Alison Redford

Infobox_Politician
name = Alison Redford


imagesize = 150px
small|caption =
birth_date = birth date and age|1965|3|7
birth_place = Calgary, Alberta
residence = Calgary, Alberta
office = MLA for Calgary-Elbow
term_start = 2008
term_end =
predecessor = Craig Cheffins
successor = Incumbent
party = Progressive Conservative
alma_mater = University of Saskatchewan
religion =
spouse =
occupation = lawyer
website =

Alison Redford, Q.C. (born March 7, 1965 in Calgary) is a Canadian politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Calgary-Elbow as a Progressive Conservative. She was first elected in the 2008 general election.

Early life

Redford was born March 7, 1965 in Calgary. She graduated from the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan in 1988.

Throughout the 1990s, Redford worked as a technical advisor on constitutional and legal reform issues in various parts of Africa for the European Union, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Canadian Government and the Government of Australia. Her work in Africa focused on human rights litigation, developing education programs and policy reform with respect to gender issues.

One of Redford's most notable appointments was by the Secretary General of the United Nations as one of the four International Election Commissioners to administer Afghanistan's first parliamentary elections held in September 2005. She also served as an advisor to the Privy Council Office on Canada's future involvement in Afghanistan subsequent to the elections. Her work has included assignments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Namibia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and the Philippines. Before her most current post, Redford managed a judicial training and legal reform project for the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme People's Court in Vietnam.

Political career

Redford has been actively involved in both provincial and national politics since the 1980s. She served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Right Honourable Joe Clark, Secretary of State for External Affairs and in the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada from 1988 to 1990. In this capacity, Redford organized a series of National foreign policy consultations facilitating public input on the Government of Canada's White Papers on Foreign Affairs and Defence. In Canadian Parliament, she was also the Principal Legislative Advisor to the Secretary of State for External Affairs.

On March 13, 2008, after being elected MLA for the constituency of Calgary-Elbow, Redford was named Minister of Justice and Attorney General by Premier Ed Stelmach. In addition, she currently serves as a member of the Agenda and Priorities Committee and the Cabinet Policy Committee on Public Safety and Services.

Personal life

Redford has been an active member of many community boards, including the Lycee Louis Pasteur Society, the Heritage Park Foundation and the Calgary Winter Club. She previously served on the Board of the Lakeview Community Association and the Alberta Human Rights Education Advisory Board.

Redford was born and raised in Calgary, where she currently lives with her husband and daughter.cite web|url=http://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=mla_bio&rnumber=08|title=Redford's Legislative Assembly of Alberta biography]

Election results

References