Nathan Horner ECA MLA (born 1980/1981) is a Canadian politician who is Alberta's Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation and was elected in the 2019 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Drumheller-Stettler in the 30th Alberta Legislature as a member of the United Conservative Party (UCP).[1]

The Honourable
Nate Horner
Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board
Assumed office
June 9, 2023
PremierDanielle Smith
Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation
In office
November 5, 2021 – June 9, 2023
PremierJason Kenney, Danielle Smith
Preceded byDevin Dreeshen
Succeeded byRJ Sigurdson
Associate Minister of Rural Economic Development
In office
July 08, 2021 – November 5, 2021
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Drumheller-Stettler
Assumed office
April 16, 2019
Preceded byRick Strankman
Personal details
Born1980 or 1981 (age 43–44)[1]
Political partyUnited Conservative Party
ResidencePollockville, Alberta
Occupationrancher

In addition to being Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, he also is on the Economy and Affordability Cabinet Policy Committee as well as the Emergency Management Cabinet Committee.[2][3] Previously he was Associate Minister of Rural Economic Development, Deputy Chair of the Select Special Democratic Accountability Committee, and had been on the Standing Committee on Alberta's Economic Future, Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Public Bills as well as the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing.[3]

Before being elected, Horner was a rancher and an emergency medical responder. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture from the University of Lethbridge. Nate and his wife, Jennifer, have two young children.[3]

The Horner family has deep roots in Canadian Conservatism as well as Methodism. Nate is related to Ralph Cecil Horner (b.1854), founder of numerous Holiness movement churches and later the Standard Church of America in 1916.[4] Horner is also related to Alberta MLA and former deputy-premier Doug Horner and MPs Jack Horner, Hugh Horner, Albert Horner and Norval Horner.[5] Hugh, Norval, and Jack are the sons of former Canadian senator Ralph Horner.

He was appointed into the ministry on July 8, 2021, as Associate Minister of Rural Economic Development. Then on November 5, 2021, he was promoted to a full minister as Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, then known as Agriculture Irrigation, forestry, and Rural Economic Development during the Kenney Ministry.[6] As Minister Horner supported the Alberta Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit, describing how it would “support growth, diversify the province’s economy and ensure producers have a competitive market for their goods.” The province announced the program would have investments of more than $10 million in the agri-processing industry qualify for a 12 percent tax credit.[7]

Horner also advocated that the province improve rural access to healthcare and praised Alberta's 2023 budget.[8]

He was re-elected in the 2023 Alberta general election.[9]

Electoral history

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2023 general election

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2023 Alberta general election: Drumheller-Stettler
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Conservative Nate Horner 15,270 82.14 +5.45
New Democratic Juliet Franklin 2,684 14.44 +7.90
Alberta Independence Shannon Packham 382 2.05 +1.01
Wildrose Loyalty Coalition Hannah Stretch Viens 150 0.81
Solidarity Movement Carla Evers 104 0.56
Total 18,590 99.45
Rejected and declined 103 0.55
Turnout 18,693 60.59
Eligible voters 30,850
United Conservative hold Swing -1.22
Source(s)

2019 general election

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2019 Alberta general election: Drumheller-Stettler
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Conservative Nate Horner 16,958 76.69% -4.89%
Independent Rick Strankman 1,841 8.33%
Alberta Party Mark Nikota 1,461 6.61%
New Democratic Holly Heffernan 1,446 6.54% -11.89%
Alberta Independence Jason Hushagen 230 1.04%
Alberta Advantage Greg Herzog 176 0.80%
Total 22,112
Rejected, spoiled and declined 62 51 4
Eligible electors / turnout 29,679 74.73% 15.43%
United Conservative hold Swing 27.31%
Source(s)
Source: "59 - Drumheller-Stettler, 2019 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
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. 262–268. ISBN 978-1-988620-12-1. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
Alberta provincial government of Jason Kenney
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
Devin Dreeshen Minister of Agriculture and Forestry
November 5, 2021–
Incumbent

References

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  1. ^ a b "Nate Horner seeks UCP nomination for Drumheller-Stettler riding – Stettler Independent". Stettlerindependent.com. 2018-05-15. Archived from the original on 2019-04-17. Retrieved 2019-04-17.
  2. ^ "Government committees and members". www.alberta.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  3. ^ a b c "Member Information". www.assembly.ab.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  4. ^ Hobbs, R. Gerald; Hobbs, Helen. "Ralph Cecil Horner". Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  5. ^ Rieger, Sarah (30 September 2018). "Incumbent MLA who once compared carbon tax to Ukrainian genocide loses UCP nomination vote". CBC News. Archived from the original on 17 April 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  6. ^ "Nate Horner".
  7. ^ "Alberta offering tax credit for large-scale agri-processing investments". calgaryherald. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  8. ^ Blanke, Jason. "A Good Budget For Our Area Shares MLA Horner". DrumhellerOnline.com. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  9. ^ "Alberta election 2023 results: Drumheller-Stettler | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  10. ^ "59 - Drumheller-Stettler". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 9, 2023.