Glenn van Dijken
Glenn Jerry van Dijken (born September 6, 1962) is a Canadian politician who was elected in the 2019 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock in the 30th Alberta Legislature. He is currently running for re-election with the next provincial election being held on May 29.
Glenn van Dijken MLA | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | |
| Assumed office May 5, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Maureen Kubinec |
| Constituency | Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock (2015-19) Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock (2019-present) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 6, 1962 Alberta, Canada |
| Political party | United Conservative |
| Other political affiliations | Wildrose (2015–17) |
| Residence | Dapp, Alberta |
| Occupation | Grain Farmer |
He currently serves on the Economy and Affordability Cabinet Policy Committee and is currently Parliamentary Secretary for Agrifood Development. Mr. Dijken also currently serves as Chair of the Standing Committee on Alberta's Economic Future, Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Legislative Offices and member on the Special Standing Committee on Members' Services. He has previously served as chair of the Standing Committee on Alberta's Economic Future and has previously been on the Standing Committee on Legislative Offices, Standing Committee on Privileges and Election, Standing Orders and Printing, Select Special Auditor General Committee, Select Special Ethics and Accountability Committee as well as the Select Special Ombudsman and Public Interest Commissioner Search Committee among others.
Before being elected, van Dijken was focused on his family grain farm in Dapp, Alberta. For this, he and his wife, Barb, were named Outstanding Young Farmers of Alberta in 2001.
As MLA, Dijken has often spoken of the need for Alberta to have more say when it comes to its relationship with the federal government. When describing the recently introduced Sovereignty Act, Dijken describes how “We are partners in confederation, and ensuring that there are no conflicts in jurisdictions will help the governments focus on what they are responsible for so it be a true partnership".
On April 7, 2021, Dijken was one of 16 other MLAs who sent a letter opposing additional covid restrictions which put limits on restaurants, stores and gyms.
Dijken also sponsored Bill 206 titled the Prohibiting Ownership of Agricultural Lands (Pension Plans and Trust Corporations) Act. Dijken took issue when stakeholders came to him concerned about large firms buying up parcels of land only to sell it a few years later. Many saw this as contributing to people moving out of small towns and instead moving to bigger cities.