Danielle Smith
| Danielle Smith | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| MLA for Highwood | |
|
In office April 23, 2012 – May 5, 2015 |
|
| Preceded by | George Groeneveld |
| Succeeded by | Wayne Anderson |
| Leader of the Official Opposition | |
|
In office April 24, 2012 – December 17, 2014 |
|
| Preceded by | Raj Sherman |
| Succeeded by | Heather Forsyth |
| Leader of the Wildrose Party | |
|
In office October 17, 2009 – December 17, 2014 |
|
| Preceded by | Paul Hinman |
| Succeeded by | Heather Forsyth (interim) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Marlaina Danielle Smith April 1, 1971 Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Political party |
Progressive Conservative (c. 1998-2009, 2014–present) Wildrose (2009–2014) |
| Spouse(s) | Sean McKinsley (divorced) David Moretta (m. 2006) |
| Children | none |
| Residence | High River, Alberta, Canada |
| Alma mater | University of Calgary |
| Occupation | Lobbyist and advocate |
| Profession | Journalist, broadcaster |
| Website | www.daniellesmith.ca/ |
Marlaina Danielle Smith, (born April 1, 1971) is a former Canadian politician and journalist. Smith served as leader of the Wildrose Party from October 2009 to December 17, 2014 when she resigned to cross the floor and join the governing Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta caucus. She represented the riding of Highwood in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. On March 28, 2015, she lost the PC nomination for Highwood to Okotoks Councillor Carrie Fischer. Fischer lost to Wildrose candidate Wayne Anderson.
Prior to being elected leader of the Wildrose Party, Smith was the director of provincial affairs for Alberta with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. She has also worked as a journalist in print, radio and television. As leader, Smith was instrumental in the growth of the Wildrose Party, taking a party that lacked official party status to one that formed the Official Opposition within three years.
Danielle Smith was born in Calgary on April 1, 1971, and is the second of five children. Her paternal great-grandfather was Philipus Kolodnicki, a Ukrainian immigrant whose name was anglicized to "Philip Smith" upon his arrival in Canada in 1915. Growing up, her family lived in subsidized housing.
Smith attended the University of Calgary and acquired a Bachelor of Arts in English and in economics. While at university she was active with the federal and provincial Progressive Conservatives and won the presidency of the campus PC club. Smith's work in public policy began with a one-year internship with the Fraser Institute. Smith wed her second husband David Moretta, a former executive producer with Sun Media, in 2006.
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