Mike Cardinal
The Honourable Mike Cardinal Leo Piquette | |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Jeff Johnson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Melvin Percy Joseph Cardinal July 17, 1941 Slave Lake, Alberta |
| Died | January 12, 2023 (aged 81) Edmonton, Alberta |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Portfolio |
|
Melvin Percy Joseph Cardinal
Early life
Cardinal was born into a family of 13 on July 17, 1941 in Slave Lake, Alberta,[1] the son of a trapper and a homemaker. He dropped out of school in grade 8 to work, but eventually returned to school and graduated from grade 12. He spent ten years in the forestry and sawmill industries before entering the public sector. He worked as a mortgage officer with the Alberta Housing Corporation before transferring to the Alberta Human Resources Development Authority.[1] There he developed a native housing/relocation program before moving to the department of Advanced Education and Manpower, where he served as regional supervisor of Employment/Counselling Services for ten years. He served a further three years as a regional manager of Employment and Relocation Counselling Services, and three more as a senior consultant to the Assistant Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and Manpower.[1]
Political career
Cardinal served as a town councillor in
Provincial electoral record
Cardinal first sought provincial office in the
When electoral boundaries were re-drawn in advance of the 1993 election, Cardinal ran in the new riding of Athabasca-Wabasca.[3] He was elected here not only in 1993, but also in 1997[4] and 2001,[5] taking well over fifty percent of the vote each time. The 2001 election included New Democratic candidate Colin Piquette, the son of Leo Piquette who Cardinal defeated in the 1989 election.[6]
In 2004 this riding too was abolished, and Cardinal served his last term as the member for Athabasca-Redwater, which he won handily in the 2004 election.[7] He did not seek re-election at the conclusion of this term.
Backbencher
Cardinal served as a
Minister of Family and Social Services (1992−1996)
In 1992,
Cardinal was made a number of strides as Minister to help meet the Klein government's austerity goals. By mid-1995, Cardinal had cut $300 million in department expenses by reducing welfare rolls and introducing self-help and work programs for welfare recipients.[10] Cardinal's policy changes included reducing the monthly allowance for single and able bodied welfare recipients, resulting in 25,000 people or 28 per cent of welfare rolls, being removed from the system, saving $150 million in government expenses.[13]
Cardinal was embroiled in several controversies as a Minister. In 1994, while pursuing policy to withhold
Minister of Resource Development and Sustainable Resource Development (2000−2004)
Cardinal returned to Ralph Klein's cabinet in June 2000 when he was appointed Minister of Resource Development.[22] As Minister of Resource Development, Cardinal led the deregulation efforts for the Alberta electricity system. Alberta's rapidly growing economy put a significant strain on the province's electricity system, resulting in significantly higher than anticipated costs for residential consumers as deregulation came into effect in 2000.[23] Cardinal was able to responded to gasoline and natural gas challenges by providing two $150 rebate cheques, but the government held firm that electricity rates would eventually come down through deregulation.[23] In September 2000, a $20 monthly rebate was provided on monthly bills, totaling $1.1 billion, which was not received well by the public.[24][25] The government initially announced that residential increases would be stopped in 2001, but after backlash from power companies in December 2000, the government lifted the rate caps and doubled the electricity rebate to $40 per month, doubling the province's rebate program expense to over $2 billion.[24][25] The government's response to deregulation in 2000, a year before the provincial election, was described as "throwing money" as the problem in hopes it would be resolved,[24] and making policy "on the fly".[24]
In 2001, the Ministry of Resource Development was split, with oil and gas regulation moving to the Ministry of Energy under
Personal life and death
Cardinal died on January 12, 2023, at the age of 81.[29]
Election results
| 1989 Alberta general election: Athabasca-Lac La Biche | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Mike Cardinal | 4,237 | 45.22% | 9.18% | ||||
| New Democratic | Leo Piquette |
3,342 | 35.67% | -3.56% | ||||
| Liberal | Tom Maccagno | 1,791 | 19.11% | -3.48% | ||||
| Total | 9,370 | – | – | |||||
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | 30 | – | – | |||||
| Eligible electors / turnout | 13,933 | 67.47% | – | |||||
| Progressive Conservative gain from New Democratic | Swing | 3.18% | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: "Athabasca-Lac La Biche Official Results 1989 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. | ||||||||
| 1993 Alberta general election: Athabasca-Wabasca | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Mike Cardinal | 4,144 | 59.99% | – | ||||
| Liberal | Simon Waquan | 1,921 | 27.81% | – | ||||
| New Democratic | Emil Zachkewich | 843 | 12.20% | – | ||||
| Total | 6,908 | – | – | |||||
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | 31 | – | – | |||||
| Eligible electors / turnout | 11,165 | 62.15% | – | |||||
| Progressive Conservative pickup new district. | ||||||||
Source(s)
Source: "Athabasca-Wabasca Official Results 1993 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. | ||||||||
| 1997 Alberta general election: Athabasca-Wabasca | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Mike Cardinal | 3,380 | 59.00% | -0.99% | ||||
| Liberal | Tony Mercredi | 1,481 | 25.85% | -1.96% | ||||
| Social Credit | Curtis Gunderson | 468 | 8.17% | – | ||||
| New Democratic | Dean Patriquin | 300 | 5.24% | -6.97% | ||||
| Greens | Harlan Light | 100 | 1.75% | – | ||||
| Total | 5,729 | – | – | |||||
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | 34 | – | – | |||||
| Eligible electors / turnout | 12,009 | 47.99% | – | |||||
| Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | 0.48% | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: "Athabasca-Wabasca Official Results 1997 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. | ||||||||
| 2001 Alberta general election: Athabasca-Wabasca | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Mike Cardinal | 4,238 | 66.69% | 7.69% | ||||
| Liberal | Al Wurfel | 1,264 | 19.89% | -5.96% | ||||
| New Democratic | Colin Piquette | 606 | 9.54% | 4.30% | ||||
| Social Credit | David Klassen | 153 | 2.41% | -5.76% | ||||
| Greens | Ian Hopfe | 94 | 1.48% | -0.27% | ||||
| Total | 6,355 | – | – | |||||
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | 6 | – | – | |||||
| Eligible electors / turnout | 12,622 | 50.40% | – | |||||
| Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | 6.83% | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: "Athabasca-Wabasca Official Results 2001 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. | ||||||||
| 2004 Alberta general election: Athabasca-Redwater | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Mike Cardinal | 5,707 | 47.68% | – | ||||
| Liberal | Nicole Belland | 3,253 | 27.18% | – | ||||
| New Democratic | Peter Opryshko | 1,397 | 11.67% | – | ||||
| Alberta Alliance | Sean Whelan | 1,184 | 9.89% | – | ||||
| Greens | Luke De Smet | 252 | 2.11% | – | ||||
| Social Credit | Leonard Fish | 177 | 1.48% | – | ||||
| Total | 11,970 | – | – | |||||
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | 53 | – | – | |||||
| Eligible electors / turnout | 24,074 | 49.94% | – | |||||
| Progressive Conservative pickup new district. | ||||||||
Source(s) | ||||||||
References
- ^ ISSN 0315-6168.
- ^ Office of the Chief Electoral Officer & Legislative Assembly Office 2006, p. 363.
- ^ Office of the Chief Electoral Officer & Legislative Assembly Office 2006, p. 381.
- ^ Office of the Chief Electoral Officer & Legislative Assembly Office 2006, p. 403.
- ^ Office of the Chief Electoral Officer & Legislative Assembly Office 2006, p. 425.
- ISBN 978-2-89634-001-9.
- ^ Office of the Chief Electoral Officer & Legislative Assembly Office 2006, p. 445.
- ^ https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files/docs/hansards/han/legislature_22/session_2/19900605_2000_01_han.pdf (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. June 5, 1990.
{{cite book}}:|chapter-url=missing title (help) - ^ Martin 2002, p. 124.
- ^ a b Martin 2002, p. 153.
- ISBN 978-0-8020-8101-8.
- ^ Fraser, Fil (March 27, 1993). "Cardinal ready to settle Lubicon claim". Edmonton Journal.
- ^ Dabbs 1995, p. 118.
- ^ a b Martin 2002, p. 154.
- ^ a b Dabbs 1995, p. 165.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4426-7207-9.
- ^ a b Dabbs 1995, p. 166.
- ProQuest 2401619381.
- ProQuest 2401690800.
- ^ Martin 2002, p. 155.
- ISBN 978-1-4426-7209-3.
- ^ Jansen 2006, p. 120.
- ^ a b Jansen 2006, p. 116.
- ^ a b c d Jansen 2006, p. 117.
- ^ ProQuest 2263192962.
- ^ Provincial Archives of Alberta 2006, p. 577.
- ProQuest 2403024686.
- ProQuest 2403024686.
- ^ "Mike Cardinal, influential minister in Ralph Klein's cabinet, dies at 81". Rabble. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
- Works cited
- ISBN 0-9689217-8-7. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
- Dabbs, Frank (1995). Ralph Klein: a maverick life. Vancouver: Greystone Books. OCLC 1100660321.
- Jansen, Harold (2006). "Alberta". In Mutimer, David (ed.). Canadian annual review of politics and public affairs, 2000. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. pp. 113–126. ISBN 978-1-4426-7213-0.
- Martin, Don (2002). King Ralph : the political life and success of Ralph Klein. Toronto: Key Porter Books. ISBN 978-1-55263-469-1.
- Provincial Archives of Alberta (2006). An administrative history of the Government of Alberta, 1905-2005 (1st ed.). Edmonton: Provincial Archives of Alberta. ISBN 978-0-7785-4714-3.
External links
- Melvin P. J. 'Mike' Cardinal – Legislative Assembly of Alberta Member Profile
