Doug Griffiths

Canadian politician

The Honourable
Doug Griffiths
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office
2004–2015
Preceded byNew riding
Succeeded byWes Taylor
ConstituencyBattle River-Wainwright
In office
2002–2004
Preceded byRobert Fischer
Succeeded byRiding abolished
ConstituencyWainwright
Personal details
Born (1972-10-26) 26 October 1972 (age 51)
Coronation, Alberta
Political partyAlberta Party
Other political
affiliations		Progressive Conservative (former)
SpouseSue
ChildrenAustin and Brady
Residence(s)Ardrossan, Alberta
Alma materUniversity of Alberta
OccupationTeacher, speaker, author
Websitewww.13ways.ca

Douglas Gordon Griffiths ECA (born 26 October 1972)[1] is the president and chief executive officer of 13 Ways, Inc., a company he founded to provide consultation to struggling North American communities.[2] He is a public speaker and co-author of the book 13 Ways to Kill Your Community, now in its second edition,[3] and is an instructor with the Executive Education program at the University of Alberta School of Business.[4]

Griffiths is a former Canadian politician and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Battle River-Wainwright as a Progressive Conservative (PC). He was a candidate for the leadership of the PC Party in the 2011 leadership election. He has since taken a step back from provincial politics, in favour of his role with 13 Ways and his teaching duties.[5]

13 Ways, Inc.

13 Ways began as a book,[6] and has since developed into a consulting company and a speaking tour series delivered across North America.[7][8] The book is written in a satirical style, with a "straight-shooting, no-punches-pulled approach"[7] detailing the various ways in which one might kill a community; i.e. through failure to provide clean water, reliable Internet services, and a place where youth will return to raise families and retire. The concept has since branched out and now incorporates a speaking series, syndicated columns, blog, and newsletter, in addition to offering consultation to struggling communities.[9]

Education

Griffiths attended the University of Alberta, where he earned an honours degree in philosophy and an education degree. After university, he taught for three years at Byemoor School], in the County of Stettler No. 6. He was nominated for a teaching award each year, including two nominations for the PanCanadian Students' Choice Award.[citation needed]

Political career

Griffiths received 79 per cent of the vote in Battle River-Wainwright during the 2008 provincial election, sending him to the Legislature for his third term.[10] In addition to his duties as an MLA, he has served as Parliamentary Assistant for the Department of Finance and Enterprise and is currently a member of the Public Accounts Committee and Health Committee.

Griffiths was first elected in a by-election for the Wainwright constituency on 8 April 2002, after former incumbent Robert Fischer resigned amidst a conflict-of-interest investigation by the Ethics Commissioner.[11] Then 29, Griffiths was the youngest MLA in office at the time.

The Wainwright boundaries changed for the 2004 provincial election, creating the current Battle River-Wainwright constituency, which Griffiths won with support from 65 per cent of the voters.[12]

During his tenure as MLA, Griffiths was the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and has been involved in numerous committees and has chaired the Standing Committee on Energy and Sustainable Development, Rural Development Strategies Task Force, MLA Steering Committee for Rural Development, and was vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

On 12 October 2011 Griffiths was appointed Minister of Alberta Municipal Affairs by Premier Alison Redford.

Griffiths was reelected in the 23 April 2012 provincial election as an incumbent PC candidate.

On 13 December 2013, Griffiths was sworn in as Minister of Service Alberta.[13]

On 26 January 2015, he resigned from his position as a MLA.[5]

Election results

1913

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1913 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George LeRoy Hudson 711 53.62% –
Liberal Henry Yale Pawling 615 46.38% –
Total 1,326 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A – –
Eligible electors / turnout 2,082 63.69% –
Conservative pickup new district.
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1917

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1917 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George LeRoy Hudson Acclaimed – –
Total N/A – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A – –
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A –
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1921

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1921 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers John Russell Love 1,877 57.77% –
Liberal Harcus Strachan 913 28.10% –
Conservative George LeRoy Hudson 459 14.13% –
Total 3,249 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A – –
Eligible electors / turnout 3,273 99.27% –
United Farmers gain from Conservative Swing N/A
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1926

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1926 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers John Russell Love 1,609 61.27% 3.50%
Conservative George LeRoy Hudson 1,017 38.73% 24.60%
Total 2,626 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 139 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 3,896 70.97% -28.30%
United Farmers hold Swing -3.56%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1930

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1930 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes
1st count		 % Votes
final count		 ±%
United Farmers John Russell Love 1,446 46.63% 1,564 -14.64%
Independent Ernest A. Pitman 1,005 32.41% 1,254 –
Liberal Stephen R. Bowerman 650 20.96% – –
Total 3,101 – – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 144 – – –
Eligible electors / turnout 4,333 74.89% 3.92% –
United Farmers hold Swing -4.16%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes.
As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality.

1935

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1935 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit William Masson 2,382 54.88% –
Liberal Peter Milne 953 21.96% 1.00%
United Farmers H. L. Coursier 811 18.69% -27.94%
Conservative Robert Smallwood 194 4.47% –
Total 4,340 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A – –
Eligible electors / turnout 5,191 83.61% 8.72%
Social Credit gain from United Farmers Swing 9.35%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1940

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1940 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes
1st count		 % Votes
final count		 ±%
Social Credit William Masson 2,296 43.23% 2,583 -11.65%
Independent N. P. Strachan 1,611 30.33% 2,169 –
Co-operative Commonwealth Kenneth S. Tory 1,039 19.56% – –
Independent Progressive Albert Lester Blue 365 6.87% – –
Total 5,311 – – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 189 – – –
Eligible electors / turnout 7,201 76.38% -7.23% –
Social Credit hold Swing -10.01%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes.
As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality.

1944

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1944 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit William Masson 2,939 65.71% 22.47%
Co-operative Commonwealth M. D. Meade 1,300 29.06% 9.50%
Labor–Progressive R. Garneau 234 5.23% –
Total 4,473 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 92 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 6,448 70.80% -5.58%
Social Credit hold Swing 11.87%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1948

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1948 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit William Masson 2,877 62.58% -3.12%
Co-operative Commonwealth Stewart Wright 887 19.30% -9.77%
Liberal John Alexander Kelly 833 18.12% –
Total 4,597 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 314 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 6,979 70.37% -0.43%
Social Credit hold Swing 3.32%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1952

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1952 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit William Masson 2,578 58.75% -3.83%
Liberal John Davidson 1,105 25.18% 7.06%
Independent Kenneth S. Tory 705 16.07% –
Total 4,388 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 301 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 5,443 86.15% 15.78%
Social Credit hold Swing -4.86%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1955

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1955 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Henry A. Ruste 2,637 54.86% -3.89%
Liberal John M. Saville 1,537 31.97% 6.79%
Co-operative Commonwealth James Jackson 570 11.86% –
Labor–Progressive E. P. Taylor 63 1.31% –
Total 4,807 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 548 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 7,434 72.03% -14.11%
Social Credit hold Swing -5.34%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1959

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1959 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Henry A. Ruste 3,465 72.28% 17.42%
Progressive Conservative Donald Mills 668 13.93% –
Liberal Henry D. Frizzell 387 8.07% –
Co-operative Commonwealth John Wesley Connelly 274 5.72% -6.14%
Total 4,794 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 10 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 7,283 65.96% -6.07%
Social Credit hold Swing 17.73%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1963

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1963 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Henry A. Ruste 3,465 76.66% 4.38%
Liberal John M. Saville 668 14.78% -6.71%
New Democratic John Wesley Connelly 387 8.56% 2.82%
Total 4,520 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 24 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 7,284 62.38% -3.58%
Social Credit hold Swing 1.77%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1967

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1967 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Henry A. Ruste 3,807 82.83% 6.17%
New Democratic Glenn Valleau 789 17.17% 8.61%
Total 4,596 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 38 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 7,307 63.42% 1.04%
Social Credit hold Swing 1.89%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1971

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1971 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Henry A. Ruste 3,311 63.38% -19.45%
Progressive Conservative Clifford Smallwood 1,366 26.15% –
New Democratic Gary Luciow 547 10.47% -6.70%
Total 5,224 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 28 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 7,272 72.22% 8.80%
Social Credit hold Swing -14.22%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1975

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1975 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Charles Stewart 3,039 59.00% 32.85%
Social Credit Bev Penman 1,616 31.37% -32.01%
New Democratic Harold Tangen 496 9.63% -0.84%
Total 5,151 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 8 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 7,291 70.76% -1.46%
Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit Swing -4.80%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1975 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1979

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1979 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Charles Stewart 3,489 56.47% -2.52%
Social Credit Keith Cornish 2,103 34.04% 2.67%
New Democratic Alan Richards 509 8.24% -1.39%
Liberal Sultan Tejani 77 1.25% –
Total 6,178 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A – –
Eligible electors / turnout 8,660 71.34% 0.58%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -2.60%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1979 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1982

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1982 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Robert A. (Butch) Fischer 4,589 61.78% 5.31%
Western Canada Concept Bill Veitch 2,145 28.88% –
New Democratic Wes Connelly 476 6.41% -1.83%
Liberal Joseph A. Vermette 218 2.93% 1.69%
Total 7,428 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 12 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 9,766 76.18% 4.84%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 5.23%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1982 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1986

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1986 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Robert A. (Butch) Fischer 4,244 68.56% 6.78%
New Democratic Willy Kelch 1,106 17.87% 11.46%
Western Canada Concept Allen Abrassart 475 7.67% -21.20%
Liberal Joseph A. Vermette 365 5.90% 2.96%
Total 6,190 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 11 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 11,100 55.86% -20.32%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 8.90%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1986 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1989

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1989 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Robert A. (Butch) Fischer 4,009 67.75% -0.81%
New Democratic Willy Kelch 1,182 19.98% 2.11%
Liberal Joseph A. Vermette 726 12.27% 6.37%
Total 5,917 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 19 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 10,801 54.96% -0.91%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -1.46%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1989 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1993

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1993 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Robert A. (Butch) Fischer 5,294 54.80% -12.96%
Liberal Evangéline Forcier 1,933 20.01% 7.74%
Social Credit Dale Trefz 1,760 18.22% –
New Democratic Tom A. Samuel 674 6.98% -13.00%
Total 9,661 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 16 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 15,882 60.93% 5.97%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -6.49%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1993 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

1997

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1997 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Robert A. (Butch) Fischer 6,232 52.74% -2.06%
Social Credit Jerry D. Barber 3,348 28.33% 10.12%
Liberal Ronald Williams 1,568 13.27% -6.74%
New Democratic Lilas I. Lysne 668 5.65% -1.32%
Total 11,816 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 29 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 19,756 59.96% -0.97%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -5.19%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 1997 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

2001

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2001 Alberta general election: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Robert A. (Butch) Fischer 6,910 63.62% 10.88%
Alberta First Jerry D. Barber 1,394 12.83% –
Liberal Ronald Williams 1,269 11.68% -1.59%
Independent Jeff Newland 868 7.99% –
New Democratic Lilas I. Lysne 420 3.87% -1.79%
Total 10,861 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 16 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 19,292 56.38% -3.58%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 13.19%
Source(s)
Source: "Wainwright Official Results 2001 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

2002 by-election

Alberta provincial by-election, 2002: Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative Doug Griffiths 2,924 44.6
Alberta First Jerry D. Barber 1,695 25.9
Liberal Horst Schreiber 1,114 17.0
Social Credit Robin Skitteral 519 7.9
New Democratic Lilas Lysne 227 3.5
Green Colleen Biggs 73 1.1
Turnout 6,552 33.6

2004

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2004 Alberta general election: Battle River-Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Doug Griffiths 6,406 65.02% –
Alberta Alliance Orest Werezak 1,442 14.64% –
Liberal Gordon Rogers 1,069 10.85% –
New Democratic Len Legault 616 6.25% –
Social Credit Robin Skitteral 320 3.25% –
Total 9,853 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 32 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 20,368 48.53% –
Progressive Conservative pickup new district.
Source(s)
Source: "Elections Alberta 2004 General Election". Elections Alberta. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

2008

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2008 Alberta general election: Battle River-Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Doug Griffiths 7,968 78.56% 13.55%
Liberal Horst Schreiber 1,260 12.42% 1.57%
Green William Munsey 483 4.76% –
New Democratic Doris Bannister 431 4.25% -2.00%
Total 10,142 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 129 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 21,064 48.76% 0.23%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 7.88%
Source(s)
The Report on the March 3, 2008 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-seventh Legislative Assembly. Elections Alberta. 28 July 2008. pp. 368–371.
"Elections Alberta 2012 General Election". Elections Alberta. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

2012

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2012 Alberta general election: Battle River-Wainwright
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Doug Griffiths 7,202 46.70% -31.86%
Wildrose Dave Nelson 6,709 43.51% –
New Democratic Terry Zawalski 776 5.03% 0.78%
Liberal Amber Greenleese 469 3.04% -9.38%
Alberta Party Midge Lambert 265 1.72% –
Total 15,421 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 87 – –
Eligible electors / turnout 25,863 59.96% 11.20%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -31.47%
Source(s)
Source: "Elections Alberta 2012 General Election". Elections Alberta. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

References

  1. ^ https://www.facebook.com/Griffs4ABsFuture?v=info [user-generated source]
  2. ^ "Doug Griffiths - 13 Ways". 13 Ways. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  3. ^ Griffiths, Doug; Clemmer, Kelly (2010). 13 Ways to Kill Your Community. Frontenac House. ISBN 9781897181423.
  4. ^ www.linkedin.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/griff13ways/. Retrieved 7 November 2017. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)[title missing]
  5. ^ a b "Griffiths resigns". Star News. Archived from the original on 26 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  6. ^ Griffiths, Doug; Clemmer, Kelly (19 December 2016). 13 Ways to Kill Your Community 2nd Edition. FriesenPress. ISBN 9781460297599.
  7. ^ a b "Book Doug Griffiths - 13 Ways". 13 Ways. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  8. ^ "Events - 13 Ways". 13 Ways. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  9. ^ "About Us - 13 Ways". 13 Ways. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  10. ^ "Battle River-Wainwright Unofficial Results". Elections Alberta. 3 March 2008. Archived from the original on 1 March 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2008.
  11. ^ "Wainwright By-election April 2002". Elections Alberta. Archived from the original on 25 December 2007. Retrieved 15 March 2008.
  12. ^ "Battle River-Wainwright General Election Statement of Official Results" (PDF). Elections Alberta. 22 November 2004. Retrieved 15 March 2008.
  13. ^ "Alberta Cabinet swearing-in ceremony - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2020.