Bobbie Sparrow

Barbara Jane Sparrow PC (born July 11, 1935) is a retired Canadian politician.

Bobbie Sparrow
Minister of Energy, Mines, and Resources
In office
June 25, 1993 – November 3, 1993
Prime MinisterKim Campbell
Preceded byBill McKnight
Succeeded byAnne McLellan
Minister of Forestry
In office
June 25, 1993 – November 3, 1993
Prime MinisterKim Campbell
Preceded byFrank Oberle Sr.
Succeeded byAnne McLellan
Member of Parliament
for Calgary Southwest
(Calgary South; 1984–1988)
In office
September 4, 1984 – October 25, 1993
Preceded byJohn William Thomson
Succeeded byPreston Manning
Personal details
Born
Barbara Jane Sparrow

(1935-07-11) July 11, 1935 (age 88)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
ProfessionRegistered Nurse, businesswoman, politician

Political career edit

Sparrow, a Registered Nurse and businessperson, was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1984 federal election as Member of Parliament for Calgary South, Alberta.[1] That election brought the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada to power under the leadership of Brian Mulroney. In that election she won the biggest plurality in Canadian history up to that time with 47,763 more votes than second place runner-up Harold Millican from the Liberal Party of Canada.[2]

Sparrow was re-elected in the 1988 general election for the new riding of Calgary Southwest. In 1991, she was named parliamentary secretary to the Minister of National Health and Welfare.[1]

When Kim Campbell succeeded Mulroney as PC leader and prime minister in 1993, she brought Sparrow into the Cabinet as Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources and Minister of Forestry.[1]

Both Sparrow and the Campbell government were defeated in the subsequent 1993 federal election that reduced the Tories to only two seats in the House of Commons. Sparrow lost her seat to Reform Party leader Preston Manning.[3][4]

Electoral record edit

1993 Canadian federal election: Calgary Southwest
PartyCandidateVotes%±%Expenditures
ReformPreston Manning41,63061.22+47.80$59,445
Progressive ConservativeBobbie Sparrow12,64218.59-46.57$61,978
LiberalBill Richards11,08716.30+4.77$60,511
New DemocraticCatherine Rose1,0991.62-6.49$4,791
NationalLea Russell9101.34$2,580
GreenSol Candel3010.44$6,216
Natural LawIda Bugmann2490.37$0
IndependentMiel S.R. Gabriel570.08$218
CommunistDarrell Rankin280.04$1,422
Total valid votes68,003100.00
Rejected ballots137
Turnout68,14070.81
Electors on lists96,213
Reform gain from Progressive ConservativeSwing+47.19
Source:Thirty-fifth General Election, 1993: Official Voting Results, Published by the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada. Financial figures taken from official contributions and expenses provided by Elections Canada.
1988 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Progressive ConservativeBobbie Sparrow40,39765.16
ReformJanet Jessop8,31613.41
LiberalPercy Baker7,14711.53
New DemocraticVera Vogel5,0248.10
IndependentLarry R. Heather6691.08
RhinocerosJohnny Barretto3720.60
Confederation of RegionsBill Sinclair680.11
Total valid votes61,993100.00
1984 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes
Progressive ConservativeBobbie Sparrow55,590
LiberalHarold Millican7,827
New DemocraticBrendan Quigley6,135
Confederation of RegionsPhyllis Kobley866
IndependentLarry Heather800
Commonwealth of CanadaBill Bohdan136

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Profile - Sparrow, Barbara Jane (Bobbie)". lop.parl.ca. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  2. ^ Raymaker, Darryl (2017). Trudeau's Tango: Alberta Meets Pierre Elliott Trudeau, 1968–1972. University of Alberta Press. p. 282.
  3. ^ Campbell, Murray; Sallot, Jeff (October 26, 1993). "A Liberal Landslide: All but 2 Tories lose; Bloc could become Official Opposition". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario. p. A1.
  4. ^ Cernetig, Miro (October 26, 1993). "Manning's reach exceeds grasp: Reform fails to make inroads into Ontario". The Globe and Mail. Calgary, Alberta. p. A1.

External links edit