by on In the provincial election held in December 2008, Dr. David Swann became Official Opposition Leader of Alberta. He has represented the riding of Calgary Mountain View since 2004.
In December 2008, Dr. Swann replaced outgoing leader Kevin Taft to become leader of the Alberta Liberal Party. Currently, he holds the portfolio for health and wellness within the Alberta Liberal Caucus. The provincial Liberal Party holds nine seats in the provincial legislature, a seat reduction of 50 percent after the election held in March 2008.
In the provincial election held in December 2008, Dr. David Swann became Official Opposition Leader of Alberta. He has represented the riding of Calgary Mountain View since 2004.
In December 2008, Dr. Swann replaced outgoing leader Kevin Taft to become leader of the Alberta Liberal Party. Currently, he holds the portfolio for health and wellness within the Alberta Liberal Caucus. The provincial Liberal Party holds nine seats in the provincial legislature, a seat reduction of 50 percent after the election held in March 2008. The party hasn’t won an election in Alberta since 1917, and the Progressive Conservative Party has ruled, uninterrupted, since 1971.
Prior to entering politics, Dr. Swann served as a public health consultant from 1988 to 2004. Before that, he was a family physician from 1975 to 1984. He has been actively involved in his community for several decades. Highlights of his community involvement include: participating in anti-sanctions, anti-war movements from 1995 to 2004; helping to develop Calgary’s first pesticide-free park in 1998; and initiating Calgary’s Healthy City Project in 1987. Dr. Swann traveled to Iraq on three separate occasions as part of his activism. He also co-founded the Calgary-based group CANESI (Canadian Network to End Sanctions on Iraq), which later became CANDIL (Canada Democracy and International Law).
Dr. Swann studied at the University of Alberta, earning a B.MSc. in 1971 and his MD in 1973. He graduated with his FRCP(C) from the University of Calgary in 1988. In 1999 and 2003, he was the recipient of the Gold Star Teaching Award from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary. He authored “Finding My Voice for Peace,” a chapter in Canada and the New American Empire: War and Anti-War published in 2004.
Dr. Swann and his wife Laureen have three children and three grandchildren.