Biography

Paul Hinman was elected to his first term as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the constituency of Cardston-Taber-Warner on November 22, 2004. The first Alberta Alliance member elected by the party. (Gary Masyk was the first MLA for the Alliance when he crossed the floor.)

Mr. Hinman was born in Edmonton in 1959. Since the age of eight, he has been active in Scouting and has maintained his involvement with the program through leadership roles as an adult. He first became interested in politics through his mentor and grandfather, the Hon. E.W. (Ted) Hinman, who served as Provincial Treasurer in the Ernest Manning government of Alberta from 1955 to 1964 and Minister of Municipal Affairs from 1954 to 1955.

He served as vice-president of policy for the party from its founding convention on February 14, 2002, until he was named to his current position as deputy leader, on January 8, 2005. He is also a board member for the Conservative Party of Canada in the electoral district of Lethbridge. He was previously an active member of the Federal Reform Party of Canada, serving on policy and election committees.

Prior to becoming a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Mr. Hinman was an irrigation farmer, cow-calf producer, purebred-cattle breeder, feedlot operator and small-business entrepreneur. He received honour awards in high school and was accepted into the University of Alberta Faculty of Pharmacy after graduation.

Mr. Hinman enjoys participating in sporting activities and likes hiking in the mountains and horseback riding. He has had the opportunity to travel extensively, including trips to Denmark, Spain, the Caribbean Islands, Africa and Hong Kong and lived in the Philippines for two years, where he learned to speak their native language, Tagalog.

Mr. Hinman lives on his farm near Welling and has four children: Mark, Jordan, Tanner and Janna.

Alliance Leadership

With the announcement on March 7, 2005 that Randy Thorsteinson, leader of the Alliance party, was stepping down speculation is that Mr. Hinman will run for the leadership. The vote will have to happen sometime before October 1, 2005.