Highlights of Rona Ambrose’s political career

OTTAWA – As Rona Ambrose prepares to step down as interim Opposition leader and Conservative MP, here’s a brief look at some of the highlights of her political career:

2004: Elected as the member of Parliament for the riding of Edmonton-Spruce Grove with 60 per cent of the vote.

2006:

— Appointed environment minister in Stephen Harper’s minority Conservative government, youngest women ever named to cabinet.

— Announces Canada can’t meet emissions reductions targets set in Kyoto Protocol.

— NDP and Bloc Quebecois try to force her resignation, but the move is blocked by Liberals after Conservatives try to make it a confidence motion.

2007:

— Shuffled out of Environment to take over Intergovernmental Affairs, Western Economic Diversification and president of Queen’s Privy Council.

2008-2009

— Appointed labour minister.

— Works on strikes by Ottawa bus drivers, VIA Rail engineers and CN rail employees.

2010-2013

— Appointed minister of public works and government services, as well as minister of state for status of women.

— Sponsors a successful resolution before the United Nations calling for the International Day of the Girl Child.

— Announces National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy.

2013-2014

— Appointed minister of health.

— Sponsors a law requiring community consultations before any new safe injection sites are approved, following a 2011 Supreme Court decision that stopped the Harper Conservatives from closing the safe injection site in Vancouver.

— Quarterbacks government’s efforts to prepare Canada for possible cases of ebola fever after global outbreak.

— Arranges for Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai to visit Canada, an event that has to be cancelled when a gunman storms Parliament Hill.

2015

— Re-elected as an MP in the new riding of Sturgeon River—Parkland with 70 per cent of the vote, despite Conservative loss of government.

— Elected by caucus vote to be interim leader.

— Says Conservatives will support inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women, which they opposed when in government.

2016

— Introduces motions in House of Commons calling on MPs to condemn actions by Islamic militants in Iraq and Syria as genocide, but Liberals don’t allow it to pass.

— Some Conservatives try to get party’s constitution changed so Ambrose can run for leadership, but they lose.

2017

— Opposition leads charge following media reports about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s vacation in Bahamas with Aga Khan; a short time later it is revealed Ambrose was on a businessman’s yacht in the Caribbean at the time.

— Introduces a private member’s bill to require would-be judges to get training on sex assault laws; government promises to support it.

— Announces she will resign as MP in the summer, after working on the new party leader’s transition.