Shane Getson Explained

Shane Getson
Honorific-Suffix:MLA
Residence:Onoway, Alberta
Office:Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland
Term Start:April 16, 2019
Predecessor:Oneil Carlier
Party:United Conservative Party
Occupation:Civil engineering technologist

Shane Getson is a Canadian politician representing Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta as a member of the United Conservative Party (UCP). Getson was first elected in the 2019 Alberta general election and subsequently re-elected in the 2023 election.

Getson currently serves as the Chief Government Whip, and Parliamentary Secretary for Economic Corridor Development.[1]

Personal life and education

Prior to serving with the Legislative Assembly, he owned and operated a consulting company serving the construction and energy sectors with a focus on linear infrastructure.

He attended the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), where he received a diploma in Civil Engineering Technology in 1996.

He and his wife have four children.

Getson is a private pilot and aircraft owner.

Career

Getson was the 917th Member to be sworn into the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.[2]

In September 2021, Getson criticized Alberta Health Services and their executives for not increasing capacity to handle the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that the policy of vaccine passport was a distraction to keep accountability off of AHS. The timing of his comments was criticized by the opposition Alberta New Democratic Party as being "ignorant and tone deaf", saying that the governing UCP were responsible for the capacity issues.[3] The comments were also criticized by healthcare workers on social media, which prompted Getson to apologize, stating that he made the comments "in context of the management of the organization, and its processes, not the personnel that operate [these] stations".[4]

In January 2022, Getson faced criticism and calls by the opposition for his removal from caucus after fellow UCP MLA Grant Hunter attended a convoy protest that blockaded the Sweetgrass–Coutts Border Crossing, while Getson drove his gravel truck in the local Edmonton protest.[5]

Electoral history

2019 general election

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Parliamentary Secretary for Economic Corridor Development . 2023-07-25 . www.alberta.ca . en-CA.
  2. Web site: Sarah O'Donnell . Riding profile: Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland . Edmonton Journal . 2019-04-17.
  3. Web site: Konguavi. Thandiwe. 2021-09-26. UCP MLA criticizes Alberta Health Services salaries in light of ICU shortages. CBC News.
  4. Web site: September 28, 2021 . COVID-19: Alberta MLA under fire for comments on AHS' handling of pandemic . 2022-12-02 . Global News . en-US.
  5. Web site: 2022-01-31 . Alta. UCP MLA drives dump truck in mandate protest, NDP calls on Kenney to kick him out of caucus . 2022-12-02 . Edmonton . en.