Shelly A. Glover PC (born January 2, 1967) is a former member of the Winnipeg Police Service[1] and former politician. Following the 2008 federal election, she became the first policewoman to become a Member of Parliament in Canadian history, representing the riding of Saint Boniface, Manitoba, which she represented until 2015.

Shelly Glover
Member of Parliament
for Saint Boniface
In office
October 14, 2008 – August 4, 2015
Preceded byRaymond Simard
Succeeded byDan Vandal
Personal details
Born (1967-01-02) January 2, 1967 (age 57)
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Political partyConservative (federal)
Progressive Conservative (provincial)
Children5
ProfessionFormer police officer
PortfolioMinister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

A member of the Conservative Party, she served in the cabinet of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance in January 2011, then as the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages in 2013.[2] Glover served as a member of the Winnipeg Police Service for almost 19 years prior to her election, rising to the rank of sergeant. She was on leave of absence from the police force while serving in Ottawa.

Personal life

Glover is fluent in both English and French, and self-identifies as a Manitoba Métis. She is married to Bruce, a retired police officer and small business owner; they have five children.

Federal politics

Running under the Conservative Party, Glover ran for and won the electoral district of Saint Boniface, Manitoba, in the 2008 federal election from incumbent Liberal Raymond Simard by over 4,500 votes. She thereby became the first policewoman to become a Member of Parliament in Canadian history.

On November 7, 2008, Glover was named Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.[3] She was re-elected in a rematch with Simard in the 2011 election, the first time in the riding's history that a centre-right MP had been reelected. Glover did not stand for re-election in 2015.

Election spending controversy

The Speaker of the House of Commons received a request from Elections Canada to suspend Glover as an MP in June 2013. Glover failed to file documents related to the 2011 election campaign.[4] Elections Canada spokesman John Enright said, "Those letters advised the speaker that an elected candidate shall not continue to sit or vote as members of the House of Commons pending the filing of complete and accurate returns." Glover filed a legal challenge in the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench.[5] Liberal MP Scott Andrews indicated the suspension of Glover from Parliament should be immediate according to previous legal precedent.[6] On July 22, 2014, it was reported in the media that Glover's staffers had attempted to remove the controversial election spending information from her Wikipedia page.[7]

In July 2013, it was reported that Glover had filed a revised return, which Elections Canada accepted.[8] Her campaign acknowledged that, as a result of "inadvertence and an honest misunderstanding of what constitutes an election expense," it exceeded the legal limit by $2,267. Glover promised to make up for the overspend by a corresponding underspend in the next election, and was not penalised.[9]

Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

Shelly Glover was appointed Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages on July 15, 2013.[2]

On October 8, 2013, on behalf of Glover, Daryl Kramp, Member of Parliament (Prince Edward-Hastings), announced support for the Tsi Kionhnheht Ne Onkwawenna Language Circle (TKNOLC) to develop Mohawk language-learning tools.[citation needed]

After federal politics

Glover resigned from the Winnipeg Police Service in April 2018, writing in her letter that the service became a "toxic workplace" for her and that "the WPS is no longer a healthy environment."[10]

Provincial politics

On August 25, 2021, Glover announced her candidacy in the 2021 Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba leadership election.[11] On September 16, she was confirmed as one of two candidates appearing on the ballot, alongside Heather Stefanson.[12] She lost the party leadership election by 363 votes.[13]

Electoral record

2011 Canadian federal election: Saint Boniface—Saint Vital
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Shelly Glover 21,737 50.3 +4.0 $84,354.60
Liberal Raymond Simard 13,314 30.8 -4.3 $82,059.23
New Democratic Patrice Miniely 6,935 16.0 +2.9 $1,082.97
Green Marc Payette 1,245 2.9 -2.1 $950.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 43,231 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 181 0.4 +0.1
Turnout 43,412 67.18 +2.86
Eligible voters 64,620
2008 Canadian federal election: Saint Boniface—Saint Vital
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Shelly Glover 19,440 46.3 +11.3 $71,480
Liberal Raymond Simard 14,728 35.1 -3.5 $78,353
New Democratic Matt Schaubroeck 5,502 13.1 -8.8 $12,641
Green Marc Payette 2,104 5.0 +1.2 $8,506
Christian Heritage Justin Gregoire 195 0.5 -0.2 $12
Total valid votes/expense limit 41,969 100.0   $79,503
Total rejected ballots 133 0.3 -0.1
Turnout 42,102 64.32 -1.6

Honours

Ribbon Description Notes
  Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • 2012
  • Canadian Version of this Medal
  Police Exemplary Service Medal

References

  1. ^ "Glover's departure from politics pleases Winnipeg Liberal candidate". CBC. April 3, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Mitchel Raphael on MPs in court". Macleans. June 12, 2009..
  3. ^ "Harper Names Glover as a Parliamentary Secretary". Winnipeg Free Press. November 7, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  4. ^ Maher, Stephen. "Two Conservative MPs could be suspended over missing election filings". nationalpost.com. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  5. ^ McGregor, Glenn (2013). "Two Tory MPs could lose seats in showdown over election filings". ottawacitizen.com. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  6. ^ O'Malley, Kady (2013). "Liberals want House to decide fate of Tory MPs Bezan, Glover - Inside Politics". cbc.ca. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  7. ^ Sachgau, Oliver (July 22, 2014). "Glover staffers remove ugly details from Wikipedia". Winnipeg Free Press.
  8. ^ "Who is Shelly Glover, Canadian culture's new federal cop?". The Globe and Mail. July 20, 2013.
  9. ^ "No penalty for Shelly Glover's campaign overspending". CBC News. November 15, 2013.
  10. ^ "Former MP Shelly Glover resigns from Winnipeg Police Service, citing 'toxic workplace'". CBC News. April 12, 2018.
  11. ^ "Former MP Shelly Glover plans to enter PC leadership race". CBC News. August 25, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  12. ^ "MLA Heather Stefanson, former MP Shelly Glover make final Manitoba PC leadership ballot". CBC News. September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  13. ^ "Heather Stefanson chosen as Manitoba's 1st female premier by a slim margin | CBC News".