Janis Irwin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theLegislative Assembly of Alberta forEdmonton-Highlands-Norwood | |
| Assumed office April 16, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Brian Mason |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1984-09-09)September 9, 1984 (age 41) |
| Political party | Alberta NDP |
| Residence | Edmonton, Alberta |
| Alma mater | University of Alberta (BEd) University of Calgary (MEd) |
| Occupation | Teacher, civil servant |
| Website | janisirwin |
Janis Irwin (born September 9, 1984)[1] is a Canadian politician who was elected to theLegislative Assembly of Alberta in the2019 Alberta general election,[2] and re-elected in the 2023 Alberta General Election. She represents the electoral district ofEdmonton-Highlands-Norwood as a member of theAlberta New Democratic Party.[3] She serves as the Official Opposition Critic for Housing. She previously served as the Critic for Status of Women and 2SLGBTQ+ Issues, and is the Official Opposition Deputy Whip.[4]
A teacher prior to her election, Irwin previously ran as the federalNew Democratic Party candidate forEdmonton Griesbach in the2015 Canadian federal election.
Irwin grew up inBarrhead, Alberta.[5] Prior to being elected, Irwin was a high school social studies teacher inBawlf, Alberta and served as vice-principal inForestburg, Alberta.[6][7][8][9] Irwin came out in her late 20s.[10] In 2010, Irwin moved to Edmonton to start working with Alberta Education, focusing on curriculum.[11]
Irwin holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta, a Master of Education from the University of Calgary, and completed PhD-level coursework at the University of Alberta without defending her thesis.[citation needed]
In her first term as Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Irwin advocated againstconversion therapy by citing the harmful organization Journey Canada with its ties to this practice.[12] Another issue Irwin strongly advocated on was the legal protections ofgay-straight alliances (GSAs) in the education system in Alberta.[13][14]
In her second term as the Critic for Housing, Irwin has been vocal, calling for action on skyrocketing rents. Irwin has tabled Bill 205, the Housing Security Act, which would bring in temporary rent caps.[15]
Irwin has also been a voice for her unhoused constituents, calling for an end to encampment sweeps and urging immediate investments in affordable and permanent supportive housing.[16]
As of June 21, 2024, she also serves as the chair of the Legislature's Public Accounts Committee.
| 2015 Canadian federal election:Edmonton Griesbach | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Conservative | Kerry Diotte | 19,157 | 39.96 | –12.55 | $93,048.30 | |||
| New Democratic | Janis Irwin | 16,309 | 34.02 | –3.45 | $150,799.22 | |||
| Liberal | Brian Gold | 10,397 | 21.69 | +15.11 | $14,575.14 | |||
| Green | Heather Workman | 1,129 | 2.35 | –1.08 | $1,404.61 | |||
| Libertarian | Maryna Goncharenko | 415 | 0.87 | – | $150.44 | |||
| Marijuana | Linda Northcott | 279 | 0.58 | – | – | |||
| Rhinoceros | Bun Bun Thompson | 144 | 0.30 | – | – | |||
| Marxist–Leninist | Mary Joyce | 112 | 0.23 | – | – | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 47,942 | 99.40 | $214,842.90 | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 289 | 0.60 | – | |||||
| Turnout | 48,231 | 59.35 | – | |||||
| Eligible voters | 81,265 | |||||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | –4.55 | ||||||
| Source:Elections Canada[17][18] | ||||||||
Source:[19]
| 2019 Alberta general election:Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| New Democratic | Janis Irwin | 9,998 | 63.45% | -14.66% | ||||
| United Conservative | Leila Houle | 4,015 | 25.48% | 6.92% | ||||
| Alberta Party | Tish Prouse | 1,057 | 6.71% | – | ||||
| Green | Taz Bouchier | 243 | 1.54% | – | ||||
| Alberta Independence | Joe Hankins | 226 | 1.43% | – | ||||
| Alberta Advantage | Chris Poplatek | 116 | 0.74% | – | ||||
| Communist | Alex S. Boykowich | 103 | 0.65% | – | ||||
| Total | 15,758 | – | – | |||||
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | 70 | 88 | 8 | |||||
| Eligible electors / turnout | 30,596 | 51.76% | 8.12% | |||||
| New Democratichold | Swing | -14.06% | ||||||
Source(s) Source:"34 - Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood, 2019 Alberta general election".officialresults.elections.ab.ca.Elections Alberta. RetrievedMay 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. 132–135.ISBN 978-1-988620-12-1. RetrievedApril 7, 2021. | ||||||||
| 2023 Alberta general election:Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| New Democratic | Janis Irwin | 9,491 | 71.46 | +8.01 | ||||
| United Conservative | Nick Kalynchuk | 3,350 | 25.22 | -0.26 | ||||
| Green | Kristine Kowalchuk | 339 | 2.55 | +1.01 | ||||
| Communist | Naomi Rankin | 102 | 0.77 | +0.11 | ||||
| Total | 13,282 | 99.01 | – | |||||
| Rejected and declined | 133 | 0.99 | ||||||
| Turnout | 13,415 | 45.22 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 29,665 | |||||||
| New Democratichold | Swing | +4.13 | ||||||
Source(s) Source:Elections Alberta[20] | ||||||||