Mike Allen (Alberta politician)
Michael Trent Allen (born March 4, 1962) is a Canadian politician who is a former elected member to the Legislative *embly of Alberta representing the electoral district of Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo. He is a former municipal politician, business owner and jazz musician.
Political career
Allen moved to Fort McMurray in 1993. He served on the board of Fort McMurray's Chamber of Commerce, and later served two terms as president. In 2007, Allen was elected to city council, serving two terms as a councillor.
Allen was elected in the 2012 Alberta general election as a Progressive Conservative candidate defeating in*bent MLA Guy Boutilier who had left that party to sit as an Independent and later a Wildrose MLA in a closely contested election. He was appointed by Premier Redford as the special advisor to the Minister of Transportation for highway 63 on May 22, 2012.
Beginning in 2012, Allen served as a member of the Standing Committees for Private Bills, Resource Stewardship and Public Accounts. He was previously the chair of the Select Special Conflicts of Interest Act Review Committee. He had also served as a member of the Standing Committee on Families and Communities and the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders, and Printing. Allen served as a member of Treasury Board and the Alaska-Alberta Bilateral Council and had also represented Alberta on the Council of State Governments – Midwest.
On July 16, 2013, Allen resigned from the Progressive Conservative caucus after his involvement in a pros*ution sting operation in Minnesota which resulted in his arrest. He was charged with one count of hiring or agreeing to hire a pros*ute in a public place. In late 2013 Allen pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and paid a $500 fine plus legal fees. On July 7, 2014 at the annual Calgary Stampede meeting the PC caucus voted in a closed ballot to invite Allen back into the PC caucus.
In the 2015 election, Allen was defeated by Wildrose candidate Tany Yao.
Allen was re-elected to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo's Municipal Council in 2017.