped out of school in grade 8 to work, but eventually returned to school and graduated from grade 12. He spent ten years in the forestry and sawmill industries before entering the public sector. He worked as a mortgage
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
officer with the Alberta Housing Corporation before transferring to the Alberta Human Resources Development Authority. There he developed a native housing/relocation program before moving to the department of Advanced Education and Manpower, where he served as regional supervisor of Employment/Counselling Services for ten years. He served a further three years as a regional manager of Employment and Relocation Counselling Services, and three more as a senior consultant to the Assistant Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and Manpower.
Municipal politics
Cardinal served as a town councillor in Slave LakeSlave Lake, Alberta
Slave Lake is a town in northern Alberta, Canada, in the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124. It is located on the southeast shore of Lesser Slave Lake at the junction of Highway 2 and Highway 88....
and on the school board of the Northland School Division No. 61, where he chaired the board for three of his six years of service.
Electoral record
Cardinal first sought provincial office in the 1989 electionAlberta 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....
, when ran 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...
against incumbent New Democrat Leo Piquette
Leo Piquette
Léo Piquette was elected to the Alberta Legislative Assembly in the 1986 Alberta election. He was a member of the Alberta New Democratic Party for the district of Athabasca-Lac La Biche....
in the riding of Athabasca-Lac La Biche
Athabasca-Lac La Biche
Athabasca-Lac La Biche was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada from 1986 until 1993, when it was dissolved.-MLAs:The district elected the following members to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta:-Election results:...
. He defeated Piquette by more than 900 votes. When electoral boundaries were re-drawn in advance of the 1993 election
Alberta general election, 1993
The Alberta general election of 1993 was the twenty-third general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 15, 1993 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta...
, Cardinal ran in the new riding of Athabasca-Wabasca
Athabasca-Wabasca
Athabasca-Wabasca was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.The riding was created in 1993 when the district of Fort McMurray shrank to encompass the northern Alberta city. Athabasca-Wabasca completely covered the same boundaries except for the city of Fort...
. He was elected here not only in 1993, but also in 1997
Alberta general election, 1997
The Alberta general election of 1997 was the twenty-fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 11, 1997 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
and 2001
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....
, taking well over fifty percent of the vote each time. In 2004 this riding too was abolished, and Cardinal served his last term as the member for Athabasca-Redwater
Athabasca-Redwater
Athabasca-Redwater is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is one of 83 mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
, which he won handily in the 2004 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....
. He did not seek re-election at the conclusion of this term.
Backbencher
Cardinal served as a backbencherBackbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
from the time of his election until Ralph Klein became premier in December 1992. During this time, he sponsored the Metis Settlements Land Protection Act of 1990, a government bill designed to give Metis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
settlements ownership over the land. It passed without significant controversy, though 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...
Nicholas Taylor
Nicholas Taylor
Nicholas "Nick" William Taylor is a retired geologist, businessman and politician and former Canadian Senator from Alberta, Canada....
questioned a portion of the bill that stipulated that the land, as it was communally owned, could not be mortgaged.
Minister of Family and Social Services
Upon Ralph Klein's ascendancy to the Premiership in December 1992, Cardinal was brought into cabinet as the Minister of Family and Social Services. He was the first treaty Indian to be named to Alberta's cabinet, and, in addition to his portfolio, was given cabinet responsibility for aboriginal issues.Election results
| 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 (Athabasca-Redwater Athabasca-Redwater Athabasca-Redwater is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is one of 83 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 49.9% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
Progressive Conservative | Mike Cardinal | 5,707 | 47.7% |
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... |
Nicole Belland | 3,253 | 27.2% |
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... |
Peter Opryshko | 1,397 | 11.7% |
Alberta Alliance | Sean Whelan | 1,184 | 9.9% |
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... |
Luke de Smet | 252 | 2.1% |
Social Credit Social Credit Party of Alberta The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values.... |
Leonard Fish | 177 | 1.5% | |
| 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 (Athabasca-Wabasca Athabasca-Wabasca Athabasca-Wabasca was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.The riding was created in 1993 when the district of Fort McMurray shrank to encompass the northern Alberta city. Athabasca-Wabasca completely covered the same boundaries except for the city of Fort... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 50.4% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Progressive Conservative | Mike Cardinal | 4,238 | 66.7% |
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... |
Al Wurfel | 1,264 | 19.9% |
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... |
Colin Piquette | 606 | 9.5% |
Social Credit Social Credit Party of Alberta The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values.... |
David Klassen | 153 | 2.4% |
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... |
Ian Hopfe | 94 | 1.5% | |||||||||
| 1997 Alberta general election Alberta general election, 1997 The Alberta general election of 1997 was the twenty-fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 11, 1997 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.... results (Athabasca-Wabasca Athabasca-Wabasca Athabasca-Wabasca was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.The riding was created in 1993 when the district of Fort McMurray shrank to encompass the northern Alberta city. Athabasca-Wabasca completely covered the same boundaries except for the city of Fort... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 47.7% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Progressive Conservative | Mike Cardinal | 3,380 | 59.0% |
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... |
Tony Mercredi | 1,481 | 25.9% |
Social Credit Social Credit Party of Alberta The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values.... |
Curtis Gunderson | 468 | 8.2% |
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... |
Dean Patriquin | 300 | 5.2% |
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... |
Harlan Light | 100 | 1.7% | |||||||||
| 1993 Alberta general election Alberta general election, 1993 The Alberta general election of 1993 was the twenty-third general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 15, 1993 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta... results (Athabasca-Wabasca Athabasca-Wabasca Athabasca-Wabasca was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.The riding was created in 1993 when the district of Fort McMurray shrank to encompass the northern Alberta city. Athabasca-Wabasca completely covered the same boundaries except for the city of Fort... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 62.2% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Progressive Conservative | Mike Cardinal | 4,144 | 60.0% |
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... |
Simon Waquan | 1,921 | 27.8% |
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... |
Emil Zachkewich | 843 | 12.2% | |||||||||||||||||
| 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.... results (Athabasca-Lac La Biche Athabasca-Lac La Biche Athabasca-Lac La Biche was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada from 1986 until 1993, when it was dissolved.-MLAs:The district elected the following members to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta:-Election results:... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 67.5% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Progressive Conservative | Mike Cardinal | 4,237 | 45.2% |
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... |
Leo Piquette Leo Piquette Léo Piquette was elected to the Alberta Legislative Assembly in the 1986 Alberta election. He was a member of the Alberta New Democratic Party for the district of Athabasca-Lac La Biche.... |
3,342 | 35.7% |
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... |
Tom Maccagno | 1,791 | 19.1% | |||||||||||||||||