Searle Turton

The Honourable
Searle Turton
Minister of Children and Family Services
Assumed office
June 9, 2023
PremierDanielle Smith
Preceded byMickey Amery
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Spruce Grove-Stony Plain
Assumed office
April 16, 2019
Preceded byErin Babcock
Personal details
Born (1979-06-23) June 23, 1979 (age 45)
Regina, Saskatchewan
Political partyUnited Conservative Party
Spouse
Amy Turton
(m. 2001)
Residence(s)Spruce Grove, Alberta
OccupationTechnology Sales, Industrial Construction

Searle Turton ECA MLA (born 23 June 1979) is a Canadian politician who is the Alberta Minister of Children and Family Services. He was elected in the 2019 Alberta general election to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the electoral district of Spruce Grove-Stony Plain. Turton previously was a city councillor in the City of Spruce Grove from 2010 to 2019 until his election as MLA.[1] He was re-elected in the 2023 Alberta general election,[2] and in June 2023 he was appointed to Cabinet.

Before being elected, Turton also worked in the tech sector and in construction consulting with a variety of oil refineries/ facilities around Alberta.[3]

As MLA, Turton was Chair of the Social Services Cabinet Policy Committee, Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, and member of the Standing Committee on Resource Stewardship. Turton has previously been Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy, Deputy Char of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, and has served on various other boards as well.[4]

Turton sponsored Bill 213 titled the Traffic Safety (Maximum Speed Limit for Provincial Freeways) Amendment Act.[5] Turton described how due to Alberta’s mostly flat prairie terrain, a mild increase to the speed limit would be necessary.[6]

In 2023, Turton announced a $14.7 million investment to Meridian Housing Foundation to build seniors units in Spruce Grove. He described how “Alberta's seniors have spent decades making our communities what they are today. I am pleased to see that through funding from the Affordable Housing Partnership Program, seniors in the Spruce Grove-Stony Plain area will have access to the modern, safe, and affordable housing they deserve”.[7]

Electoral history

2023 general election

2023 Alberta general election: Spruce Grove-Stony Plain
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Conservative Searle Turton 14,365 56.99 -2.36
New Democratic Chantal Saramaga-McKenzie 10,197 40.45 +11.10
Green Daniel Birrell 422 1.67
Solidarity Movement Darlene Clarke 223 0.88
Total 25,207 99.57
Rejected and declined 108 0.43
Turnout 25,315 61.52
Eligible voters 41,150
United Conservative hold Swing -6.73
Source(s)

2019 general election

2019 Alberta general election: Spruce Grove-Stony Plain
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Conservative Searle Turton 15,843 59.35% 11.15%
New Democratic Erin Babcock 7,836 29.36% 12.38%
Alberta Party Ivan G. Boles 2,597 9.73% 4.58%
Alberta Independence Jody Crocker 417 1.56%
Total 26,693
Rejected, spoiled and declined 47 77 16
Eligible electors / turnout 37,296 71.74%
United Conservative pickup new district.
Source(s)
Source: "82 - Spruce Grove-Stony Plain, 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. 399–403. ISBN 978-1-988620-12-1. Retrieved April 7, 2021.

References

  1. ^ Sarah O'Donnell. "Riding profile: Spruce Grove-Stony Plain". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 2019-04-17.
  2. ^ "Alberta Election 2023 – daveberta.ca – Alberta Politics and Elections". Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  3. ^ "Member Information". www.assembly.ab.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  4. ^ "Member Information". www.assembly.ab.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  5. ^ "Member Information". www.assembly.ab.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  6. ^ "Need for speed: UCP MLA wants to see 120 km/h speed limit on some Alberta highways". CBC. March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  7. ^ Corporation, Canada Mortgage and Housing. "CANADA SUPPORTS NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR ALBERTANS IN NEED". www.newswire.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  8. ^ "82 - Spruce Grove-Stony Plain". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 10, 2023.