John W. Aldag[1] (born April 18, 1963) is a Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Cloverdale—Langley City in the House of Commons of Canada as a Liberal MP from 2015 to 2019 and 2021 to 2024.
John Aldag | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament for Cloverdale—Langley City | |
| In office September 20, 2021 – May 31, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Tamara Jansen |
| Succeeded by | to be elected |
| In office October 19, 2015 – October 21, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Riding established |
| Succeeded by | Tamara Jansen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 18, 1963 Gull Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Political party | Liberal (federal) NDP (provincial) |
| Spouse | Elaine St. John |
| Residence | Langley, British Columbia |
| Profession | Public servant, politician |
He was first elected in the 2015 federal election, and served until his defeat in the 2019 Canadian federal election.[2] In the 2021 federal election he won his seat back over incumbent Conservative Tamara Jansen.[3]
Aldag announced he would resign his seat effective May 27, 2024, to seek the BC New Democratic Party nomination in Langley-Abbotsford in the 2024 British Columbia election.[4] He resigned his seat May 31, 2024 and was officially nominated as the NDP candidate in Langley-Abbotsford on July 20, 2024,[5][6] but lost to BC Conservatives candidate Harman Bhangu in the 2024 British Columbia general election.[7]
Early life and career
editAldag was born in rural Saskatchewan. He earned an MBA from Royal Roads University and had a 32-year career with Parks Canada, including postings in Whitehorse, Lake Louise, Yoho, Waterloo and Langley, where he was the administrator of Fort Langley National Historic Site before his entry into politics.[8] Aldag took an unpaid leave from Parks Canada in December 2013 to begin campaigning for election to office, which he ultimately won with nearly 46% of the vote.[2] He resigned his position upon being confirmed as the elected candidate by Elections Canada on October 26, 2015.
Aldag and his wife, Elaine St. John, a doctor, have two daughters and one son, and had lived in Langley for a decade at the time of his election to the House of Commons.[8][9]
Politics
editAldag was elected in the 2015 election as a Member of Parliament for Cloverdale—Langley City. In the 42nd Canadian Parliament, he was appointed to two parliamentary committees; the Environment and Sustainable Development committee[10] and the Special Joint Committee on Physician-Assisted Dying, an issue in which he consulted extensively with his constituents.[11] The issue of Physician-Assisted Dying touched him, causing him to be a proponent of families having conversations about their wishes in these situations.[11] He was later named as well to the House of Commons Special Committee on Electoral Reform. Aldag introduced Private Member's Bill C-374 which, if adopted, would provide a seat on the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada for First Nations, Inuit and Métis representation.[12] The federal by-election to replace him is scheduled for December 16, 2024.[13]
Electoral record
edit| 2024 British Columbia general election: Langley-Abbotsford (provincial electoral district) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Conservative | Harman Bhangu | 14,045 | 55.8% | +48.2 | ||||
| New Democratic | John Aldag | 8,436 | 33.5% | -1.7 | ||||
| Green | Melissa Snazell | 1,394 | 5.5% | -6.0 | ||||
| Independent | Karen Long | 1,081 | 4.3% | |||||
| Libertarian | Alex Joehl | 192 | 0.8% | |||||
| Total valid votes | – | |||||||
| Total rejected ballots | ||||||||
| Turnout | ||||||||
| Registered voters | ||||||||
| Source: Elections BC | ||||||||
| 2021 Canadian federal election: Cloverdale—Langley City | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | John Aldag | 20,877 | 39.2 | +4.0 | $111,123.12 | |||
| Conservative | Tamara Jansen | 19,223 | 36.1 | -1.6 | $85,561.60 | |||
| New Democratic | Rajesh Jayaprakash | 10,587 | 19.9 | +1.0 | $13,177.92 | |||
| People's | Ian Kennedy | 2,563 | 4.8 | +3.1 | $0.00 | |||
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | 53,250 | 99.1 | – | $116,950.48 | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 508 | 0.9 | ||||||
| Turnout | 53,758 | 61.0 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 88,176 | |||||||
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.8 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[14][15] | ||||||||
| 2019 Canadian federal election: Cloverdale—Langley City | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Conservative | Tamara Jansen | 20,936 | 37.73 | +2.96 | $70,620.42 | |||
| Liberal | John Aldag | 19,542 | 35.22 | -10.31 | $105,884.21 | |||
| New Democratic | Rae Banwarie | 10,508 | 18.94 | +3.29 | $15,133 | |||
| Green | Caelum Nutbrown | 3,572 | 6.44 | +2.38 | none listed | |||
| People's | Ian Kennedy | 930 | 1.68 | - | $464 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 55,488 | 99.26 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 415 | 0.74 | +0.40 | |||||
| Turnout | 55,903 | 64.55 | -4.85 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 86,610 | |||||||
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.63 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[16][17] | ||||||||
| 2015 Canadian federal election: Cloverdale—Langley City | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | John Aldag | 24,617 | 45.52 | +33.72 | $48,139.65 | |||
| Conservative | Dean Drysdale | 18,800 | 34.77 | -22.61 | $164,422.49 | |||
| New Democratic | Rebecca Smith | 8,463 | 15.65 | -9.03 | $12,325.60 | |||
| Green | Scott Anderson | 2,195 | 4.06 | -0.55 | $5,846.04 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 54,075 | 99.66 | $209,882.99 | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 186 | 0.34 | – | |||||
| Turnout | 54,261 | 69.40 | – | |||||
| Eligible voters | 78,189 | |||||||
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +28.16 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[18][19][20] | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ "Search for Contributions".
- ^ a b Election 2015: Aldag claims new riding for Liberals Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, The Langley Times, October 20, 2015.
- ^ Jordan, Marlin (September 24, 2021). "John Aldag officially elected in Cloverdale-Langley City". Peace Arch News. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Claxton, Matthew (17 May 2024). "Liberal MP Aldag resigns to run for provincial NDP nomination". The Abbotsford News. Black Press Media. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- ^ "Profile".
- ^ "Former MP John Aldag to run with in Langley-Abbotsford".
- ^ "B.C. Votes 2024". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ a b Kersey, Karen (January 9, 2016). "New MP, Doc's daughter spread prairie roots". www.gulllakeadvance.com. Gull Lake Advance. Archived from the original on January 28, 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
- ^ "Aldag puts name forward for Liberals in new federal riding – Langley Times". Langley Times. Archived from the original on 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
- ^ Anderson, Samantha (September 26, 2018). "Cloverdale-Langley City MP elected chair of environment, sustainable development committee". Langley Times, Black Press Group Ltd. Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
- ^ a b Holmes, Tracy (3 March 2016). "Legislators face death head on". Peace Arch News. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
- ^ Anderson, Samantha (October 25, 2017). "Cloverdale-Langley City MP introduces bill to include Indigenous representatives on heritage board". Langley Times, Black Press Group Ltd. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
- ^ "Federal byelection called in B.C.'s Cloverdale-Langley City riding". CBC News. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
- ^ "List of confirmed candidates – September 20, 2021 Federal Election". Elections Canada. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- ^ "Canada 2021 federal election results by riding". The Globe and Mail. November 7, 2022.
- ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
- ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
- ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Cloverdale—Langley City, 30 September 2015
- ^ Official Voting Results - Cloverdale—Langley City
- ^ "Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates". Archived from the original on August 15, 2015.