Tony Abbott

Clarke Anthony (Tony) Abbott (born November 24, 1966) is a Canadian politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He represented Drayton Valley-Calmar and sat as a Progressive Conservative from 2001 until 2008.

Early life

Abbott was born November 24, 1966, in York County, Ontario. In 1988 he graduated from Christianview Bible College with a Bachelor of Theology. He was re-elected in the 2004 election with a reduced 59% majority.

In October 2007, Abbott was defeated by Drayton Valley mayor Diana McQueen in his bid to again secure the P.C. nomination for the 2008 election. He later publicly speculated about running for one of the province's other conservative parties, such as the Alberta Alliance, the Social Credit Party, or the Wildrose Party. He ultimately did not run, citing a fear of splitting the conservative vote with McQueen and expressing his support for Progressive Conservative leader Ed Stelmach, who he called a "great man".

Legislative initiatives

First term

In 2001, Abbott introduced the Citizens' Initiative Act, a private member's bill that would have allowed any Albertan 18 years or older to sponsor a draft law by obtaining signatures from a number of eligible voters equal to 10% of the votes cast in the most recent provincial election, such signatories being required to include voters representing at least 10% of the votes cast in the election in at least two thirds of the province's ridings. If these signatures were collected in a six-month period, the proposed law would be put to province-wide referendum. If the referendum was passed by a vote of at least 60%, including 60% in at least two thirds of the province's ridings, it would be introduced in the legislature to be passed, amended, or defeated like any other bill. The bill never reached second reading in the Legislature.

In 2002, Abbott introduced the government bill Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act, designed to stiffen penalties for employers violating occupational health and safety laws. It was unanimously adopted by the legislature. Also in 2002, he introduced the Fair Trading (Cost of Credit) Amendment Act, which would have required lenders under provincial jurisdiction to stipulate the annual percentage rate of the loan and which would have encouraged the government to establish consumer education programs about the cost of credit. It never reached second reading.

In 2003, Abbott sponsored three bills. The government-sponsored Insurance Amendment Act would reduce payouts insurance payouts to some victims of automobile accidents. Abbott suggested that this would reduce Albertans' car insurance premiums, but opposition MLAs, including Liberals Kevin Taft and Laurie Blakeman and New Democrat Brian Mason suggested that it would only increase insurance companies' profits. Abbott's second 2003 bill, the Livestock Industry Diversification Amendment Act (which was also government-sponsored), dealt with domestic cervids that escape into the wild, and passed the legislature. It was postponed for six months, effectively killing it. Abbott's second bill of 2004, the Insurance (Demerit Offences) Amendment Act, was a private member's bill that never reached second reading. It was supported by the Liberals and New Democrats, although Alberta Alliance leader Paul Hinman expressed concern that by providing a more exhaustive list of things which must be provided to animals, courts might be increasingly inclined to regard anything not explicitly listed as not being obligated.

In 2006 Abbott introduced the Parental Consent to Medical Treatment for Minors Act, which would require parental consent for minors under the age of 16 to access non-emergency medical treatment. Abbott and other proponents of the bill, including Progressive Conservatives Richard Marz, Victor Doerksen, David Rodney, and Cindy Ady, cited the example of plastic surgery (including breast augmentation, liposuction, and rhinoplasty) as examples of the treatments the bill was targeted at.

During the 2007 session, Abbott's last in the legislature (except for the 2008 session, which consisted only of a throne speech), he sponsored two successful government bills. The Farm Implement Amendment Act allowed financial institutions to lease farm equipment to farmers, a privilege previously reserved for implement dealers. The Mental Health Amendment Act, which he had planned to introduce as a private member's bill before it gained support from previous health minister Iris Evans, to reduce the requirement for involuntary institutionalization of the mentally ill from "in a condition presenting or likely to present a danger to self or others," which courts had interpreted as requiring the presence of imminent danger, to "likely to cause harm to the person or others". The bill also allowed authorities to force patients to adhere to physician-mandated treatment plans even once they were no longer hospitalized.

Comments on Belinda Stronach

Abbott made national headlines in 2005 when, in response to federal Member of Parliament Belinda Stronach crossing the floor from the Conservatives to the Liberals, he made comments to the media characterizing Stronach's actions as "whoring herself out for power". He was criticized for these comments by his Liberal colleague Rick Miller, who later alleged that Abbott confronted him physically in the corridor behind the legislative chamber following his speech. Abbott later apologized for his comments.

Post-political life

In an interview on the eve of his departure from the legislature, Abbott said that he saw himself returning to politics, either at the provincial or the federal level. However, he said that he wouldn't run against local member of the House of Commons of Canada Rob Merrifield until the latter was ready to retire, calling the prospect of challenging him in a nomination fight "unethical". Tony currently lives in San Antonio, Texas where he owns and operates a small printing business, "Presto Printing".

Election results