Adriana LaGrange

Adriana LaGrange (born 1961 or 1962) is a Canadian politician elected in the 2019 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Red Deer-North in the 30th Alberta Legislature.[2] Originally from Ontario, LaGrange moved to Red Deer in 1981.[3] LaGrange was elected on April 16, 2019, and was appointed as the Minister of Education on April 30, 2019.[4] In the 2019 Alberta general election, LaGrange won her constituency with a total of 12,739 votes based on a 62.6% voter turnout in Red-Deer North.[5]

The Honourable

Adriana LaGrange

MLA
Minister of Education of Alberta
Assumed office
April 30, 2019
PremierJason Kenney
Preceded byDavid Eggen
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Red Deer-North
Assumed office
April 16, 2019
Preceded byKim Schreiner
Personal details
Born1961 or 1962 (age 58–59)[1]
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Political partyUnited Conservative Party
ResidenceRed Deer, Alberta
EducationDiploma of Rehab Studies
Alma materHumber College
OccupationRehabilitative Practitioner, School Trustee

Career

LaGrange received a diploma in Rehab Studies from Humber College, and worked with the mentally and physically disabled before entering the political arena.[6] In her time in Red Deer, LaGrange has served as the president of the Alberta Catholic School Trustees' Association until her resignation in June 2018,[7] vice-president of the Canadian Catholic School Trustees' Association, and has also served as a trustee on the Red Deer Catholic School board between 2007 and 2018.[3][7] LaGrange is the former president of Red-Deer pro-life, and was on the board of directors for Alberta pro-life.[8]

Political career

LaGrange ran her campaign specifically on improving healthcare in the Red Deer area, re-configuring the education system, and lowering taxes to create jobs in Alberta.[3] LaGrange used various mediums to communicate her platform to the public, including door-to-door canvassing, hiring volunteers, and using social media.[9]

Minister of Education

Since her appointment to the Minister of Education, LaGrange has announced various legislation concerning Alberta's education system. On June 5, 2019, LaGrange introduced the new Education Act under the United Conservative Party. LaGrange was critiqued in the legislature by the leader of the official opposition, Rachel Notley, that the new Education Act does not protect LGBTQ students. LaGrange expressed that the Act will have the most advanced Gay–straight alliance provisions in all of Canada.[10] Despite this claim, the Education Amendment Act removed provisions implemented by the previous NDP government designed to protect LGBTQ+ students. This included removing a prohibition on informing parents when a student joins a gay-straight alliance, and eliminating a requirement that students be permitted to use words such as "gay" or "queer" in naming their club. Tonya Callaghan, an associate professor at the University of Calgary, described this as "homophobic" and "heterosexist."[11] The changes to the Education Act sparked rallies and a province-wide walkout from thousands of Alberta students, with advocates claiming that the changes will cause harm to LGBTQ+ students.[12][13]

On August 22, 2019, LaGrange appointed a panel of education experts from a variety of school districts and post secondary institutions to oversee the previous education legislation enacted by the Alberta New Democratic Party.[14] On October 23, 2019, Lagrange announced that the United Conservative Party revised the usage of seclusion rooms in public schools, limiting their usage to situations of a "last resort".[15] On November 1, 2019, LaGrange announced that the United Conservative Party plans to build 15 new schools in Calgary along with 25 new education projects throughout the province such as modernization and updating infrastructure of schools currently operating.[16]

On November 20, 2019, LaGrange announced an independent financial audit and governance review of the Calgary Board of Education after the Board announced the cutting of 300 temporary teaching jobs.[17] LaGrange claimed the reasoning behind the audit and governance review was to investigate the accountability of the Board's decision making with its finances.[18] After the announcement of layoffs, LaGrange mentioned that the UCP was not aware of the actions. This was due to the fact that the Board met with the United Conservative Party the day before the announcement, and in that meeting, layoffs were not mentioned.[19]

On March 28, 2020, LaGrange significantly cut the budgets of school boards in Alberta, directing them to lay off approximately 20,000 - 25,000 employees. LaGrange had previously promised to maintain funding during the pandemic.[20] This was the biggest single layoff in Canadian history.[21]

References
  2. Lana Michelin (April 12, 2019). "Adriana LeGrange, United Conservative Party for Red Deer-North – Red Deer Advocate". Reddeeradvocate.com. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  3. Davidson, Jordan (March 25, 2019). "Meet your candidates: Adriana LaGrange- UCP (Red Deer-North)". LacombeOnline.com. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  4. "Legislative Assembly of Alberta". www.assembly.ab.ca. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  5. "78 - Red Deer-North, 2019 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  6. "Minister of Education". alberta.ca. Government of Alberta. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  7. Clancy, Clare (June 6, 2018). "Notes from the Dome: Highway inspections, Pride flag raising and a resignation". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  8. "Jason Kenney Appoints Former President of Anti-Abortion Group As Alberta's New Education Minister". PressProgress. April 30, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  9. McIntosh, Sean (March 26, 2019). "Signs, social media important for election campaign: Red Deer candidates". Red Deer Advocate. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  10. "Legislative Assembly of Alberta". www.assembly.ab.ca. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  11. Lambert, Taylor (May 1, 2020). "Who is Adriana Lagrange?". The Sprawl (13). Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  12. McMillan, Anna (June 19, 2019). "Hundreds rally at Alberta legislature to protest GSA changes". CBC. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  13. Ward, Rachel (May 3, 2019). "Thousands of students protest UCP's GSA plan with Alberta-wide walkout". CBC. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  14. Vernon, Tom (August 22, 2019). "Education minister appoints panel to review new Alberta curriculum". Global News. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  15. Johnson, Lisa (October 24, 2019). "Education Minister releases new rules for seclusion rooms and physical restraint in schools". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  16. Valleau, Natalie (November 1, 2019). "Alberta to build 15 new schools, including 4 in Calgary area". CBC News. Calgary. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  17. Cole, Yolande (November 20, 2019). "CBE to cut 300 temporary teaching contracts in January". Calgary Herald. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  18. LaGrange, Adriana (November 20, 2019). "CBE staffing reductions: Minister LaGrange". alberta.ca. Government of Alberta. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  19. Braid, Don (November 21, 2019). "Braid: Minister says CBE blindsided her on cuts; might reverse them". Calgary Herald. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  20. Omstead, Jordan (March 28, 2020). "Alberta education cut expected to lay off thousands during pandemic". CBC News. CBC. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  21. Braid, Don (March 30, 2020). "Braid: UCP forces as many as 20,000 layoffs in Canada's biggest pink-slip binge". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
Alberta provincial government of Jason Kenney
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
David Eggen Minister of Education
April 30, 2019–		 Incumbent
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