Rob Merrifield

The Honourable
Robert Merrifield
PC
Member of Parliament
for Yellowhead
In office
November 27, 2000 – September 17, 2014
Preceded byCliff Breitkreuz
Succeeded byJim Eglinski
Chair of the Standing Committee on
International Trade
In office
June 23, 2011 – September 29, 2014
MinisterEd Fast
Preceded byLee Richardson
Succeeded byRandy Hoback
Chair of the Standing Committee on
Finance
In office
November 13, 2007 – February 2, 2009
MinisterJim Flaherty
Preceded byBrian Pallister
Succeeded byJames Rajotte
Chair of the Standing Committee on
Health
In office
May 4, 2006 – November 12, 2007
MinisterTony Clement
Preceded byBonnie Brown
Succeeded byJoy Smith
Personal details
Born (1953-12-19) December 19, 1953 (age 70)
Mayerthorpe, Alberta, Canada
Political partyCanadian Alliance (2000-2003), Conservative (2003-2014)
SpouseBrenda Merrifield
ResidenceWhitecourt[1]
Professionbusinessman, farmer

Robert Merrifield, PC, (born December 19, 1953) is a Canadian politician and diplomat. He is the former Member of Parliament for Yellowhead,[2] and was the Minister of State for Transport from October 2008 to May 2011.[3] In September 2014 he resigned as a Member of the Canadian House of Commons to accept an appointment from Alberta Premier Jim Prentice to be the province's envoy to the United States in Washington, D.C. where he will lobby for approval of the Keystone XL pipeline.[4]

His accomplishments included revitalizing Marine Atlantic with two new ferries,[5] initiating Canada Post's postal transformation, and overseeing the rollout of Transport Canada's Alberta and Saskatchewan infrastructure funds as a part of Canada's Economic Action Plan.

Merrifield was first elected to represent Yellowhead in 2000.[6] He was re-elected in 2004, 2006, and 2008.[6]

His past community involvement has included terms as chair and elected board member of the Whitecourt School District Board of Trustees, chair and vice-chair of the Whitecourt/Fox Creek Hospital Board, member of the Aspen Regional Health Authority, member of the Northern Gateway Regional Division No. 10 School Authority and elected member of the Woodland County Council.[citation needed]

  1. ^ Brigette Jobin (September 17, 2008). "Meet your candidate — Rob Merrifield". Whitecourt Star. Sun Media Corporation. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  2. ^ "Most MPs keep distance from Alberta Tory race". CBC.ca. November 30, 2006. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
  3. ^ Armstrong, Neal (May 25, 2010). "Euro seen heading for parity with dollar". The Province. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
  4. ^ "Prentice appoints Conservative MP as Alberta's envoy to U.S." Globe and Mail. September 17, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  5. ^ "Government of Canada Invests in Two Ferries for Marine Atlantic Inc. - Transport Canada". Archived from the original on August 5, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  6. ^ a b "History of Federal Ridings since 1867: YELLOWHEAD, Alberta (1976 - )". www2.parl.gc.ca. Parliament of Canada. Archived from the original on September 6, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2010.