Nathan Cooper (Canadian politician)
Nathan Cooper | |
|---|---|
 Cooper in 2015 | |
| 14th Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | |
| In office May 21, 2019 – May 13, 2025 | |
| Deputy | Angela Pitt |
| Preceded by | Bob Wanner |
| Succeeded by | Ric McIver |
| Leader of the Opposition in Alberta | |
| In office July 24, 2017 – October 30, 2017 | |
| Deputy | Mike Ellis |
| Preceded by | Brian Jean |
| Succeeded by | Jason Nixon |
| Interim leader of the United Conservative Party | |
| In office July 24, 2017 – October 30, 2017 | |
| Deputy | Mike Ellis |
| Preceded by | Brian Jean (Wildrose leader) Jason Kenney (PC leader) |
| Succeeded by | Jason Kenney |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills | |
| In office May 5, 2015 – May 22, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Bruce Rowe |
| Succeeded by | Tara Sawyer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Nathan Matthew Cooper April 18, 1980 York, Ontario, Canada |
| Political party | United Conservative |
| Other political affiliations | Wildrose (until 2017) |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence(s) | Olds, Alberta, Canada |
Nathan Matthew Cooper MLA (born April 18, 1980) is a Canadian politician who was elected in the 2015, 2019, and 2023 Alberta general elections to represent the electoral district of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills in the 29th, 30th, and 31st Alberta Legislatures. Cooper was a municipal councillor in Carstairs, Alberta prior to being elected to the Legislative Assembly. Cooper also served as Chief of Staff to the Wildrose Official Opposition caucus.[1][2]
On July 24, 2017, Cooper was elected interim leader of the new United Conservative Party caucus, becoming the Leader of the Opposition in that process. On that same date, he and his interim leadership team nominally assumed the leaderships of the two parties that merged to form the UCP, the Progressive Conservatives and Wildrose. At the time, Alberta electoral law did not allow parties to formally merge. On 28 October 2017, Cooper's tenure as interim leader ended when former PC leader Jason Kenney was elected as the UCP's first full-time leader.
Cooper was first elected to serve as the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta on May 21, 2019.[3] He was reelected Speaker on June 20, 2023.[4]
On May 7, 2025 Cooper announced he would resign as MLA and Speaker of the House and move to a new job as Alberta's representative in Washington beginning in June 2025.[5]
He officially resigned his role as Speaker on May 13, 2025 and MLA on May 22.[6][7] The by-election to replace him is scheduled for June 23, 2025.[8]
Speaker of the House
[edit]Cooper was elected Speaker of the House in the Alberta Legislature on May 21, 2019 and reelected to a second term on June 20, 2023.[3][4]
He was nominated for reelection by Minister Nate Horner. Horner noted that Cooper that was "an absolute parliamentary and political nerd," and had done "a remarkable job" as Speaker of the 30th Legislature.[4]
COVID-19 letter controversy
[edit]In 2021, Cooper signed a letter opposing restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]
Cooper was widely criticized for violating the Speaker's role of impartiality and impeding his ability to moderate debate. Former Speaker David Carter has suggested that Cooper should resign or be removed by a motion of non-confidence.[10]
He later apologized for violating the Speaker's traditional role of impartiality.[11] Former Speaker Robert Wanner stated that while he believed the apology was sincere, it did not go far enough to restore faith in his impartiality.[10]
Electoral history
[edit]2023 general election
[edit]| 2023 Alberta general election: Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| United Conservative | Nathan Cooper | 18,228 | 75.29 | -3.26 | ||||
| New Democratic | Cheryl Hunter Loewen | 4,553 | 18.81 | +7.05 | ||||
| Alberta Independence | Katherine Kowalchuk | 1,140 | 4.71 | – | ||||
| Wildrose Loyalty Coalition | Cam Tatlock | 183 | 0.76 | – | ||||
| Solidarity Movement | Judy Bridges | 105 | 0.43 | – | ||||
| Total | 24,209 | 98.82 | – | |||||
| Rejected and declined | 288 | 1.18 | +0.72 | |||||
| Turnout | 24,497 | 64.17 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 38,173 | |||||||
| United Conservative hold | Swing | -5.16 | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Elections Alberta[12] | ||||||||
2019 general election
[edit]| 2019 Alberta general election: Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| United Conservative | Nathan Cooper | 20,516 | 78.55 | -0.95 | ||||
| New Democratic | Kyle Johnston | 3,070 | 11.75 | -4.88 | ||||
| Alberta Party | Chase Brown | 1,779 | 6.81 | +3.44 | ||||
| Freedom Conservative | Allen MacLennan | 557 | 2.13 | – | ||||
| Alberta Advantage Party | Dave Hughes | 195 | 0.75 | – | ||||
| Total | 26,117 | 99.54 | – | |||||
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | 120 | 0.46 | – | |||||
| Turnout | 26,237 | 72.13 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 36,375 | |||||||
| United Conservative notional hold | Swing | +1.97 | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: "76 - Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, 2019 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 22, 2025. | ||||||||
2015 general election
[edit]| 2015 Alberta general election | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||||
| Wildrose | Nathan Cooper | 10,692 | 53.4% | |||||
| Progressive Conservative | Wade Bearchell | 5,274 | 26.3% | |||||
| New Democratic | Glenn Norman | 3,366 | 16.8% | |||||
| Alberta Party | Jim Adamchick | 685 | 3.4% | |||||
| Total valid votes | 20,017 | |||||||
References
[edit]- ^ "Nathan M. Cooper | Cooper4Carstairs". Archived from the original on 2015-08-12. Retrieved 2015-05-07.
- ^ "Member Information: Nathan Cooper". www.youcount.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
- ^ a b Leavitt, Kieran (21 May 2019). "Alberta legislature's new Speaker named after United Conservative agenda laid out". The Toronto Star.
- ^ a b c "'Did a remarkable job': Cooper reelected as Speaker in Alberta legislature". Edmonton. 2023-06-20. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ Black, Mathew (2025-05-07). "Cooper to resign as MLA and Speaker to take on job as Alberta representative in D.C."
- ^ "Nathan Cooper". Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ Singleton, Dan (25 May 2025). "Premier Danielle Smith discusses separation, pension plan in Olds town hall-style meeting". The Albertan. Great West Media. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ "Alberta Premier, Danielle Smith, calls 3 byelections where NDP leader and separatist leader to run | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
- ^ French, Janet. "Sixteen government MLAs speak out against latest Alberta public health restrictions". CBC News. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Former Alberta Speakers condemn actions of Cooper and Pitt". The Lethbridge Herald - News and Sports from around Lethbridge. 2021-04-14. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
- ^ "Alberta legislature Speaker apologizes for condemning new COVID health restrictions". CBC News. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "76 - Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
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