Murray Smith (Alberta politician)

Murray D. Smith
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office 1993–2004
Preceded by	New district
Succeeded by	Harry Chase
Constituency	Calgary-Varsity
Personal details
Political party	Progressive Conservative
Spouse(s)	Barbara Smith
Occupation	Lawyer, businessman, politician

Murray D. Smith is a businessman and former provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1993 until 2004 sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus. During his time in office he served as a cabinet minister under the government of Ralph Klein serving various cabinet portfolios from 1994 to 2004.

Smith took his post secondary education as the University of Calgary where he earned a B.A. (Economics & Political Science). He also attended London Business School’s Senior Executive Program and went to Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Saskatchewan.

After University he worked in the Alberta energy sector with a number of Alberta-based energy service companies including drilling fluids, service rigs, oilfield contracting and consulting. In addition to his involvement in the private sector, he was an active community volunteer. Political Career

Smith ran for political office on the provincial level. He ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the electoral district of Calgary-Varsity in the 1993 Alberta general election. He won the new electoral district winning a hotly contested race against Liberal candidate Carrol Jaques and three other candidates to pick up the district for the provincial Progressive Conservatives.

After the election Premier Ralph Klein appointed Smith to the Executive Council of Alberta. He served as the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. During his tenure of the portfolio he phased out the Machinery and Equipment Tax. This was the largest industrial tax reduction in the province’s history. Klein would shuffle his cabinet on May 31, 1996 and Smith became the Minister of Labour.

Smith ran for re-election in the 1997 Alberta general election with ministerial advantage. He faced off against Jaques for the second time and ended up returning to his second term with a larger majority over the other four candidates. Jaques saw her popular vote fall from her 1993 result.

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