Mike Lake
Encyclopedia
Michael Stanley "Mike" Lake (born June 4, 1969) is a business person and politician in Alberta
, Canada
. In 2008, he was appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary of Industry by Prime Minister Stephen Harper
.
. He grew up in Devon, Alberta
and obtained a Bachelor of Commerce
degree from the University of Alberta
. After graduating from university, he began a career with the Edmonton Oilers
ice hockey team as a sales manager and director of ticket sales as their national accounts manager.
He is married and has two children, his son has autism and thus is a member of the Edmonton Autism Society. He is involved in the Alberta Foster Care Program.
nomination for the riding of Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont
defeating 7 time candidate Tim Uppal
. The nomination proved to be significant since popular long time Liberal
incumbent David Kilgour
had chosen to retire, creating a power vacuum in the riding.
Lake went on to win the vacant riding in a landslide victory in the 2006 federal election
. Pundits had predicted the race would be closer as the Liberal Party of Canada
had held the district and its predecessor ridings since 1991.
to be protected under the Species at Risk Act
. Lake filed the petition with the Clerk of the House of Commons on March 28, 2007. Subsequently it was reported by various media that Lake himself had argued in favour of giving such protection to Bigfoot. When interviewed, Lake said that he did not believe in Bigfoot, but filed the petition as a service to constituents without making any judgment call.
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...
. In 2008, he was appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary of Industry by Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
.
Early life
Lake was born in New Westminster, British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. He grew up in Devon, Alberta
Devon, Alberta
Devon is a town in the province of Alberta, Canada, situated southwest of Edmonton, the provincial capital, and located along the banks of the North Saskatchewan River.- History :Devon owes its existence to one of the largest oil discoveries in the world...
and obtained a Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Commerce
A Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
degree from the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
. After graduating from university, he began a career with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
ice hockey team as a sales manager and director of ticket sales as their national accounts manager.
He is married and has two children, his son has autism and thus is a member of the Edmonton Autism Society. He is involved in the Alberta Foster Care Program.
2006 federal election
Mike Lake won the Conservative Party of CanadaConservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
nomination for the riding of Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont
Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont
Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004.-Geography:...
defeating 7 time candidate Tim Uppal
Tim Uppal
Tim Uppal, PC, MP is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a Member of Parliament for Edmonton—Sherwood Park in the 2008 federal election...
. The nomination proved to be significant since popular long time Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
incumbent David Kilgour
David Kilgour
David Kilgour, PC is a former Canadian politician.Kilgour graduated from the University of Manitoba in economics in 1962 and the University of Toronto law school in 1966. From crown attorney in northern Alberta to Canadian Cabinet minister, Kilgour ended his 27 year tenure in the Canadian House of...
had chosen to retire, creating a power vacuum in the riding.
Lake went on to win the vacant riding in a landslide victory in the 2006 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
. Pundits had predicted the race would be closer as the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
had held the district and its predecessor ridings since 1991.
Bigfoot petition
In his first term as a representative in the Canadian House of Commons, Lake was presented with a very unusual petition signed by almost 500 individuals calling for BigfootBigfoot
Bigfoot, also known as sasquatch, is an ape-like cryptid that purportedly inhabits forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Bigfoot is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid...
to be protected under the Species at Risk Act
Species at Risk Act
The Species at Risk Act is a piece of Canadian federal legislation which became law in Canada on December 12, 2002. It is designed to meet one of Canada's key commitments under the International Convention on Biological Diversity. The goal of the Act is to protect endangered or threatened...
. Lake filed the petition with the Clerk of the House of Commons on March 28, 2007. Subsequently it was reported by various media that Lake himself had argued in favour of giving such protection to Bigfoot. When interviewed, Lake said that he did not believe in Bigfoot, but filed the petition as a service to constituents without making any judgment call.