Bobbie Sparrow

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

The Honourable

Bobbie Sparrow

MP
Member of Parliament
for Calgary South (1984-1988)
Calgary Southwest (1988-1993)
In office
1984–1993
Preceded byJohn William Thomson
Succeeded byPreston Manning
Personal details
Born
Barbara Jane Sparrow

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

Political career

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.

Electoral Record
1993 Canadian federal election: Calgary Southwest
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
ReformPreston Manning41,63061.22$59,445
Progressive ConservativeBobbie Sparrow12,64218.59$61,978
LiberalBill Richards11,08717.36$60,511
New DemocraticCatherine Rose1,0991.62$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 votes 68,003 100.00
Rejected ballots 137
Turnout 68,140 70.81
Electors on lists 96,213
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
Party Candidate Votes%
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 votes 61,993100.00
1984 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive ConservativeBobbie Sparrow55,590
LiberalHarold Millican7,827
New DemocraticBrendan Quigley6,135
Confederation of RegionsPhyllis Kobley866
IndependentLarry Heather800
Commonwealth of CanadaBill Bohdan136

References
  1. "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.
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