David J. Parker

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David J. Parker is a politician from Alberta, Canada. He is the former leader of the Green Party of Alberta from 1996 to 2001. He has also been a perennial candidate running in federal and provincial elections.

[edit] Political career

Parker first ran for a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1993 Alberta general election. He ran in the electoral district of Edmonton Gold Bar. He was defeated finishing second last in a field of six candidates. Liberal incumbent Bettie Hewes won the electoral district with a landslide majority.^[1]

Parker became leader of the Green Party of Alberta in 1996.^[2] As leader of the party he ran for office in the 1997 Alberta general election in Gold Bar for the second time. He was easily defeated by Hugh MacDonald losing some of his previous votes and finishing second last with 97 votes. He finished just ahead of Natural Law leader Maury Shapka. Parker stepped down as leader in 2001.^[1]

Parker ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons in the 2004 Canadian federal election in Edmonton Centre for the federal Greens. He won almost 5% of the popular vote finishing fourth. A few months later Parker ran in the provincial Edmonton Centre electoral district in the 2004 Alberta general election. He won fourth place well behind incumbent Laurie Blakeman. He ran again in Edmonton Centre two years later in the 2006 Canadian federal election this time marginally increasing his popular vote but still finishing a distant fourth place. Parker most recently ran for a second time in the provincial Edmonton Centre electoral district in the 2008 Alberta general election again finishing a distant fourth.