Richard Feehan

Biography, Education, and Career Before Politics

Richard Feehan was born into an Irish-Catholic Family on February 11, 1960 to Bernie and Kathaleen Feehan. His father was a Judge on the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta and his mother was chair of Grant MacEwan’s Social Work program for 30 years. Richard Feehan has six siblings working in law, academia, psychology, education and social work. He is married with three adult kids. Feehan graduated from St. Francis Xavier High School in 1977. After high school Feehan went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1980 from the University of Alberta. He continue his education by earning a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Calgary in 1982 followed by a Masters of Social Work degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1986. Feehan’s work experience before politics includes his role as Vice President of Catholic Social Services; Program Director of the Edmonton Social Planning Council; Small Business Owner of a Private Social Work Practice; and as a Social Worker at the Glenrose Hospital. His was most recently employed as a tenure Instructor at the University of Calgary in the Faculty of Social Work at the Edmonton division before being elected in May 2015. He has volunteered with the Canadian Research Institute for Family and the Law as a Board Member; the Edmonton Community Adult Learners Association as the Board President; the Professional Social Work Education Board as a Board Member and the Public Education Committee as a Member.

Political career

On Tuesday May 14, 2013, Richard Feehan publicly launched his campaign to represent Ward 10 on city council in the 2013 Edmonton Municipal Election. Feehan ran on a platform of local sustainability and infrastructure renewal. He placed second in the 2013 civic election losing to community organizer Michael Walters.

In the fall of 2014 Feehan began campaigning for the NDP nomination in Edmonton-Rutherford. Feehan won the NDP nomination for the provincial riding of Edmonton-Rutherford on Wednesday, November 5. On May 5, 2015 Richard Feehan was elected as the NDP MLA for Edmonton-Rutherford recording the highest voter increase for any party candidate across the province giving the NDP a 55.9% increased in the share of the vote in Edmonton-Rutherford since the 2012 general Alberta Election. It was announced on June 3 that Richard Feehan will act as the NDP’s caucus chair. On June 12, 2015 Members of Alberta’s Legislative Assembly elected Feehan deputy chairman of committees.

On February 2, 2016 Richard Feehan was appointed Minister of Indigenous Relations, a renamed ministry which deals with the relationship between government and Indigenous nations. The day Feehan was elected he stated that he was "very privileged" to serve in what he calls "a fundamentally important role in the province" referring to the portfolio he would take on as Minister of Indigenous Relations. In the coming months and years Feehan's portfolio will focus on the province's role in the expected inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women along with other issues.