Doug Elniski

{{Short description|Canadian politician}} {{multiple issues| {{BLP sources|date=June 2009}} {{BLP primary sources|date=June 2009}} }} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Doug Elniski | image = | image_size = 150px | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|47|2008|2|28}} | birth_place = Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | office = MLA for Edmonton-Calder | term_start = 2008 | term_end = 2012 | predecessor = David Eggen | successor = David Eggen | party = Progressive Conservative | spouse = | children = | occupation = industrial safety professional }}

'''Doug Elniski''' is a Canadian politician and was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Edmonton-Calder as a Progressive Conservative.

==Early life==

Elniski was born in Edmonton circa 1961.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/features/albertavotes/story.html?id=040dd376-77bd-4852-b24b-317221fe1917 |title=Calder |access-date=2011-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915023910/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/features/albertavotes/story.html?id=040dd376-77bd-4852-b24b-317221fe1917 |archive-date=2012-09-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dougelniski.com/component/content/article/34-dougelniski/60-speech-from-the-throne-february-4-2010 |title=Speech from the Throne, February 4, 2010 |accessdate=2013-07-22 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320083654/http://www.dougelniski.com/component/content/article/34-dougelniski/60-speech-from-the-throne-february-4-2010 |archivedate=2014-03-20 }}</ref> Prior to being elected, Elniski worked in a variety of fields, including safety management, resource management, construction, adult education, and business consulting. He is the CEO and owner of a residential and land development/rehabilitation company. Elniski is a former volunteer firefighter.

==Political career==

Elniski's win in Edmonton-Calder represented a gain for the Progressive Conservatives. He won the constituency from first-term NDP MLA David Eggen, in a very tight race edging Eggen out by 178 votes.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/features/albertavotes/story.html?id=0161ff73-a325-48ec-b75f-2506ad749e17 |title=Alberta Votes 2008: Edmonton-Calder |publisher=Edmonton Journal |date=March 3, 2008 |access-date=2009-09-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515233524/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/features/albertavotes/story.html?id=0161ff73-a325-48ec-b75f-2506ad749e17 |archive-date=2012-05-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Elniski is the fourth MLA to represent Edmonton-Calder, a working class riding, in the last four election cycles.

Elniski would retire from politics prior to the 2012 Alberta general election.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Parrish |first1=Julia |title=Edmonton-Calder MLA will not seek re-election |url=https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/edmonton-calder-mla-will-not-seek-re-election-1.755497 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603232743/https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/edmonton-calder-mla-will-not-seek-re-election-1.755497 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 3, 2020 |accessdate=3 June 2020 |work=CTV Edmonton |publisher=CTV News |date=January 18, 2012}}</ref>

'''Political Controversy'''

In June 2009, Elniski's political career hit a bump in the road when imprudent comments he had posted on the internet site Twitter made national headlines.<ref>{{cite news |last1=O'Neill |first1=Katherine |title=Another Alberta MLA in hot water |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/another-alberta-mla-in-hot-water/article4355952/ |accessdate=3 June 2020 |work=The Globe and Mail |date=June 23, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/Doug+Elniski+puts+twit+Twitter/1731093/story.html |accessdate=2009-09-02 |url-status=dead |title=Doug Elniski puts the twit in Twitter |last1=Thomson |first1=Graham |date=June 25, 2009 |work=Edmonton Journal |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626184917/http://www.edmontonjournal.com/News/Doug+Elniski+puts+twit+Twitter/1731093/story.html |archivedate=2009-06-26 }}</ref> Opposition parties referred to his online posts regarding women as sexist and offensive.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://calgaryherald.com/Tory+draws+fire+offensive+Twitter+posts/1723327/story.html |accessdate=2009-09-02 |url-status=dead |title=Tory MLA draws fire for offensive Twitter posts |date=June 23, 2009 |work=Calgary Herald |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626061500/http://www.calgaryherald.com/Tory+draws+fire+offensive+Twitter+posts/1723327/story.html |archivedate=2009-06-26 }}</ref>

Elniski was lucky not to draw the ire of Premier Ed Stelmach who was already trying to quell controversy over ignorant comments made by other party MLAs.<ref>https://calgaryherald.com/news/Twittering+disciplined/1727057/story.html{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===2008 general election=== {{Alberta provincial election, 2008/Edmonton-Calder}}

==Personal life==

Despite being 6'7" and the tallest member of the Alberta Legislature, Elniski used to drive a Daimler AG Smart GmbH, or smart car.<ref name="leg bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=mla_bio&rnumber=26|title=Elniski's Legislative Assembly of Alberta biography}}</ref> He has recently traded it in for a full-sized truck.

==References==

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elniski, Doug}} Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Edmonton Category:Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta MLAs Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta