Dave Bronconnier

David Thomas Bronconnier (born October 7, 1962) is a Canadian politician who served as the 35th mayor of Calgary, Alberta.

Personal life

A fourth-generation Calgarian (his great grandmother was born in Calgary in 1895), he grew up in the southwest community of Glenbrook and attended Viscount Bennett High School. Bronconnier enrolled at the University of Calgary but left after a short while to pursue work opportunities. He worked for the City of Calgary Electric System and for Alberta Government Telephones and then in 1983, started a small construction company. In 1987, Bronconnier and his business partner founded First General Services, a company which specializes in various types of insurance restoration in buildings. The firm has grown substantially since then. Dave is married to Cindy Bronconnier, with whom he has four children; Adam, Weston, Leslie and Grant.

Political career

Bronconnier served on Calgary's city council as the alderman for Ward 6 for nine years.<ref name="calgarymayor1">Template:Cite web</ref> He was first elected in 1992 and then served 3 terms before deciding to run for mayor. In 1997, Bronconnier ran in the federal election as the Liberal candidate for Calgary West. Bronconnier was defeated by a landslide in this election by Reform Party candidate Rob Anders.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Long serving and very popular mayor Al Duerr was retiring leaving the position open. Bronconnier narrowly defeated Bev Longstaff, Duerr's protégé, winning the mayoralty race of 2001.<ref name="calgarymayor1"/> He became Calgary's 35th mayor.<ref>Template:Cite news and Template:Cite news and Template:Cite news</ref>

Bronconnier was re-elected in 2004<ref name="calgarymayor1"/> with nearly 80% of the votes. Only 18% of the population voted, making it the lowest voter turnout for a municipal election in Western Canada.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He campaigned for re-election in the 2007 Calgary municipal election and was re-elected with 61% of the votes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On February 23, 2010, Bronconnier announced that he would not seek reelection in the 2010 municipal election.<ref>Template:Cite news and Template:Cite news</ref> He was among the finalists for the 2010 World Mayor prize.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In November 2011, Bronconnier was named by Premier Alison Redford to be Alberta's trade commissioner in Washington, D.C. for a nine-month term.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Mayoralty

Environmental leadership

Mounting international, domestic, and celebrity criticism<ref>Landry, Frank. "Alberta defends environmental record to US Legislators". September 8, 2010, Calgary Herald. retrieved October 20, 2013</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> of Alberta's underdeveloped green technology infrastructure prompted former Premier Ed Stelmach's government to commit 4 billion CAD to a province-wide green capital projects plan in 2009.<ref>Renata D'Aliesio. 'Alberta pumps $4B into eco-plan', Calgary Herald July 2008. retrieved October 20, 2013</ref>

In 2009 Bronconnier and Pembina Institute was awarded at the "UN Climate Change Summit" with the 'Reaching Out to Global Energy Award' for the technical and engineering collaboration with Calgary's 'Greening the Grid program'.<ref>Sylvester, Krista. 'Calgary mayor back from climate summit with city award'. Metro News Calgary. December 21, 2009, http://metronews.ca/news/174876/calgary-mayor-back-from-climate-summit-with-city-award/ Template:Webarchive retrieved October 20, 2013</ref> city consulted with Pembina for technical advice.<ref>Earl-King, Jennifer, 'Calgary recognized in Copenhagen for climate leadership. 660 News Radio, Dec 16,2009 Template:Cite web retrieved 20, 2013</ref> Pembina scholars compiled the Options for Reducing GHG Emissions in Calgary<ref>Row, Jessie, Cobb, Paul, Welk Erin, et al. 'Options for Reducing GHG Emissions in Calgary', Feb 2011. Template:Webarchive, retrieved Oct 20, 2013</ref> to advise the city on how to implement infrastructure projects for environmental protection. The city acted on these recommendations through city-owned company Enmax decided on a series of public works facilities such as the 'Shepard Energy Center', and a 12-turbine wind farm that supplies wind power for Calgary Transit's C-trains, and the District Energy Centre, a heat capture energy plant providing heat and energy for the downtown core.<ref>Boynton,Sean-Paul,'Calgary adopts district energy to combat emissions', July 15, 2010, Calgary Journal Template:Cite web. retrieved October 13, 2013</ref> The city publication of the 'Greening the Grid' was entitled 'Calgary Climate Change Action Plan: Target (down arrow) 50' (Target Minus 50)<ref>Harvey, Linda 'Water and Energy conservation: city of Calgary" ,Environment Canada, July 2009 Template:Cite web retrieved October 20, 2013.</ref>

The 'Greening the Grid' program's objectives are to empower city facilities by renewable sources by 2012. Calgary Transit's C-trains' electrical needs were partially provided by wind power in 2001, by 2009 the inception year of 'Greening the Grid', the C-train were fully empowered by 'Ride the Wind' a program launched by Enmax and wind power engineers 'Vision Quest Windlectric.<ref>Dixon, Jorden,' Riding the Wind right through town', Oct 6,2010. The Calgary Journal. Template:Cite web retrieved October 20, 2013</ref> committed 250 million CAD on the 'Greening the grid' program.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• City Mayors' profile of Dave Bronconnier