{{short description|Canadian politician|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | name = Todd Loewen | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|size=100%|ECA|MLAAB}} | image = Todd Loewen.png | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|9|16}} | birth_place = Alberta, Canada
| office = Minister of Forestry and Parks | term_start = June 9, 2023 | term_end = | premier = Danielle Smith | predecessor = ''Himself'' | successor =
| office1 = Minister of Forestry, Parks and Tourism | term_start1 = October 21, 2022 | term_end1 = June 9, 2023 | premier1 = Danielle Smith | predecessor1 = Devin Dreeshen (Forestry), Jason Nixon (Parks) | successor1 = Joseph Schow (Tourism)
| office2 = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Central Peace-Notley | predecessor2 = Marg McCuaig-Boyd | term_start2 = April 16, 2019 | term_end2 =
| office3 = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Grande Prairie-Smoky | predecessor3 = Everett McDonald | term_start3 = May 5, 2015 | term_end3 = April 16, 2019 | successor3 = ''Riding merged''
| party = United Conservative (2017-2021, 2022-present) | other_party = {{ubl|Wildrose (2015-2017)|Independent (2021-2022)}} | occupation = businessman, farmer | alma_mater = }} '''Douglas Todd Loewen''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|ECA|MLAAB}} (born September 16, 1966) is a Canadian politician and the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Central Peace-Notley. Loewen was first elected in 2015 as a member of the Wildrose Party for the electoral district of Grande Prairie-Smoky.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Klinkenberg |first1=Marty |last2=Stolte |first2=Elise |title=Fresh faces in the Wildrose Opposition |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/alberta-politics/Fresh+faces+Wildrose+Opposition/11041850/story.html |access-date=May 19, 2015 |work=Edmonton Journal |date=May 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150519071307/https://edmontonjournal.com/news/alberta-politics/Fresh+faces+Wildrose+Opposition/11041850/story.html |archive-date=May 19, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://globalnews.ca/news/1971080/live-alberta-election-results-2015/ | title=Live Alberta election results 2015: Real-time results in the provincial election | Globalnews.ca | access-date=2015-05-06 | archive-date=2019-07-31 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731210332/https://globalnews.ca/news/1971080/live-alberta-election-results-2015/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=GP-Smoky Wildrose Party Candidate Profile: Todd Loewen |url=https://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/2015/04/30/candidate-profile-todd-loewen |access-date=May 18, 2015 |work=Daily Herald Tribune |date=April 30, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518072408/https://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/2015/04/30/candidate-profile-todd-loewen |archive-date=May 18, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rinne |first1=Fred |title=Winds of change in the Peace |url=http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/2015/05/06/winds-of-change-in-the-peace |access-date=May 18, 2015 |work=Daily Herald Tribune |date=May 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518072658/https://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/2015/05/06/winds-of-change-in-the-peace |archive-date=May 18, 2015}}</ref> He was afterward elected in Central Peace-Notley as a member of the United Conservative Party and briefly sat as an independent<ref name="expelled"/> until being welcomed back by premier Danielle Smith.
On June 1, 2022, Loewen registered his candidacy in the 2022 United Conservative Party leadership election, which was held on October 6, 2022.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Junker |first=Anna |date=2022-06-01 |title=Independent MLA Todd Loewen enters UCP leadership race |work=The Edmonton Journal |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/independent-mla-todd-loewen-enters-ucp-leadership-race |access-date=2022-06-15 |archive-date=2022-06-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220602021639/https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/independent-mla-todd-loewen-enters-ucp-leadership-race |url-status=live }}</ref> He finished fifth.
==Early life== Todd Loewen moved to the Valleyview area at a young age, in 1967, with his parents and two brothers where he lived on a farm and homestead. In 1989, Loewen purchased his own farm and started a small business.<ref name="2009FoxCreek">{{cite news |title=Todd Loewen Wildrose candidate |work=Fox Creek Times |date=November 9, 2011 |id={{ProQuest|903610252}}}}</ref> Loewen is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-11-18 |title=Church Leaders Meet With Premier of Alberta |url=http://news-ca.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-leaders-meet-with-premier-of-alberta?imageView=2Alberta-Premier-Meeting.jpg |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=news-ca.churchofjesuschrist.org}}</ref>
==Political career== ===Early failure (2008-2015)=== Todd Loewen first contested a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 2008 Alberta general election in the Grande Prairie-Smoky electoral district as a member of the Wildrose Alliance, finishing third with 13 per cent of the vote behind Progressive Conservative incumbent Mel Knight and Liberal John Croken. Loewen, following his defeat, served as the Northern Director for the Wildrose board for two years and as one of the three members of the board on the Wildrose leadership nominating committee in 2009.<ref name="2009FoxCreek"/>
Loewen again stood as the candidate for the renamed Wildrose Party in the 2012 Alberta general election in Grande-Prairie-Smoky finishing second with 41 per cent of the vote behind Progressive Conservative and former Reeve of County of Grande Prairie Everett McDonald who captured 46 per cent of the vote.
===MLA of 29th Alberta Legislature=== In the 2015 Alberta general election Loewen was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Grande Prairie-Smoky capturing 33 per cent of the vote. Loewen defeated New Democrat candidate Todd Russell (31 per cent) and incumbent Everett McDonald.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fisher |first1=Erica |title=Wildrose MLA Todd Loewen plans to keep government honest |url=https://www.mygrandeprairienow.com/9410/wildrose-mla-todd-loewen-plans-to-keep-government-honest/ |access-date=May 13, 2021 |work=My Grande Prairie Now |date=May 11, 2015 |archive-date=March 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301091837/https://www.mygrandeprairienow.com/9410/wildrose-mla-todd-loewen-plans-to-keep-government-honest/ |url-status=live }}</ref> After the election, Loewen was appointed as the Official Opposition's critic for Environment and Parks, a position he retained when the Wildrose Party merged with the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta in 2017 to form the United Conservative Party (UCP). During the 29th Legislature Loewen came under public scrutiny when he insinuated New Democrat Rod Loyola received illegal election contributions from South America.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wildrose MLA stands by 'disrespectful' remark about Rod Loyola |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-legislature-todd-loewen-rod-loyola-disrespectful-1.4142411 |access-date=May 13, 2021 |work=CBC News |date=June 1, 2017 |archive-date=May 31, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531114728/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-legislature-todd-loewen-rod-loyola-disrespectful-1.4142411 |url-status=live }}</ref>
===MLA of 30th Alberta Legislature=== Loewen was elected in the newly formed Central Peace-Notley electoral district in the 2019 Alberta general election capturing 75 per cent of the vote, defeating former New Democrat Minister of Energy Marg McCuaig-Boyd to sit in the 30th Legislature.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shokeir |first1=Peter |title='A resounding vote': UCP's Loewen wins in Central Peace-Notley |url=https://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/news/local-news/a-resounding-vote-ucps-loewen-wins-in-central-peace-notley |access-date=May 13, 2021 |work=Daily Herald Tribune |date=April 17, 2019 |archive-date=May 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514014254/https://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/news/local-news/a-resounding-vote-ucps-loewen-wins-in-central-peace-notley |url-status=live }}</ref>
In February 2021, Loewen argued for a regional based reopening strategy during the end of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lumsden |first1=Michael |title=MLA Loewen pushing for regional reopening strategy |url=https://www.mygrandeprairienow.com/81383/mla-loewen-pushing-for-regional-reopening-strategy/ |access-date=May 13, 2021 |work=My Grande Prairie Now |date=February 9, 2021}}</ref> In April 2021, Loewen was one of 18 United Conservative members to sign an open letter to Premier Jason Kenney criticizing public health measures aimed to reduce the spread of COVID-19.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lumsden |first1=Michael |title=Allard, Loewen among MLAs calling for new restrictions to be dropped |url=https://www.mygrandeprairienow.com/83476/allard-loewen-among-mlas-calling-for-new-restrictions-to-be-dropped/ |access-date=May 12, 2021 |work=My Grande Prairie Now |date=April 7, 2021 |archive-date=April 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419085124/https://www.mygrandeprairienow.com/83476/allard-loewen-among-mlas-calling-for-new-restrictions-to-be-dropped/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On May 13, 2021, Loewen posted an open letter calling for Premier Jason Kenney to resign, and in the letter Loewen resigned his position as caucus chair, but did not resign from the United Conservative Party. Loewen's letter criticized Kenney's government for weak negotiations with the federal government, ignoring caucus members, delivering contradictory messages, failures in negotiations with doctors over billing, and the controversy regarding coal mining in the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bennett |first1=Dean |title='We did not unite around blind loyalty to one man': Jason Kenney faces internal call to quit |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alta-kenney-caucus-todd-loewen-1.6024857 |access-date=May 13, 2021 |work=CBC News |agency=The Canadian Press |date=May 13, 2021 |archive-date=May 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513123414/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alta-kenney-caucus-todd-loewen-1.6024857 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Penner |first1=Shaun |title=MLA Loewen stepping down as UCP caucus chair, calls for Kenney to resign |url=https://everythinggp.com/2021/05/13/mla-loewen-stepping-down-as-ucp-caucus-chair-calls-for-kenney-to-resign/ |access-date=May 13, 2021 |work=Everything GP |date=May 13, 2021 |archive-date=May 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513121850/https://everythinggp.com/2021/05/13/mla-loewen-stepping-down-as-ucp-caucus-chair-calls-for-kenney-to-resign/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
On May 13, 2021, Loewen and fellow UCP MLA Drew Barnes were kicked out of the UCP caucus by a caucus-wide vote after both criticized the UCP government response to COVID-19.<ref name="expelled">{{Cite news|date=May 13, 2021|title=Drew Barnes & Todd Loewen expelled from UCP Caucus|work=Western Standard|url=https://westernstandardonline.com/2021/05/breaking-drew-barnes-todd-loewen-expelled-from-ucp-caucus/|access-date=May 13, 2021|archive-date=May 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514013929/https://westernstandardonline.com/2021/05/breaking-drew-barnes-todd-loewen-expelled-from-ucp-caucus/|url-status=live}}</ref>
On June 1, 2022, Loewen registered his candidacy in the 2022 United Conservative Party leadership election, which was scheduled for October 6, 2022.<ref name=":0" />
On October 6, 2022, Loewen received 7.7% of the vote. A total of 6,496 votes were cast for him in the 2022 United Conservative Party leadership election. The following day, he was readmitted into the UCP caucus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Member Information |url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/members/members-of-the-legislative-assembly/member-information?mid=0890&legl=30&from=mla_home |access-date=2023-04-16 |website=www.assembly.ab.ca |archive-date=2022-10-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014201216/https://www.assembly.ab.ca/members/members-of-the-legislative-assembly/member-information?mid=0890&legl=30&from=mla_home |url-status=live }}</ref>
===MLA of 31st Alberta Legislature=== In 2023 Loewen was elected to the 31st Alberta Legislature. He received a mandate letter for the Ministry of Forestry and Parks from Premier Danielle Smith in July 2023.<ref name="rcfm1">{{cite news |url=https://www.rivercountry.fm/mandate-letter-from-premier-to-todd-loewen/ |title=Mandate Letter from Premier to Todd Loewen }}</ref>
On 1 November 2023 Loewen was interviewed at the Jasper Park Lodge as part of the Alberta Forests Products Association annual general meeting. He lamented the fact that the year was a record breaker for forest fires. He promised a departmental review of the wildfire response and emphasized the value of the forestry management process in deterring catastrophic wildfires. At the time 17,000 Albertans were employed directly by the industry.<ref name="afpa1">{{cite news |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFmHhjyvZWc | title=Navigating the Flames with Minister Todd Loewen | date=November 2023 }}</ref>
==Electoral history== ===2008 general election=== {{Alberta provincial election, 2008/Grande Prairie-Smoky}}
===2012 general election=== {{Alberta provincial election, 2012/Grande Prairie-Smoky}}
===2015 general election=== {{Alberta provincial election, 2015/Grande Prairie-Smoky}}
===2019 general election=== {{Alberta provincial election, 2019/Central Peace-Notley}}
===2023 general election=== {{Alberta provincial election, 2023/Central Peace-Notley}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Alberta MLAs}}{{2022 United Conservative Party leadership election}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loewen, Todd}} Category:Wildrose Party MLAs Category:Living people Category:Farmers from Alberta Category:United Conservative Party MLAs Category:Politicians affected by a party expulsion process Category:1966 births Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta