Richard Feehan

Richard Feehan was born on February 11, 1960 to parents Bernie and Kathleen Feehan.^[2] His father was a Judge on the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta and his mother was chair of Grant MacEwan’s social work program for 30 years.^[3][4] Feehan has six siblings, and is married with three adult children.^[5][2]

Feehan graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Arts in 1980, from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Social Work and from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Masters of Social Work in 1986.^[2]

Before entering politics, Feehan worked in a variety of roles, including as the program director of the Edmonton Social Planning Council and vice-president of Catholic Social Services in Edmonton.^[6] He taught in the Edmonton division of the University of Calgary’s faculty of social work for a decade, before being elected.^[7]

Feehan ran for Edmonton City Council in the 2013 Edmonton municipal election in Ward 10, on a platform of local sustainability and infrastructure renewal. He placed second, losing to community organizer Michael Walters.^[8]

In the 2015 Alberta general election, Feehan was nominated as the Alberta New Democratic Party candidate for Edmonton-Rutherford. Feehan was elected as MLA, receiving 63.94% of the vote, a 55.62% increase in the NDP's share of the vote, which was the party's largest increase from the 2012 Alberta general election.^[9][10]

Following the election, Feehan was appointed Alberta NDP caucus chair by Premier Rachel Notley.^[11] Shortly after, he was elected Deputy Chairman of Committees in the 29th Alberta Legislature.^[12]

In 2016, Feehan was appointed to the Executive Council of Alberta as Minister of Indigenous Relations.^[13] During his time as Minister, he oversaw the investment of $35 million in Indigenous-led renewable energy projects,^[14] implemented supports for families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women,^[15] and participated in engagement sessions for survivors of the Sixties Scoop, culminating in the Albertan government's apology for its role.^[16][17] Feehan also instituted training on Indigenous history and culture for all Albertan public servants in June 2018.^[18]

Feehan was re-elected in the 2019 Alberta general election and was appointed as the Official Opposition's Indigenous relations critic.^[19]

In April 2022, Feehan announced he would not seek re-election in the 2023 Alberta general election.^[1]