23 Facts About Brian Mason

Brian David Mason was born on October 12,1953 and is a Canadian politician who was leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party from 2004 to 2014 and served the Minister of Transportation in Rachel Notley's NDP government.

Brian Mason was re-elected, and was elected in Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood after the riding was created in 2004.

Brian Mason chose not to seek re-election in 2019, and was succeeded by Janis Irwin.

Brian Mason was the longest serving NDP MLA in Alberta history, with a political career spanning more than 20 years.

Brian Mason was born in Calgary in 1953, the son of Robert George Brian Mason, an electrical engineer, and a Red Tory who was a founding member of the Reform Party of Canada.

Robert Brian Mason, was the stepson of Conservative Senator John Alexander Buchanan.

Brian Mason first became politically active in the mid-1970s while studying political science at the University of Alberta.

Brian Mason served as executive director of the Federation of Alberta Students from 1977 to 1979.

Brian Mason first ran for Edmonton city council after he was temporarily laid off from ETS in 1983, before becoming president of the Edmonton Voters Association, a municipal political party.

Brian Mason tried again for a seat on the council in 1989 with a dynamic campaign running in Ward 3.

Brian Mason's campaign came with a legal challenge he mounted against a provincial law forbidding municipal employees from running as candidates in a civic election unless they resigned their position with the city.

The legal challenge was unsuccessful, however Brian Mason was elected city councillor for Ward 3 in October 1989.

Shortly after the election the law Brian Mason challenged was repealed, and municipal workers in Edmonton were subsequently allowed to run for civic office without resigning their positions.

Brian Mason remained on city council until 2000, when he ran for political office for the New Democratic Party.

In 2000, following the mid-term resignation of then leader of the Alberta New Democrats and MLA for Edmonton Highlands Pam Barrett, Brian Mason left city council and ran for the NDP in the ensuing by-election.

Brian Mason held the Legislative Assembly seat with a strong majority, and was re-elected in the 2001 provincial election.

Brian Mason was appointed the role of interim party leader for the NDP following the resignation of then leader Raj Pannu in July 2004.

Brian Mason became the official leader of Alberta's NDP on September 18,2004, following a vote at the party convention.

Brian Mason held his seat during the provincial election in 2004, which saw the caucus welcome the return of former leaders Pannu and Ray Martin, along with newcomer David Eggen.

Brian Mason who had mentored Rachel Notley convinced her to run for the leadership which she won.

On May 24,2015, Brian Mason was appointed Minister of Infrastructure and Minister of Transportation, as well as Government House Leader.

Brian Mason announced on July 4,2018 that he would not seek re-election in the 2019 provincial election.

Brian Mason remained as a minister until April 30,2019, when the new United Conservative Party government of Jason Kenney was sworn in.