Diane Colley-UrquhartCouncillor of Ward 13
"A leader for our times…"
Diane Colley-Urquhart is recognized as a dynamic community leader and a senior member of Calgary City Council, currently serving her sixth term in Office as an elected official. Diane has valued her public service to the residents of Ward 13 and all Calgarians. Her grounded, common-sense approach to politics and the respect she has garnered in working with her Council colleagues as a team player have resulted in numerous policies and community investments being implemented since she entered public office in 2000.
As a voice for the citizens of Ward 13, Diane is known to take up issues of public concern and can be relied upon to speak out on controversial city-wide issues. This is because Diane keeps in close touch with those who elected her. She listens to what is important to Calgarians. She is her constituents’ voice at City Hall and around the Council table.
Diane's Objectives
- Continue listening, giving Ward 13 residents a voice in Calgary
- Maintaining Sound Fiscal Management
- Investing in Policing, Transit, Parks and Recreation Centres
- Preserve our community quality of life
Diane’s Campaign Brochure
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Priorities
Councillor Colley-Urquhart has made community safety and security hallmarks of her 16 years in elected office. In this, her fourth term as a Police Commissioner, a Director on the provincial Board of ALERT (Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams), and the appointed Chair for the Standing Policy Committee on Community and Protective Services, she has been vocal about having proper investments made in the fight against gangs and organized crime. Her commitment to community-based policing this past year saw her champion the importance of adding an additional 122 police officers to the front line.
Diane has chaired the STOP Marihuana GROW-OP Coalition for the past eight years, and has been instrumental in bringing into effect bylaws and provincial legislation to address all the hazards related to homes that have fallen victim to organized crime. Diane has also been – and will continue to be – publicly critical about the theft of power from utility companies in 95 per cent of the grow-ops in Calgary, and the lack of commitment by government to address the issue.
This term on Council, Diane has committed to lowering taxes and ensuring better management of City dollars. Specifically, she has advocated for the return of the Province’s $52M in tax room to tax payers, securing this return for the 2014 tax year. She has also obtained a moratorium on City Management Overtime and approval to conduct an external review on the City Management Overtime Policy. Diane is intent on continuing to improve accountability, eliminating bureaucracy, and reducing costs in order to streamline City Hall business, through initiatives such as the Cut Red Tape Project. As a member of the Standing Policy Committee on Priorities and Finance, Diane will be a strong voice for fiscally responsible decision-making.
A Brief Background
Diane holds a BSc in Health and Human Services, and has had a nearly 40-year career as a registered nurse. She has held senior management and teaching positions in Emergency, Intensive Trauma and Cardiac Care with the Foothills Hospital, the University of Alberta Hospital, Beverly Care Centre, Heart & Stroke Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society, Kids Help Phone, and Westhampton Management Ltd.
Diane has also run her own small businesses, and volunteered tirelessly in her community. Her diverse experience in health and human services, as well as in business and community service, has given Diane an intimate understanding of people and places in Alberta and the importance of public service.
Council Boards, Commissions and Committees Composition
Diane’s current Council appointments are as follows:
- Chair, Standing Policy Committee on Community & Protective Services
- Chair, Emergency Management Committee
- Chair, Family & Community Support Services
- Chair, Ward 13 President’s Council
- Member, Standing Policy Committee on Priorities & Finance
- Member, Standing Policy Committee on Utilities & Corporate Services
- Police Commissioner, Calgary Police Commission (CPC)
- Member, CPC Governance and Personnel Committee
- Director, ALERT (Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams) Board of Directors
- Member, Coordinating Committee of the Councillors
- Member, Legislative Governance Task Force
- Member, Calgary Convention Centre Board of Directors (CCCA)
- Member, CCCA Finance and Audit Committee
- Member, Corporate Pension Governance Committee
- Member, Pedestrian Strategy Committee
- Co-chair, RCMP National Council on Marihuana Grow Ops and Clandestine Laboratories
- Alberta Vice Chair, Canadian Forces Liaison Council
- Honorary Chair, City of Calgary Annual Safety Expo
- Honorary Chair, Annual Safer Calgary Week
Diane’s Selected Past Memberships are as follows:
- Member, Inter-municipal Committee for the MD of Foothills
- CEO, Canadian Cancer Society
- Vice Chair, Public Transit Safety Audit
- Co-Chair, UNESCO Canadian Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination
- Commissioner, Alberta Human Rights & Citizenship Commission
- Commissioner, Canada Pension Tribunal
- Commissioner, WCB Appeals Commission
- Honorary Spokesman, MADD
- Director, Alberta Urban Municipality Association (2004-2006)
- Co-Chair, Southern Alberta Kim Campbell Leadership Campaign (1992-1993)
- Director, The Calgary Stampede Board
Citizen engagement is critical in Diane’s approach to solving important issues facing Calgarians. Her determination to build these partnerships has resulted in the following accomplishments in her 16 years of public service:
- Member, Telework and WorkSHIFT Initiative Carpooling Initiative
- Member, Stop Marihuana Grow Ops Coalition
- Member, Smoke-Free Calgary Initiative
- Member, Transportation Project Office (TPO) Audit
- Member, Deerfoot Trail Safety Audit
- Member, Calgary Transit Public Safety Audit