Raj Sherman
Encyclopedia
Raj Sherman is an Alberta
politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
, representing the constituency of Edmonton-Meadowlark
, formerly as a Progressive Conservative
.
On March 15, 2011, Sherman declared his candidacy for the leadership of the Alberta Liberal Party
. He was elected leader of the Liberal Party on September 10, 2011.
and The Province
. The third of four sons, Sherman moved to Canada from India at a young age. He moved to Edmonton in the early 1980s to attend the University of Alberta
. He graduated from faculty of medicine in 1990, specializing in family and emergency medicine. In addition to being a doctor, Sherman was also a clinical lecturer at the University of Alberta and president of the Emergency Physicians of Alberta within the Alberta Medical Association.
Sherman first sought public office in the March 2008 provincial election in the constituency of Edmonton-Meadowlark
. The seat was left vacant after incumbent Liberal MLA Maurice Tougas
retired. Sherman won the riding comfortably by 2,752 voters over his closest rival, Liberal Debbie Cavaliere. After his election, he was named parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health and Wellness, Ron Liepert
. He also serves as a member of the Standing Committee on Health and the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing. He works as an emergency room doctor on Sundays.
In November 2010, Sherman criticized the government for emergency room wait times in Alberta. He was suspended from the Progressive Conservative caucus and sat as an independent MLA. The following spring, he announced his intention to seek the Alberta Liberal Party leadership. At the 2011 leadership convention
, he was elected on the first ballot.
and a bronze medal from the Alberta Northwest Lifesaving Society. In his spare time, Sherman enjoys sports, travel and the arts.
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...
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 Edmonton-Meadowlark
Edmonton Meadowlark
Edmonton Meadowlark 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....
, formerly 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...
.
On March 15, 2011, Sherman declared his candidacy for the leadership of the Alberta Liberal Party
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...
. He was elected leader of the Liberal Party on September 10, 2011.
Early life
Sherman was born in India but grew up in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia after moving there in 1975. As a youngster, he delivered newspapers for The Vancouver SunThe Vancouver Sun
The Vancouver Sun is a daily newspaper first published in the Canadian province of British Columbia on February 12, 1912. The paper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. It is published six days a week, Monday to Saturday...
and The Province
The Province
The Province is a daily, tabloid format newspaper published in British Columbia by Postmedia. It has been a daily newspaper since 1898.According to a recent NADbank survey, The Provinces average weekday readership was 520,100, making it British Columbia's most read newspaper...
. The third of four sons, Sherman moved to Canada from India at a young age. He moved to Edmonton in the early 1980s to attend 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...
. He graduated from faculty of medicine in 1990, specializing in family and emergency medicine. In addition to being a doctor, Sherman was also a clinical lecturer at the University of Alberta and president of the Emergency Physicians of Alberta within the Alberta Medical Association.
Political career
Edmonton Meadowlark
Edmonton Meadowlark 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....
. The seat was left vacant after incumbent Liberal MLA Maurice Tougas
Maurice Tougas
Maurice Tougas is a Canadian politician, who formerly represented the electoral district of Edmonton Meadowlark in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He is a member of the Liberal Party...
retired. Sherman won the riding comfortably by 2,752 voters over his closest rival, Liberal Debbie Cavaliere. After his election, he was named parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health and Wellness, Ron Liepert
Ron Liepert
Ronald Liepert is a Canadian politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Calgary-West as a Progressive Conservative.-Early life:...
. He also serves as a member of the Standing Committee on Health and the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing. He works as an emergency room doctor on Sundays.
In November 2010, Sherman criticized the government for emergency room wait times in Alberta. He was suspended from the Progressive Conservative caucus and sat as an independent MLA. The following spring, he announced his intention to seek the Alberta Liberal Party leadership. At the 2011 leadership convention
Alberta Liberal Party leadership election, 2011
An election for the leadership of the Alberta Liberal Party was held on September 10, 2011, which was caused by David Swann's announcement on February 1, 2011, of is intention to resign as leader. The election is the party's second since the 2008 election...
, he was elected on the first ballot.
Personal life
Sherman has coached soccer and basketball, served as the director for the Society of Helping Lives in Poverty, and is a past member of the McKernan housing community. He received a gold pin for his service with STARSShock Trauma Air Rescue Society
The Alberta Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society was formed in Calgary, Alberta to provide emergency medical care and transport to the critically ill and injured...
and a bronze medal from the Alberta Northwest Lifesaving Society. In his spare time, Sherman enjoys sports, travel and the arts.
Election results
| 2008 Alberta general election results ( Edmonton-Meadowlark Edmonton Meadowlark Edmonton Meadowlark 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 40.0% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliation | Candidate | Votes | % |
Progressive Conservative | Raj Sherman | 6176 | 55% |
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... |
Debbie Cavaliere | 3424 | 30% |
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... |
Pascal Ryffel | 1010 | 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... |
Amanda Doyle | 347 | 3% |
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... |
Richard Guyon | 307 | 3% | |
| Total | 11264 | 100% | ||||||||||||||||||||||