Jason Luan Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Jason Luan
Birth Date:23 April 1963
Birth Place:China
Residence:Calgary, Alberta
Office:Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Foothills
Term Start:April 16, 2019
Predecessor:Prasad Panda
Office2:Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Hawkwood
Term Start2:April 23, 2012
Term End2:May 5, 2015
Predecessor2:Riding Established
Successor2:Michael Connolly
Party:United Conservative Party
Website:https://www.jasonluan.ca
Alma Mater:University of Calgary
Appointer:Danielle Smith
Profession:Social Worker
Successor1:Court Ellingson
Termend:May 29, 2023

Jason Luan (born April 23, 1963)[1] is a former Canadian politician who was elected in the 2019 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Calgary-Foothills in the 30th Alberta Legislature.[2] He was previously elected in the 2012 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Calgary-Hawkwood in the 28th Alberta Legislature.[3] Luan served was an associate minister for mental health and then became the minister for community and social services on July 8, 2021 in the cabinet of Jason Kenney.[4] Under the premiership of Danielle Smith, he became the minister of culture on October 24, 2022.[5]

Background

Luan holds a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Calgary. Before serving as an MLA, he has been managing funding for nonprofit social service agencies for over 20 years. Apart from that, he has 28 years of professional social work experience.

Luan co-chaired the Immigrant Sector Council of Calgary (2006-2012) and served on the Calgary Council on Mental Health and Addictions from 2017 to 2018. He received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for community services.[6]

He and his wife, Ms. Fengying Zhang, have been married for 34 years and together have two daughters, Kailie Luan, a resident pediatric neurologist, and Linshia Luan, an investment banker in New York.[7]

Political career

Luan firstly elected in the 2012 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Calgary-Hawkwood in the 28th Alberta Legislature. He defeated Wildrose candidate, David Yager by 2067 votes, winning 47.1% of all votes cast. In the 2015 Alberta general election, he lost the seat by 1065 votes to a NDP candidate, former MLA Michael Connolly.

In the 2019 Alberta general election, Luan took back the seat of Calgary-Foothills and defeated NDP candidate, Sameena Arif by 5295 votes, winning 56.99% of all votes cast. Then, he was appointed as an Associate Minister of Mental Health & Addictions. During that time, Jason Luan, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addiction announced details on $8 million in new funds to help more Albertans access opioid treatment.[8] Jason Luan is strongly against the “one-pillar approach” of NDP in terms of harm reduction. He and the government were promoting a more “comprehensive” treatment and recovery-oriented approach when it comes to drug use and addiction.[9] After that, he became the minister for community and social services on July 8, 2021, in the cabinet of Jason Kenney. After Jason Kenney stepped down as UCP leader. The newly elected UCP leader, Danielle Smith, appointed Jason Luan as the Minister of Culture on October 24, 2022.[10]

Jason Luan ran re-election in the 2023 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Calgary-Foothills.[11] He lost his seat to Court Ellingson from the NDP.[12]

Contribution in Government

Jason Luan sponsored:

Notes and References

  1. News: Markusoff . Jason . April 25, 2012 . Luan's social policy credibility heals him beat odds . . Calgary, Alberta . B5 . January 19, 2024 . newspapers.com.
  2. Web site: Roundup of Calgary election results.
  3. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/live-results-alberta-election-2012/article2405211/ Alberta Election 2012: Riding-by-riding results
  4. Web site: 2019-10-02 . Jason Luan . 2022-10-25 . United Conservative Caucus . en-US.
  5. Web site: Alberta . Government of . Premier announces new cabinet . 2022-10-25 . www.alberta.ca . en-CA.
  6. Web site: ucpcaucus_mla . 2019-10-02 . Jason Luan . 2023-03-21 . United Conservative Caucus . en-US.
  7. Web site: Member Information . 2023-03-21 . www.assembly.ab.ca.
  8. Hudes, S. (2019, December 6). Province announces funding for opioid treatment | calgary herald. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/province-announces-funding-for-opioid-treatment/
  9. Hudes, S. (2019, November 4). UCP replaces Opioid Commission; vows 'new approach' to mental health and addiction. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/ucp-replaces-ndps-opioid-commission-vows-new-approach-to-mental-health-and-addiction/
  10. Alberta, Government of. "Premier announces new cabinet". www.alberta.ca. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  11. Web site: Jason Luan – daveberta.ca – Alberta Politics and Elections . 2023-03-21 . en-US.
  12. Web site: Alberta Election 2023 – daveberta.ca – Alberta Politics and Elections . 2023-03-21 . en-US.