Leonard Mitzel

Infobox_Politician


imagesize = 150px
name = Leonard Mitzel
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birth_date =
birth_place = Lethbridge, Alberta
residence = Etziokom, Alberta
office = MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat
term_start = 2008
term_end =
predecessor = Lorne Taylor
successor = incumbent
party = Progressive Conservative
alma_mater =
religion =
spouse = June
children =
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website =

Leonard Mitzel (born in Lethbridge, Alberta) is a Canadian politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Cypress-Medicine Hat as a Progressive Conservative.

Early life

Mitzel was born in St. Michael's Hospital in Lethbridge and spent his early years in a farming environment southeast of Foremost, Alberta. After graduating from high school, he took a job as a surveyor for Alberta Transportation where he worked for seven years. During that time, Mitzel rose through the ranks to become responsible for two crews, which were focused on the preliminary design and construction of major highways in southern Alberta. He then enrolled at the University of Lethbridge as a second-year, pre-engineering student. When his father died in 1977, Mitzel returned to Foremost to run the family farm.

Political life

Mitzel was elected to a second term representing the constituency of Cypress-Medicine Hat in the 2008 provincial election, where he received 63 per cent of the vote. He currently serves as Deputy Chair of Committees (elected by acclamation). Mitzel chairs the Legislative Offices Committee and sits on the Select Special Ethics Commissioner Search Committee.

He continues to advocate for a 24-hour Montana-Alberta border crossing at Wild Horse and the development of an alternative north-south transportation corridor along the east side of Alberta and supports the Canadian Centre for Unmanned Vehicle Systems at Defence R&D Canada at Suffield. In addition, Mitzel is the chair of the Montana-Alberta Bilateral Advisory Council, Alberta chair for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region and the Alberta representative on the Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance.

First elected in 2004, Mitzel received 55 per cent of the vote in his constituency. Since being elected, he has served on numerous committees, including the chairing of the Alberta Rail Crossing Study and the Health Facilities Review Committee, and co-chairing the Ambulance Governance Review Council.

Prior to entering provincial politics, Mitzel was a councillor in the County of Forty Mile for 15 years and the reeve for the last 12 years on the council. Concurrently, he sat on the board of the Palliser Health Region for six years, serving as chair for four of those years.

Personal life

Mitzel lives with his wife, June, in Etziokom, Alberta. They are founding members and volunteer curators for the Etziokom Museum and the Canadian National Historic Windmill Centre. In these endeavours, Mitzel was awarded the Lyle Flynn Award for Tourism Promotion for South East Alberta and a TIALTA Small Attractions Award.

He has received a number of awards honouring his involvement in his community, including a 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal in 1992, Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and an Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005. The South East Alberta Water Task Force was awarded an Emerald Award during Mitzel's tenure as chair, for its work reclaiming abandoned water wells.

Mitzel enjoys music, theatre, hunting, trail riding and golf.cite web|url=http://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=mla_bio&rnumber=50|title=Mitzel's Legislative Assembly of Alberta biography]

Election results

References