Dan Backs

Dan Backs (born 15 December 1953) is a politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He was elected as a Liberal candidate in the 2004 provincial election, but was kicked out of the Liberal caucus by leader Kevin Taft, who cited concerns about Backs' ability to work as a member of a team. He sat as an independent thereafter and, after failing to secure the Progressive Conservative nomination for his riding, sought re-election in that capacity as well. He finished third in the riding in the 2008 election.

Early life Backs was educated at St. Francis High School in Calgary, Alberta. He subsequently earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Alberta and a heavy equipment certification from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.

He would attempt to gain a seat in the 1986 Edmonton municipal election, when he ran for Edmonton City Council as an alderman in Ward 1. He finished third of nine candidates, behind Bruce Campbell and Helen Paull, both of whom were elected (Edmonton's council is composed of two councillors from each of six wards). He defeated Progressive Conservative incumbent Tony Vandermeer and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Also contesting it were Vandermeer, his predecessor and last-time opponent, local homebuilder Peter Sandhu, and Backs' fellow former Liberal Emerson Mayers. Sandhu won the nomination, In this election, he finished third behind Sandhu and New Democrat Rick Murti.

Ouster from caucus In November 2006, Backs was expelled from the Liberal caucus by party leader Kevin Taft. Taft attributed the decision to "ongoing friction" between Backs and his colleagues, with Backs expressing surprise and calling the ouster "bizarre". The bill had not come up for a second reading by the time the 2006 session of the legislature adjourned, and accordingly it died. In 2007, as an independent, Backs sponsored the Regulatory Accountability and Transparency Act, a private member's bill designed to reduce the red tape faced by Alberta business. It was supported by the Liberal, New Democratic, and Alberta Alliance caucuses. The Progressive Conservatives who spoke to the bill expressed a support for the concept of regulatory simplification - which they stated was a major goal of the government - but expressed some concerns with different specific elements of the bill.

Election results