Marlin Schmidt ECA MLA (born October 16, 1978) is a Canadian politician who currently represents the electoral district of Edmonton-Gold Bar in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.[1] First elected in the 2015 Alberta general election, Schmidt served as the Minister of Advanced Education in the New Democratic Party (NDP) government led by Rachel Notley.

The Honourable
Marlin Schmidt
Alberta Minister of Advanced Education
In office
February 2, 2016 – April 30, 2019
PremierRachel Notley
Preceded byLori Sigurdson
Succeeded byDemetrios Nicolaides
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Edmonton-Gold Bar
Assumed office
May 5, 2015
Preceded byDavid Dorward
Personal details
Born (1978-10-16) October 16, 1978 (age 46)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Political partyAlberta New Democratic Party
Residence(s)Edmonton, Alberta
OccupationHydrogeologist

Prior to serving with the Legislative Assembly, Schmidt specialized in site remediation for over a decade. From 2008 to 2015 he worked for Alberta Environment as a soil and groundwater contamination specialist, and previous to this, he worked as a remediation specialist, beginning in 2002. He holds a master of science degree in applied environmental geosciences from University of Tübingen in Germany and a bachelor of science from Queen's University in Kingston.[2]

Schmidt drew criticism in July 2020 for comments he made in the Legislature about the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.[3] His remarks were in opposition to a bill proposed by the governing United Conservative Party that modified the province's referendum laws, which Schmidt said Thatcher would have opposed.[3] Schmidt went on to say that he "count[s] on enjoying the fact that Margaret Thatcher is still dead" and regretted she had died "probably 30 years too late".[4] The comments were deemed "totally inappropriate," by the Speaker of the Legislature, which prompted Schmidt to withdraw his comments and apologize.[4]

Electoral history

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2023 general election

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2023 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Gold Bar
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Marlin Schmidt 15,508 69.48 +10.00
United Conservative Miles Berry 6,174 27.66 -1.64
Independent Graham Lettner 321 1.44
Green Ernestina Malheiro 316 1.42 +0.41
Total 22,319 99.36
Rejected and declined 144 0.64
Turnout 22,463 63.31
Eligible voters 35,481
New Democratic hold Swing +5.82
Source(s)

2019 general election

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2019 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Gold Bar
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Marlin Schmidt 14,562 59.48% -9.40%
United Conservative David C. Dorward 7,174 29.30% +4.31%
Alberta Party Diana Ly 2,008 8.20% 5.23%
Liberal Steve Kochan 315 1.29% -1.86%
Green Tanya Herbert 247 1.01%
Alberta Independence Vincent Loyer 176 0.72%
Total 24,482
Rejected, spoiled and declined 27 64 16
Eligible electors / turnout 35,555 68.98% 7.94%
New Democratic hold Swing -10.05%
Source(s)
Source: "33 - Edmonton-Gold Bar, 2019 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

2015 general election

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2015 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Gold Bar
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Marlin Schmidt 15,349 68.89% 40.17%
Progressive Conservative David C. Dorward 4,147 18.61% -14.35%
Wildrose Justin J. James 1,422 6.38% -9.21%
Liberal Ronald Brochu 702 3.15% -16.91%
Alberta Party Cristina Stasia 662 2.97% 1.27%
Total 22,282
Rejected, spoiled and declined 96 25 16
Eligible electors / turnout 36,688 61.04% -1.25%
New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative Swing 23.01%
Source(s)
Source: "35 - Edmonton-Gold Bar, 2015 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

2012 general election

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2012 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Gold Bar
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative David C. Dorward 6,701 32.97% -4.64%
New Democratic Marlin Schmidt 5,836 28.71% 14.96%
Liberal Josipa Petrunic 4,078 20.06% -24.83%
Wildrose Alliance Linda Carlson 3,169 15.59%
Alberta Party Dennis O'Neill 345 1.70%
Evergreen David J. Parker 198 0.97%
Total 20,327
Rejected, spoiled and declined 144 18 1
Eligible electors / turnout 32,868 62.29% 14.43%
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing -1.51%
Source(s)
Source: "35 - Edmonton-Gold Bar, 2012 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

References

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  1. ^ "Riding results: Edmonton-Gold Bar". Archived from the original on 5 October 2015.
  2. ^ "Legislative Assembly of Alberta".
  3. ^ a b Boyd, Alex (8 July 2020). "Former British PM Margaret Thatcher roasted by Alberta politician who laments she didn't die sooner". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Comments on intimidation, Margaret Thatcher prompt separate apologies in Alberta Legislature". CTV News Edmonton. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  5. ^ "33 - Edmonton-Gold Bar". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved 8 June 2023.