Blaine Calkins
→ Member of Parliament, Ponoka-Didsbury (formerly Red Deer–Lacombe) since 2006
→ Chair of the Conservative hunting and angling caucus; shadow cabinet minister for hunting, fishing and conservation; member of the House of Commons committees on fisheries and oceans, and on the environment and natural resources
WHAT THE NOMINATORS SAID
Canada’s first-ever shadow minister for hunting, fishing and conservation, Calkins has advocated for conservation through the lens of hunters, anglers and trappers. Calkins advocates for responsible firearms ownership as a critical part of hunting and Canadian culture and respect for lawful gun owners.
Prior to political life, Calkins worked as an Alberta park ranger and as a national park warden. While attending university, he spent his summers working on and around Great Bear Lake.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
I have been an outdoorsman my entire life. Growing up on the family farm, I spent almost all my time outdoors, surrounded by birds and wildlife. At an early age, my dad got me hooked on fishing, which then grew into a passion for the outdoors. I was keenly interested in the biological sciences while earning my zoology degree from the University of Alberta.
Keep fighting for the things you believe in, and don’t let failure stop you. Failure is just an opportunity to find new and creative ways to succeed.
Past Presidents’ Canadian Legislator Award
The Past Presidents’ Canadian Legislator Award was established in 1988 by former heads of the Canadian Wildlife Federation. This award is presented annually to an elected provincial, territorial or federal legislator in recognition of a significant contribution to the conservation of wildlife in Canada.