Tracy Allard

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

| name = Tracy Allard

| honorific-suffix = {{postnom|ECA|size=100}}

| smallimage = Tracy Allard MLA 2019.jpg

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|48|2019|4|15}}{{cite web|author=Nicole Bergot Updated: April 15, 2019 |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/riding-profile-grande-prairie |title=Riding profile: Grande Prairie |publisher=Edmonton Journal |date= |accessdate=2019-04-17}}

| residence = Grande Prairie, Alberta

| office1 = Alberta Minister of Municipal Affairs

| term_start1 = August 25, 2020

| term_end1 = January 4, 2021

| premier1 = Jason Kenney

| predecessor1 = Kaycee Madu

| successor1 = Ric McIver

| office2 = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Grande Prairie

| term_start2 = April 16, 2019

| predecessor2 = Riding re-established

| successor2 = Nolan Dyck

| party = United Conservative Party

| alma_mater = University of British Columbia (BComm)

| termend2 = May 29, 2023

}}

Tracy Allard {{Post-nominals|ECA}} (born 1971) is a Canadian politician who represented Grande Prairie in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 2019 to 2023. A member of the United Conservative Party (UCP), she was minister of municipal affairs from August 2020 to January 2021.

Early life

Tracy Allard attended the University of British Columbia completing a Bachelor of Commerce and a certificate in disability management. She and her husband Serge own and operate two Tim Hortons franchises, located in Grande Prairie, Alberta.{{cite web |title=About Tracy |url=https://ucpcaucus.ca/tracy-allard/ |website=ucpcaucus.ca |publisher=United Conservative Party |accessdate=7 November 2020}}

Political career

Allard was selected as the United Conservative candidate in Grande Prairie. She won the seat 2019 Alberta general election,{{cite web|date=|title=Tracy Allard projected to win Grande Prairie riding|url=https://www.mygrandeprairienow.com/54747/tracy-allard-projected-to-win-grande-prairie-riding/|publisher=My Grande Prairie Now|accessdate=2019-04-17}} with the UCP also forming government.

In November 2019, Allard was appointed as chairwoman of the Northern Alberta Development Council.{{Cite web|url=https://everythinggp.com/2019/11/09/grande-prairie-mla-tracy-allard-appointed-chair-of-the-northern-alberta-development-council/|title=Grande Prairie MLA Tracy Allard appointed chair of the Northern Alberta Development Council|last=Keller|first=Emily|website=EverythingGP {{!}} Grande Prairie, Peace Region {{!}} News, Sports, Weather, Obituaries, Real Estate|language=en|access-date=2020-03-17}}

In March 2020, Allard was one of seven people named to a panel of Joint Working Group on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls which will work on recommendations for Alberta's action plan regarding the issue.{{Cite web|url=https://everythinggp.com/2020/03/11/allard-named-to-provincial-mmiwg-panel/|title=Allard named to provincial MMIWG panel|last=Galbraith|first=Curtis|website=EverythingGP {{!}} Grande Prairie, Peace Region {{!}} News, Sports, Weather, Obituaries, Real Estate|language=en|access-date=2020-03-17}}

Allard was appointed as Minister of Municipal Affairs on August 25, 2020, and the former Minister Kaycee Madu was appointed Minister of Justice and Solicitor General.{{cite web |last1=Penner |first1=Shaun |title=Tracy Allard appointed Alberta's Minister of Municipal Affairs |url=https://everythinggp.com/2020/08/25/tracy-allard-appointed-albertas-minister-of-municipal-affairs/ |website=EverythingGP {{!}} Grande Prairie, Peace Region {{!}} News, Sports, Weather, Obituaries, Real Estate|language=en|accessdate=27 August 2020}}

On October 21, 2020, Allard tested positive for COVID-19.{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Lisa |title=Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard test positive for COVID-19; Premier Jason Kenney and others self-isolating |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/alberta-cabinet-member-tests-positive-for-covid-19-premier-jason-kenney-self-isolating |accessdate=7 November 2020 |work=Edmonton Journal |date=October 22, 2020}}

COVID-19 Controversy

= Travel Scandal =

In December 2020, Allard took a family vacation to Hawaii despite federal and provincial government advice to avoid non-essential travel and the border between Canada and the United States being closed.{{Cite news|last1=Johnston|first1=Janice|last2=von Scheel|first2=Elise|date=December 31, 2020|title=Alberta municipal affairs minister took Hawaii vacation, sources say|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-municipal-affairs-minister-took-hawaii-vacation-sources-say-1.5859031|access-date=December 31, 2020}} Premier Jason Kenney originally defended Allard stating that such travel was important to protect the travel industry, including Calgary-based Westjet.{{Cite web|title=Allard resigns as Alberta municipal affairs minister, Kenney's chief of staff steps down amid controversy over international travel|url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/allard-resigns-as-alberta-municipal-affairs-minister-kenneys-chief-of-staff-steps-down-amid-controversy-over-international-travel|access-date=2021-04-14|website=edmontonjournal|language=en-CA}} On January 4, 2021, Allard resigned as Minister of Municipal Affairs over the matter.{{Cite news|last=Bellefontaine|first=Michelle|date=January 4, 2021|title=Alberta cabinet minister, premier's chief of staff resign over holiday travel, other MLAs demoted|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-cabinet-minister-premier-s-chief-of-staff-resign-over-holiday-travel-other-mlas-demoted-1.5860869|access-date=January 4, 2021}}

= Vaccination Campaign =

In September 2021, Allard sent a newsletter to her constituents that encouraged the government to support "natural immunity" which was criticized by the opposition Alberta New Democratic Party.{{Cite web|last=Penner|first=Shaun|title=NDP calls for Allard's resignation, citing 'undermining' of vaccination campaign|url=https://everythinggp.com/2021/09/28/ndp-calls-for-allards-resignation-citing-undermining-of-vaccination-campaign/|access-date=2021-10-01|website=EverythingGP|language=en}}