Jason Luan ECA MLA (born April 23, 1963)[1] is a former Canadian politician who was elected in the 2019 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Calgary-Foothills in the 30th Alberta Legislature.[2] He was previously elected in the 2012 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Calgary-Hawkwood in the 28th Alberta Legislature.[3] Luan served was an associate minister for mental health and then became the minister for community and social services on July 8, 2021 in the cabinet of Jason Kenney.[4] Under the premiership of Danielle Smith, he became the minister of culture on October 24, 2022.[5]

Jason Luan
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Foothills
In office
April 16, 2019 – May 29, 2023
Appointed byDanielle Smith
Preceded byPrasad Panda
Succeeded byCourt Ellingson
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Hawkwood
In office
April 23, 2012 – May 5, 2015
Preceded byRiding Established
Succeeded byMichael Connolly
Personal details
Born (1963-04-23) April 23, 1963 (age 61)
China
Political partyUnited Conservative Party
Residence(s)Calgary, Alberta
Alma materUniversity of Calgary
ProfessionSocial Worker
Websitehttps://www.jasonluan.ca

Background

edit

Luan holds a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Calgary. Before serving as an MLA, he has been managing funding for nonprofit social service agencies for over 20 years. Apart from that, he has 28 years of professional social work experience.

Luan co-chaired the Immigrant Sector Council of Calgary (2006-2012) and served on the Calgary Council on Mental Health and Addictions from 2017 to 2018. He received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for community services.[6]

He and his wife, Ms. Fengying Zhang, have been married for 34 years and together have two daughters, Kailie Luan, a resident pediatric neurologist, and Linshia Luan, an investment banker in New York.[7]

Political career

edit

Luan firstly elected in the 2012 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Calgary-Hawkwood in the 28th Alberta Legislature. He defeated Wildrose candidate, David Yager by 2067 votes, winning 47.1% of all votes cast. In the 2015 Alberta general election, he lost the seat by 1065 votes to a NDP candidate, former MLA Michael Connolly.

In the 2019 Alberta general election, Luan took back the seat of Calgary-Foothills and defeated NDP candidate, Sameena Arif by 5295 votes, winning 56.99% of all votes cast. Then, he was appointed as an Associate Minister of Mental Health & Addictions. During that time, Jason Luan, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addiction announced details on $8 million in new funds to help more Albertans access opioid treatment.[8] Jason Luan is strongly against the “one-pillar approach” of NDP in terms of harm reduction. He and the government were promoting a more “comprehensive” treatment and recovery-oriented approach when it comes to drug use and addiction.[9] After that, he became the minister for community and social services on July 8, 2021, in the cabinet of Jason Kenney.[4] After Jason Kenney stepped down as UCP leader. The newly elected UCP leader, Danielle Smith, appointed Jason Luan as the Minister of Culture on October 24, 2022.[10]

Jason Luan ran re-election in the 2023 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Calgary-Foothills.[11] He lost his seat to Court Ellingson from the NDP.[12]

Contribution in Government

edit

Jason Luan sponsored:

  • Bill 211 Education (International Language Programs) Amendment Act, 2013

Electoral history

edit
2012 Alberta general election: Calgary-Hawkwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Jason Luan 9,097 47.10%
Wildrose David Yager 7,030 36.40%
Liberal Maria Davis 1,632 8.45%
New Democratic Collin Anderson 911 4.72%
Alberta Party Kevin Woron 242 1.25%
Evergreen Janet Keeping 199 1.03%
Social Credit Len Skowronski 103 0.53%
Independent Ed Torrance 99 0.51%
Total 19,313
Rejected, spoiled and declined 138
Eligible electors / turnout 33,663 57.78%
Progressive Conservative pickup new district.
Source(s)
Source: "15 - Calgary-Hawkwood Official Results 2012 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
2015 Alberta general election: Calgary-Hawkwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Michael Connolly 7,443 36.35% 31.63%
Progressive Conservative Jason Luan 6,378 31.15% -15.95%
Wildrose Jae Shim 4,448 21.72% -14.68%
Alberta Party Beth Barberree 925 4.52% 3.26%
Liberal Harbaksh Singh Sekhon 736 3.59% -4.86%
Green Polly Knowlton Cockett 455 2.22% 1.19%
Social Credit Len Skowronski 90 0.44% -0.09%
Total 20,475
Rejected, spoiled and declined 68
Eligible electors / turnout 33,523 61.28% 3.50%
New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative Swing -2.75%
Source(s)
Source: "15 - Calgary-Hawkwood Official Results 2015 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
2019 Alberta general election: Calgary-Foothills
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
United Conservative Jason Luan 12,277 56.99% -2.93% $92,648
New Democratic Sameena Arif 6,985 32.42% 6.72% $15,707
Alberta Party Jennifer Wyness 1,680 7.80% 2.97% $6,082
Liberal Andrea Joyce 379 1.76% -4.46% $500
Freedom Conservative Kari Pomerleau 142 0.66% $1,802
Alberta Independence Kyle Miller 80 0.37% $514
Total 21,543
Rejected, spoiled and declined 125 46 8
Eligible electors / turnout 32,774 66.14%
United Conservative hold Swing
Source(s)
Source: Elections Alberta[13][14][15]
Note: Expenses is the sum of "Election Expenses", "Other Expenses" and "Transfers Issued". The Elections Act limits "Election Expenses" to $50,000.
2023 Alberta general election: Calgary-Foothills
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Court Ellingson 11,054 49.92 +17.50
United Conservative Jason Luan 10,793 48.74 -8.24
Independent Keenan Demontigny 190 0.86
Solidarity Movement Kami Dass 105 0.47
Total 22,142 99.27
Rejected and declined 162 0.73
Turnout 22,304 61.95
Eligible voters 36,006
New Democratic gain from United Conservative Swing +12.87
Source(s)
Enter ministry number
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
Leela Aheer Minister of Culture
October 24, 2022–Present
Incumbent

References

edit
  1. ^ Markusoff, Jason (April 25, 2012). "Luan's social policy credibility heals him beat odds". The Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. p. B5. Retrieved January 19, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Roundup of Calgary election results".
  3. ^ Alberta Election 2012: Riding-by-riding results Archived 2012-05-30 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b "Jason Luan". United Conservative Caucus. 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  5. ^ Alberta, Government of. "Premier announces new cabinet". www.alberta.ca. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  6. ^ ucpcaucus_mla (2019-10-02). "Jason Luan". United Conservative Caucus. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  7. ^ "Member Information". www.assembly.ab.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  8. ^ Hudes, S. (2019, December 6). Province announces funding for opioid treatment | calgary herald. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/province-announces-funding-for-opioid-treatment/
  9. ^ Hudes, S. (2019, November 4). UCP replaces Opioid Commission; vows 'new approach' to mental health and addiction. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/ucp-replaces-ndps-opioid-commission-vows-new-approach-to-mental-health-and-addiction/
  10. ^ Alberta, Government of. "Premier announces new cabinet". www.alberta.ca. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  11. ^ "Jason Luan – daveberta.ca – Alberta Politics and Elections". Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  12. ^ "Alberta Election 2023 – daveberta.ca – Alberta Politics and Elections". Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  13. ^ "12 - Calgary-Foothills, 2019 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  14. ^ Alberta. Chief Electoral Officer (2019). 2019 General Election. A Report of the Chief Electoral Officer. Volume II (PDF) (Report). Vol. 2. Edmonton, Alta.: Elections Alberta. pp. 47–50. ISBN 978-1-988620-12-1. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  15. ^ Alberta. Chief Electoral Officer (2019). 2019 General Election. A Report of the Chief Electoral Officer. Volume III Election Finances (PDF) (Report). Vol. 3. Edmonton, Alta.: Elections Alberta. pp. 68–82. ISBN 978-1-988620-13-8. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  16. ^ "12 - Calgary-Foothills". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 8, 2023.