Len Webber

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

| image = Len Webber (17332930232).jpg

| name = Len Webber

| honorific-suffix = ECA

| birth_name = Leonard Warren Webber{{cite web|url=http://www.canadianlatinonewspaper.com/Past%20Editions/2005/MAY_2005.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-09-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021175859/http://www.canadianlatinonewspaper.com/Past%20Editions/2005/MAY_2005.pdf |archive-date=2013-10-21 }}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|11|10}}

| birth_place = Calgary, Alberta, Canada

| residence = Calgary, Alberta, Canada

| riding = Calgary Confederation

| parliament = Canadian

| term_start = October 19, 2015

| term_end = March 23, 2025

| predecessor = Riding Established

| successor = Corey Hogan

| office1 = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Foothills

| term_start1 = November 22, 2004

| term_end1 = September 29, 2014

| predecessor1 = Pat Nelson

| successor1 = Jim Prentice

| party = Progressive Conservative (2004–2014)
Independent (2014)
Conservative (2014–present)

| alma_mater = University of Calgary
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

| religion =

| spouse = {{marriage|Heather Macdonald|1987|2010|end=d.}}[legacy.com/obituaries/calgaryherald/obituary.aspx?n=heather-macdonald-webber&pid=140292574]

| children = Lauren, Jaime, Kelly

| occupation =

| website =

| caption = Webber in 2015

}}

Leonard Warren Webber (born November 10, 1960) is a Canadian politician who served as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Calgary Confederation from 2015 until 2025 as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. During the 43rd Canadian Parliament his private member bill An Act to amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act (organ and tissue donors) (Bill C-210) was adopted to allow Canadians to indicate their intent to sign up as a donor through their annual income tax return. Previously, he was a Conservative Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, representing the constituency of Calgary-Foothills from 2004 to 2014, serving cabinet portfolios of Minister of International & Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Aboriginal Relations.

Early life

Webber was born November 10, 1960, in Calgary, Alberta. His father, Dr. Neil Webber, served as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the constituency of Calgary-Bow from 1975 until 1989 and was also a member of cabinet. (Len) Webber graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and went on to acquire his Journeyman Communications Electrician certificate from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). He then pursued work as an apprentice electrician and managed his own contracting company for 10 years. Prior to seeking office, Webber served as vice president and director of the Webber Academy, a private University preparatory school in southwest Calgary founded by Len's father, Neil.

Political career

Webber first sought public office in the 2004 provincial election in the constituency of Calgary-Foothills. In that election, he received 57% of the vote. In addition to his responsibilities as MLA during his first term, Webber held the position of Deputy Government Whip and was chair of the Advisory Committee on Climate Change, the MLA Review Committee of Private Investigators and Security Guards Act, the Healthy Aging and Continuing Care in Alberta Committee, and the MLA Task Force on Affordable Housing and Homelessness in Alberta. He also acted as co-chair of the MLA Task Force on Continuing Care Health Service and Accommodation Standards Committee and served as a member of numerous other committees and boards.

In the 2008 provincial election, Webber was reelected as MLA for Calgary-Foothills with 48% of the vote. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Calgary Stampede, the Calgary Homeless Foundation, and WorldSkills Calgary 2009.{{cite web|url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=mla_bio&rnumber=11&leg=28|title=Webber's Legislative Assembly of Alberta biography}} Webber was re-elected in 2012, and in March 2014 left the Progressive Conservative caucus to sit as an independent in protest against the leadership of Alison Redford.{{cite web|last=Wood|first=James|title=MLA won't remain a Tory 'with her as leader of the party'|url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/remain+Tory+with+leader+party/9611125/story.html|publisher=Calgary Herald|access-date=March 13, 2014|date=March 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140314164004/http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/politics/remain%2BTory%2Bwith%2Bleader%2Bparty/9611125/story.html|archive-date=March 14, 2014|url-status=dead}}

Webber resigned his seat in the legislature on September 29, 2014,{{cite web|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/prentice-among-electoral-hopefuls-in-upcoming-alberta-byelections-1.2029609|title=Premier Prentice running in Calgary-Foothills byelection set for Oct. 27|publisher=CTV News|date=September 29, 2014|access-date=May 2, 2016}} one day after winning the federal Conservative Party of Canada nomination for the newly created urban riding of Calgary Confederation.{{cite web|url=http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/09/28/calgary-mla-len-webber-earns-conservative-nod-for-vacant-federal-riding|title= Calgary MLA Len Webber earns Conservative nod for vacant federal riding|work=Calgary Sun|date=September 28, 2014|access-date=May 2, 2016}} He was elected in the 2015 federal election, to be the Member of Parliament for Calgary Confederation, though his party formed the official opposition.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-confederation-election-results-and-riding-info-1.3275963|title=Calgary Confederation's Len Webber celebrates 'nail biter' victory over Matt Grant|publisher=CBC News|date=October 19, 2015|access-date=May 2, 2016}} During the 42nd Canadian Parliament he introduced one private member bill which passed the House of Commons but died in the senate. He was re-elected in the 2019 federal election. During the 43rd Canadian Parliament Webber re-introduced his private member bill An Act to amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act (organ and tissue donors) (Bill C-210), adopted in June 2021 with all party support, to allow Canadians to indicate their intent to sign up as a donor through their annual income tax return.{{cite web |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/len-webber-organ-donations-bill_ca_5e2b2194c5b6d6767fd36c39 |publisher=HuffPost |date= January 26, 2021 |first=Ryan |last=Maloney|title=Len Webber Hopes Organ Donations Bill Can Be 'Unifying' Moment In New Parliament}}{{cite web |url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2021/05/16/bill-that-looks-to-make-becoming-an-organ-donor-even-easier-passes-in-house-of-commons/ |publisher=CityNews |date=May 16, 2021 |title=Bill that looks to make becoming an organ donor even easier passes in House of Commons}}

In April 2023, Webber submitted a petition to address abuse in long term care facilities.{{cite news |title=Petition calls for measures to protect long-term care residents from abuse |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-petition-calls-for-measures-to-protect-long-term-care-residents-from |access-date=19 August 2023 |work=The Globe and Mail |date=10 April 2023 |language=en-CA}}

Before being elected to the House of Commons, Webber served three terms as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the constituency of Calgary-Foothills and served in the cabinet portfolios of Minister of International & Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Aboriginal Relations.{{Cite web |title=Len Webber, MP {{!}} Calgary Confederation |url=https://www.lenwebbermp.ca/about-2/about/ |access-date=2022-06-09}}

On March 22, 2025, Webber announced that he would not run for re-election in the 2025 federal election.{{cite news |date=2025-03-23 |title=Calgary MP Len Webber not seeking re-election |url=https://ca.news.yahoo.com/calgary-mp-len-webber-not-164637202.html |access-date=2025-03-23 |work=CBC News |via=Yahoo News}}

Controversy

In February 2020, Webber faced criticism for accepting a $324,000 transition allowance when moving from a provincial MLA role to a federal MP role. The allowance, intended to ease exiting a political career, was part of Alberta's policy for politicians at the time. Since Webber resigned his seat in the legislature the day after he won the federal Conservative Party of Canada nomination, some criticized the appropriateness of him accepting the transition payment, since he was transitioning only to a higher level of politics.{{Cite web |title=Calgary MP taking heat for cashing transition allowance, but isn’t the first {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/2530580/calgary-mp-taking-heat-for-cashing-transition-allowance-but-isnt-the-first/ |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}

Personal life

Webber has three daughters. His wife is deceased. Webber has been involved with Hospice Calgary, the MS Society, the Calgary Foundation, and the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC). He is an advocate for events surrounding breast cancer awareness and research. Webber is a recipient of the Alberta Centennial Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his many philanthropic contributions.

Electoral record

=Federal=

=Provincial=

class="wikitable" \|colspan="3" align=center\|2008 Alberta general election results{{cite book\|title=The Report on the March 3, 2008 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-seventh Legislative Assembly\|url=https://archive.org/details/reportonmarch3202008elec\|publisher=Elections Alberta\|date=July 28, 2008 \|pages=[https://archive.org/details/reportonmarch3202008elec/page/206 206–209]}} \|colspan="2"\|Turnout 35.24% \|colspan="2" align=center\|Swing
style="width: 10px;"\| \|Affiliation \|Candidate \|Votes \|% \|Party \|Personal {{CANelec\|AB\|PC\|Len Webber\|6,088\|48.20%\|−8.57%}} {{CANelec\|AB\|Liberal\|Mike Robinson\|4,909\|38.86%\|4.12%}} {{CANelec\|AB\|Wildrose Alliance\|Kevin Legare\|972\|7.70%\|3.09%}} {{Canadian party colour\|AB\|Green\|row-name}} \|Ian Groll \|411 \|3.25% \|colspan=2 align=center\|* {{CANelec\|AB\|NDP\|Stephanie Sundberg\|251\|1.99%\|−1.89%}} {{CANelec/total\|Total\|12,631}} {{CANelec/total\|Rejected, spoiled and declined\|61}} {{CANelec/total\|Eligible electors / Turnout\|36,019\| %}} {{CANelec/hold\|AB\|PC\|−6.35%}}

class="wikitable"

|colspan="3" align=center|2008 Alberta general election results{{cite book|title=The Report on the March 3, 2008 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-seventh Legislative Assembly|url=https://archive.org/details/reportonmarch3202008elec|publisher=Elections Alberta|date=July 28, 2008 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/reportonmarch3202008elec/page/206 206–209]}}

|colspan="2"|Turnout 35.24%

|colspan="2" align=center|Swing

style="width: 10px;"|

|Affiliation

|Candidate

|Votes

|Party

|Personal

|Ian Groll

|411

|3.25%

|colspan=2 align=center|*

class="wikitable" \|colspan="3" align=center\|2004 Alberta general election results{{cite web\|url=http://www.elections.ab.ca/Public%20Website/files/Statements/10.pdf \|title=Calgary-Foothills Statement of Official Results 2004 Alberta general election \|publisher=Elections Alberta \|access-date=March 3, 2012}} \|colspan="2"\|Turnout 37.13% \|colspan="2" align=center\|Swing
style="width: 10px;"\| \|Affiliation \|Candidate \|Votes \|% \|Party \|Personal {{CANelec\|AB\|PC\|Len Webber\|5,819\|56.77%\|−10.64%}} {{CANelec\|AB\|Liberal\|Stephen Jenuth\|3,561\|34.74%\|6.53%}} {{CANelec\|AB\|Alliance\|Vincent Jansen van Doorn\|472\|4.61%}} {{CANelec\|AB\|NDP\|Malcolm Forster\|398\|3.88%
0.50%}} {{CANelec/total\|Total\|10,250}} {{CANelec/total\|Rejected, spoiled and declined\|50}} {{CANelec/total\|Eligible electors / Turnout\|27,739\| %}} {{CANelec/hold\|AB\|PC\|−8.59%}}

class="wikitable"

|colspan="3" align=center|2004 Alberta general election results{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.ab.ca/Public%20Website/files/Statements/10.pdf |title=Calgary-Foothills Statement of Official Results 2004 Alberta general election |publisher=Elections Alberta |access-date=March 3, 2012}}

|colspan="2"|Turnout 37.13%

|colspan="2" align=center|Swing

style="width: 10px;"|

|Affiliation

|Candidate

|Votes

|Party

|Personal

{{CANelec|AB|NDP|Malcolm Forster|398|3.88%

0.50%}}

References

External links

{{Canadian Parliament links|ID=18414}}
{{official website|https://www.lenwebber.ca/}}
[https://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=memberprofile&mid=0743 Legislative Assembly of Alberta]

Category:1960 births

Category:Conservative Party of Canada MPs

Category:Independent Alberta MLAs

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the Executive Council of Alberta

Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Alberta

Category:Politicians from Calgary

Category:Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta MLAs

Category:University of Calgary alumni

Category:Canadian electricians

Category:21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada

Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta