View source for Randy Thorsteinson

{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix    = 
|birth_name          = 
|honorific-suffix    =
|image               = 
|caption             = 
|office             = Leader of the [[Reform Party of Alberta (2016-present)|Reform Party of Alberta]]
|term_start         = 2016
|term_end           = 
|predecessor        = ''Party created''
|successor          = 
|office2             = Leader of the [[Alberta Alliance]]
|term_start2         = 2003
|term_end2           = 2005
|predecessor2        = ''Party created''
|successor2          = [[Eleanor Maroes]] <small>(Interim)</small>
|office3              = Leader of the [[Social Credit Party of Alberta]]
|term_start3          = 1993
|term_end3            = 1999
|predecessor3         = [[Robert Alford (politician)|Robert Alford]]
|successor3           = [[James Albers]]
|birth_date          = 
|birth_place         = [[Gimli, Manitoba|Gimli]], [[Manitoba]], Canada
|death_place         = 
|party               = [[Reform Party of Canada]] <br /> [[Social Credit Party of Alberta]] <br /> [[Alberta Alliance]] <br /> [[Reform Party of Alberta (2016-present)|Reform Party of Alberta]]
|spouse              = 
|children            = 
|alma_mater          = [[Brigham Young University]]
|profession          = 
|signature           = 
}}
'''Randy Thorsteinson''' (born November 8, 1956) is a [[politician]] and businessman in [[Red Deer, Alberta|Red Deer]], [[Alberta]], Canada.

==Early years==
Thorsteinson was born in [[Gimli, Manitoba]] and spent his youth living in [[Winnipeg, Manitoba]]; [[Edmonton, Alberta]]; [[Calgary, Alberta]]; and [[Grande Prairie, Alberta]].

==Education==
He attended St. Paul's High School in Winnipeg, Manitoba.<ref>[http://www.stpauls.mb.ca St Paul's High School : Welcome<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Thorsteinson attended Ricks College (now [[Brigham Young University-Idaho]] campus) for two years followed by two years at [[Brigham Young University]] (Utah) majoring in business management.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

==Business ventures==
Following university Thorsteinson spent three years as Retail Sales Manager for Travelaire Trailer Canada Ltd. in Red Deer, Alberta.

He was one of the founders of Carlson Tours and Incentive Travel Ltd. in 1984 which subsequently changed its name to Cascadia Motivation Inc. Thorsteinson is the Chief Operating Officer of the company. Cascadia Motivation works with Canadian businesses to improve their performance levels and achieve their objectives.

==Political career==
Thorsteinson entered politics as president of the [[Red Deer (federal electoral district)|Red Deer]] riding association of the [[Reform Party of Canada]] in 1988 and served in this position for three years.

In 1988 Thorsteinson served as the campaign manager for Michael Roth, the Reform Party candidate in Red Deer riding. Roth finished second to Doug Fee (PC) with just under 10,000 votes.

===Leader of Social Credit===
Thorsteinson joined the [[Alberta Social Credit Party]] in 1991, and became leader the following year.

Under Thorsteinson, Social Credit experienced the beginnings of a rebirth, and in the [[1997 Alberta general election|1997 general election]], the party nominated 70 candidates and collected 64,667 votes (almost seven per cent of the popular vote). This was Social Credit's best result since 1979, but it failed to win any seats in the [[Legislative Assembly of Alberta]].

By 1999, however, Thorsteinson, a [[religious conversion|convert]] to [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], was at odds with his party after a movement within the party to limit the involvement of Latter-day Saints. Thorsteinson quit the party in April 1999 and was a founder of the [[Alberta First Party]] but was not active in the party.

===Leader of the Alberta Alliance===
In 2002 Thorsteinson was the founder of the [[Alberta Alliance Party]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/albertas-scary-new-party-blames-klein-for-tax-hikes-losing-gretzky-and-more/article746672/|title=Alberta's 'scary' new party blames Klein for tax hikes, losing Gretzky and more|date=2004-10-28|accessdate=2016-07-18}}</ref> (which changed its name to [[Wildrose Alliance]] in 2008). The party met the registration requirements and he became the party's leader at the Party Founding Convention in February 2003.

Thorsteinson's new party gained momentum immediately following the [[2004 Canadian federal election|2004 federal election]] when [[Edmonton Norwood]] [[Member of the Legislative Assembly]] (MLA) [[Gary Masyk]] [[crossing the floor|crossed the floor]] to join the Alberta Alliance, bringing Alberta Alliance representation into the legislature.

Later that year in the [[2004 Alberta general election|2004 provincial election]], Thorsteinson placed second in votes in his riding of [[Innisfail-Sylvan Lake]], failing to become a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). His party garnered 77,506 votes and won one seat in the election; [[Paul Hinman]] was elected MLA for the riding of [[Cardston-Taber-Warner]].

On March 7, 2005, Thorsteinson announced his resignation as leader of the Alberta Alliance, saying he would not be able to devote the time and energy into the party that was required of a leader. Paul Hinman, the lone Alliance MLA in the Legislature succeeded Thorsteinson as leader.

Randy was elected as President of the Alberta Alliance at the 2007 Annual General Meeting held on March 24, 2007 in Edmonton Alberta. He had been serving a short stint as interim president of the party after former president John Murdoch stepped down.

With the merger of the Alberta Alliance Party and the non registered Wildrose Party of Alberta on January 19, 2008, Thorsteinson declined to be a member of the new party and has had no involvement with the renamed Wildrose Alliance Party.

===Strong and Free Alberta PAC===
Thorsteinson is the Chairman of the Strong and Free Alberta Political Action Committee which derives its name from the Alberta provincial motto "Fortis et Liber" (strong and free).

The Strong & Free Alberta Political Action Committee is a political organization promoting conservative fiscal and social policies.

===Leader of the Reform Party of Alberta===
In 2016, [[Elections Alberta]] recognized the registration of a new [[Reform Party of Alberta (2016-present)|Reform Party of Alberta]], with Thorsteinson as its leader. It is the third provincial political party he has led.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/reform-alberta-new-party-1.3650296 |title=Reform party registers with Elections Alberta, vows to woo right-wing voters |date=2016-06-24 |accessdate=2016-07-18}}</ref> The socially conservative party<ref>{{cite web |url=http://reformalberta.com/principles/ |title=Reform Party of Alberta: Principles |accessdate=2016-07-18}}</ref> intended to run a full slate in the [[30th Alberta general election]] in 2019, but it nominated only one candidate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/reform-party-to-run-full-slate-in-alberta-election-517393261.html |title=Reform Party to run full slate in Alberta election |date=2015-03-20 |accessdate=2016-07-18}}</ref> He intended to run as a local candidate in the [[Innisfail-Sylvan Lake]] by-election held on July 12, 2018, but did not. He was, however, the party's sole candidate in the [[31st Alberta general election]] in 2023.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{succession box|
 before=[[Robert Alford (politician)|Robert Alford]]|
 title=[[Social Credit Party of Alberta]] Leader|
 years=1993–1999|
 after=[[James Albers]]
}}
{{succession box|
 before=New Party|
 title=[[Alberta Alliance Party]] Leader|
 years=2003–2005|
 after=[[Eleanor Maroes]] <br /><small>interim</small>
}}
{{succession box|
 before=John Murdoch|
 title=[[Alberta Alliance Party]] President|
 years=March 2007 – January 2008|
 after= Party merged with the Wildrose Party
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Alberta Social Credit Party}}
{{Wildrose Party}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thorsteinson, Randy}}
[[Category:Alberta Social Credit Party leaders]]
[[Category:Alberta Social Credit Party candidates in Alberta provincial elections]]
[[Category:Alberta Alliance Party candidates in Alberta provincial elections]]
[[Category:Canadian Latter Day Saints]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Icelandic descent]]
[[Category:Brigham Young University alumni]]
[[Category:Brigham Young University–Idaho alumni]]
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian politicians]]