Janis Irwin
{{Short description|Canadian politician (born 1984)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Janis Irwin
| image = Janis Irwin MLA.png
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|09|09}}
| birth_place = Barrhead, Alberta
| residence = Edmonton, Alberta
| honorific-suffix = MLA
| office = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood
| predecessor = Brian Mason
| term_start = April 16, 2019
| term_end =
| party = Alberta NDP
| occupation = Teacher, civil servant
| alma_mater = University of Alberta
University of Calgary
| website = {{URL|https://janisirwin.ca/}}
}}
Janis Irwin (born September 9, 1984){{cite tweet |user=JanisIrwin|number=1303693627340632064 |date= 9 September 2020 |title=It's my birthday! And what do I want? At the top of my list is an @albertaNDP government! I'd love if you could help make my birthday wish come true: http://albertandp.ca/donate/ehln #ableg }} is a Canadian politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 2019 Alberta general election,{{cite magazine |author=Jason Markusoff |date=April 18, 2019 |title=Why Jason Kenney's workaholic style may not work when he's premier |url=https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/why-jason-kenneys-workaholic-style-may-not-work-when-hes-premier |magazine=Maclean's |access-date=April 22, 2019}} and re-elected in the 2023 Alberta General Election. She represents the electoral district of Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood as a member of the Alberta New Democratic Party.{{cite web|author=Alex Antoneshyn|date=April 24, 2019|title=Edmonton MLA-elect wins seat, then $100K in lottery|url=https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/edmonton-mla-elect-wins-seat-then-100k-in-lottery-1.4393840#_gus&_gucid=&_gup=twitter&_gsc=edL8J4R|access-date=April 25, 2019|publisher=CTV News Edmonton}} She serves as the Official Opposition Critic for Housing. She previously served as the Critic for Status of Women and 2SLGBTQ+ Issues, and is the Official Opposition Deputy Whip.{{Cite web|title=Janis Irwin|url=https://www.albertandpcaucus.ca/your-mlas/janis-irwin|access-date=2020-12-02|website=www.albertandpcaucus.ca}}
A teacher prior to her election, Irwin previously ran as the federal New Democratic Party candidate for Edmonton Griesbach in the 2015 Canadian federal election.
Personal life
Irwin grew up in Barrhead, Alberta.{{Cite web|url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files/docs/hansards/han/legislature_30/session_1/20190702_1930_01_han.pdf|title=Alberta Hansard|date=June 18, 2019|website=Legislative Assembly of Alberta}} Prior to being elected, Irwin was a high school social studies teacher in Bawlf, Alberta and served as vice-principal in Forestburg, Alberta.{{Cite web|url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files/docs/hansards/han/legislature_30/session_1/20190627_1330_01_han.pdf|title=Alberta Hansard|date=June 27, 2019|website=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|page=1294}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files/docs/hansards/han/legislature_30/session_1/20190619_1930_01_han.pdf|title=Alberta Hansard|date=June 19, 2019|website=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|page=1056}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files/docs/hansards/han/legislature_30/session_1/20190618_1930_01_han.pdf|title=Alberta Hansard|date=June 18, 2019|website=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|page=941}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files/docs/hansards/han/legislature_30/session_1/20190611_1930_01_han.pdf|title=Alberta Hansard|date=June 11, 2019|website=Legislative Assembly of Alberta}} Irwin came out in her late 20s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files/docs/hansards/han/legislature_30/session_1/20190624_1930_01_han.pdf|title=Alberta Hansard|date=June 24, 2019|website=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|page=1156}}{{dead link|date=March 2025}} In 2010, Irwin moved to Edmonton to start working with Alberta Education, focusing on curriculum.{{Cite web|url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files/docs/hansards/han/legislature_30/session_1/20190611_1930_01_han.pdf|title=Alberta Hansard|date=June 11, 2019|website=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|page=710}}
Education
Irwin holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta, a Master of Education from the University of Calgary, and completed PhD-level coursework at the University of Alberta without defending her thesis. {{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}
Provincial politics
In her first term as Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Irwin advocated against conversion therapy by citing the harmful organization Journey Canada with its ties to this practice.{{Cite web|url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files/docs/hansards/han/legislature_30/session_1/20190625_1330_01_han.pdf|title=Alberta Hansard|date=June 25, 2019|website=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|page=1171}} Another issue Irwin strongly advocated on was the legal protections of gay-straight alliances (GSAs) in the education system in Alberta.{{Cite web|url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files/docs/hansards/han/legislature_30/session_1/20190624_1930_01_han.pdf|title=Alberta Hansard|date=June 24, 2019|website=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|page=1157}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files/docs/hansards/han/legislature_30/session_1/20190611_1930_01_han.pdf|title=Alberta Hansard|date=June 11, 2019|website=Legislative Assembly of Alberta|page=710}}
In her second term as the Critic for Housing, Irwin has been vocal, calling for action on skyrocketing rents. Irwin has tabled Bill 205, the Housing Security Act, which would bring in temporary rent caps.{{cite news |last1=Bellefontaine |first1=Michelle |title=Alberta NDP proposes temporary four-year rent cap in new bill |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-ndp-proposes-temporary-four-year-rent-cap-in-new-bill-1.7049898 |date=December 5, 2023}}
Irwin has also been a voice for her unhoused constituents, calling for an end to encampment sweeps and urging immediate investments in affordable and permanent supportive housing.{{cite news |last1=Tran |first1=Cindy |title='I can't handle this': City clean-up crews and police sweep encampment near Bissell Centre |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/i-cant-handle-this-city-clean-up-crews-and-police-sweep-encampment-near-bissell-centre |date=Jan 3, 2024}}
As of June 21, 2024, she also serves as the chair of the Legislature's Public Accounts Committee.
Electoral history
=2015 federal election=
{{2015 Canadian federal election/Edmonton Griesbach}}
=2019 general election=
{{2019 Alberta general election/Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood}}
=2023 general election=
{{2023 Alberta general election/Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Alberta MLAs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Irwin, Janis}}
Category:Alberta New Democratic Party MLAs
Category:People from Barrhead, Alberta
Category:Politicians from Edmonton
Category:Canadian lesbian politicians
Category:Women MLAs in Alberta
Category:Canadian LGBTQ people in provincial and territorial legislatures
Category:New Democratic Party candidates for the Canadian House of Commons
Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians
Category:21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people
Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta