Richard Marz (born April 30, 1944, in Three Hills, Alberta) is a Canadian politician who was the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills as a Progressive Conservative.

Richard Marz
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office
March 11, 1997 – April 23, 2012
Preceded bynew district
Succeeded byBruce Rowe
ConstituencyOlds-Didsbury-Three Hills
Personal details
Born (1944-04-30) April 30, 1944 (age 80)
Three Hills, Alberta
Political partyProgressive Conservative
SpouseJanis
ChildrenLaVonne and Rick
Occupationfarmer

Early life

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Marz was born and raised in Three Hills, Alberta. After high school, he worked in the oil patch and briefly joined the Calgary Police Service. Since 1966, he has operated a farm in the Three Hills area.

Political career

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Before entering provincial politics, Marz was active in municipal politics. He was elected as councillor in the municipal district of Kneehill in 1980. Marz served as a councillor for 17 years, including six years as deputy reeve and seven years as reeve. During this period, Marz was a founding member of the Provincial Health Council and a chair of the Central Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties. He has served as a board member for the Didsbury General and Auxiliary Hospital and Three Hills Health Care Centre.

During his third term, Marz was elected Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees. He chaired numerous committees since taking office in 1997, including the Standing Committee on Community Services, the Employability Council, the Farm Assessment and Taxation Committee, and the Labour Relations Code Review Committee.

Marz was elected to his fourth term representing the constituency of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills in the 2008 provincial election, receiving 64 per cent of the vote. During that term he served as deputy chair of the Select Special Ethics Commissioner Search Committee, and sat on the Cabinet Policy Committee on the Economy; the Agenda and Priorities Committee; the Legislative Offices Committee; the Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing Committee; and the Standing Committee on the Economy.

Personal life

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Marz lives on a farm near Three Hills with his wife, Janis. The couple has two adult children, LaVonne and Rick, and four grandchildren.

He has been involved in the Disabled Transportation Society, the Three Hills and District Seed Plant, the Trochu Gun Club and the Three Hills Rodeo Committee.[1]

Election results

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1997 Alberta general election: Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Richard Marz 6,958 57.08%
Social Credit Don MacDonald 3,422 28.07%
Liberal Dave Herbert 1,562 12.81%
New Democratic Anne Wilson 247 2.03%
Total 12,189
Rejected, spoiled and declined 29
Eligible electors / turnout 19,830 61.76%
Progressive Conservative pickup new district.
Source(s)
Source: "Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills Official Results 1997 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
2001 Alberta general election: Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Richard Marz 10,553 80.81% 23.73%
Liberal Gayleen Roelfsema 1,663 12.73% -0.08%
Social Credit Nicholas Semmler 460 3.52% -24.55%
New Democratic Brenda L. Dyck 383 2.93% 0.91%
Total 13,059
Rejected, spoiled and declined 48
Eligible electors / turnout 21,391 61.50% -0.26%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 19.53%
Source(s)
Source: "Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills Official Results 2001 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
"Electoral Division of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills Statement of Official Results" (PDF). Elections Alberta. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
2004 Alberta general election: Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Richard Marz 7,277 59.40% -21.41%
Alberta Alliance Gordon Quantz 2,023 16.51%
Liberal Tony Vonesch 1,336 10.91% -1.83%
Separation Brian Vasseur 746 6.09%
Green Sarah Henckel-Sutmoller 469 3.83%
New Democratic Christopher Davies 257 2.10% -0.84%
Social Credit Myrna Kissick 143 1.17% -2.36%
Total 12,251
Rejected, spoiled and declined 70
Eligible electors / turnout 21,718 56.73% -4.77%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -12.59%
2008 Alberta general election: Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Richard Marz 7,837 64.06% 4.67%
Wildrose Curt Engel 2,572 21.03% 4.52%
Liberal Tony Vonesch 1,038 8.49% -2.42%
Green Kate Haddow 518 4.23% 0.41%
New Democratic Andy Davies 268 2.19% 0.09%
Total 12,233
Rejected, spoiled and declined 59
Eligible electors / turnout 24,599 49.97% -6.76%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 0.08%
Source(s)
Source: "Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills Official Results 2008 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

References

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