Joe Ceci

The Honourable Joe Ceci MLA
Ceci in May 2015
MLA for Calgary-Fort
Incumbent
Assumed office May 5, 2015
Preceded by	Wayne Cao
Alderman for Calgary Ward 9
In office 1995–2010
Personal details
Born	July 30, 1957 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Alberta New Democratic Party
Spouse(s)	Christine
Residence	Calgary, Alberta
Alma mater	University of Calgary
Occupation	Social Worker
Portfolio	Minister of Finance & President of the Alberta Treasury Board

Joseph Anthony Ceci (born July 30, 1957) is a Canadian politician, who serves as the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the riding of Calgary-Fort, and is currently the Minister of Finance and President of the Treasury Board in the Executive Council of Alberta. He was first elected in the 2015 provincial election, as a member of the Alberta New Democratic Party. Prior to holding provincial office, Ceci served as an alderman on the Calgary City Council, representing Ward 9 from 1995 to 2010.^[1]

Background

Ceci was born in 1957 in Toronto, where he lived until 1976.^[2] He received a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Western Ontario in 1980.^[3] Later that year, he moved to Calgary, where he worked as a social worker. During this time, he attended the University of Calgary, where he received a master's degree in social work in 1989.

Calgary alderman

He previously served on Calgary City Council as the alderman for Ward 9 from 1995 to 2010.^[4][5] In his 2004-2007 term he was a founding member community safety councils in Inglewood-Ramsay and Forest Lawn.^[5]

Ceci was challenged in the 2007 election by Al Koenig, president of the Calgary Police Association, who had criticized city council for not being "...as assertive on crime as we’d like to see"; Ceci defeated him by a wide margin.^[6] He retired from City Council in 2010, choosing to not run for re-election after 15 years on the Council.^[1]

Provincial career

Touted as a "star candidate", Ceci ran for the Alberta New Democratic Party in the Alberta general election, 2015 for the electoral district of Calgary-Fort, hoping to become the first NDP MLA elected in Calgary since 1993, when Bob Hawkesworth was defeated in the riding of Calgary Mountain View.^[7][8] He won the riding with a majority of over 3000 votes and 49.8% of the popular vote; Progressive Conservative candidate Andy Nguyen finished second in the popular vote.^[9] On May 24, 2015, he was sworn in as Minister of Finance and President of the Treasury Board in the Alberta Cabinet.^[10]

Electoral history

2015 general election

Alberta general election, 2015
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	New Democratic	Joe Ceci	7,030	49.81
	Progressive Conservative	Andy Nguyen	3,201	22.68
	Wildrose	Jeevan Mangat	2,999	21.25
	Liberal	Said Abdulbaki	475	3.37
	Alberta Party	Vic Goosen	410	2.90

References

1. "Ceci to retire from council". Metro.
2. http://www.calgary.ca/CA/city-clerks/Documents/Corporate-records/Archives/Historical-information/gallery/Aldermanic_Galleries.xml.
3. http://ramsaycalgary.ca/site-archive/newsletter/NewsletterJuly-Aug2005.pdf
4. Trevor Howell, Calgary Herald More Trevor Howell, Calgary Herald. "Calgary-Fort riding: Abdulbaki, Ceci, Goosen, Mangat and Nguyen - Calgary Herald". Calgary Herald.
5. "Koenig expected to challenge Ceci in Ward 9". Calgary Herald. CanWest Global Communications. 2007-09-11. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
6. Logan, Shawn (2007-09-11). "CPA prez throws his hat into the ring". Calgary Sun. Sun Media Corporation. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
7. James Wood, Calgary Herald More James Wood, Calgary Herald. "Former alderman Joe Ceci to run for NDP in Calgary-Fort". Calgary Herald.
8. "NDP looks to Joe Ceci for breakthrough in Calgary". cbc.ca. 10 April 2015.
9. "Winners and losers: Some of the night's biggest moments". www.edmontonjournal.com.
10. "Rachel Notley sworn in as Alberta premier, reveals cabinet," CBC News May 24, 2015.

External links

• Official site of Joe Ceci