# Earl Dreeshen

Earl Dreeshen MP (born July 9, 1953) is a Canadian politician, serving as a Member of Parliament with the Conservative Party since 2008.

## Political career

Dreeshen was initially elected to represent the electoral district of Red Deer in the 2008 Canadian federal election, and re-elected with an increased majority in 2011. Red Deer was split almost in half ahead of the 2015 election, and Dreeshen opted to run in Red Deer—Mountain View—essentially the southern half of his old riding.
On January 21, 2025, he announced he would stand down at the 2025 Canadian federal election.

### Abortion

Dreeshen opposes abortion. Dreeshen supported a motion to examine whether a fetus is a human being, which was defeated in the House of Commons in a vote of 203 to 91.
Dreeshen voted in support of Bill C-233 - An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sex-selective abortion), which making it a criminal offence for a medical practitioner to knowingly perform an abortion solely on the grounds of the child's genetic sex.

### Conversion therapy

On June 22, 2021, Dreeshen was one of 63 MPs to vote against Bill C-6, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (conversion therapy), which was passed by majority vote, making certain aspects of conversion therapy a crime, including "causing a child to undergo conversion therapy."

## Personal life

Prior to becoming an MP he was a farmer and a physics and math teacher. He and his wife still manage their family farm. His son Devin Dreeshen is the MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, the current Alberta Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors (as of September 7, 2024), and a former Alberta Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.

## Electoral record

vte2019 Canadian federal election: Red Deer—Mountain View :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Earl Dreeshen | 54,765 | 80.2 | +5.87 | $94,327.90 |
| | New Democratic | Logan Garbanewski | 4,946 | 7.3 | -1.11 | none listed |
| | Liberal | Gary Tremblay | 3,795 | 5.6 | -7.83 | $2,038.71 |
| | People's | Paul Mitchell | 2,637 | 3.9 | - | $15,053.69 |
| | Green | Conner Borlé | 2,026 | 3.0 | +0.39 | none listed |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 68,169 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 278 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 68,447 | 76.8 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 89,098 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +3.49 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
2015 Canadian federal election: Red Deer-Mountain View :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Earl Dreeshen | 46,245 | 74.3 | -5.07 | – |
| | Liberal | Chandra Lescia Kastern | 8,356 | 13.4 | +9.86 | – |
| | New Democratic | Paul Harris | 5,233 | 8.4 | -3.51 | – |
| | Green | Simon Oleny | 1,621 | 2.6 | -2.44 | – |
| | Libertarian | James Walper | 445 | 0.7 | – | – |
| | Pirate | Scott Milne | 312 | 0.5 | – | – |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 62,212 | 100.0 | | $223,075.30 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 135 | – | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 62,347 | 71.8 | – |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 86,737 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -7.47 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
2011 Canadian federal election: Red Deer :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Earl Dreeshen | 37,959 | 75.93 | +2.70 | $63,247 |
| | New Democratic | Stuart Somerville | 7,566 | 15.13 | +4.03 | $1 |
| | Green | Mason Sisson | 2,551 | 5.10 | -4.24 | |
| | Liberal | Andrew Lineker | 1,918 | 3.84 | -2.47 | $3,784 |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 49,994 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 119 | 0.24 | -0.02 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,113 | 54.01 | +4.14 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 92,792 | – | – |
2008 Canadian federal election: Red Deer :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Earl Dreeshen | 33,226 | 73.23 | -2.51 | $53,804 |
| | New Democratic | Stuart Somerville | 5,040 | 11.10 | +1.17 | $1,774 |
| | Green | Evan Bedford | 4,239 | 9.34 | +4.18 | |
| | Liberal | Garfield Marks | 2,863 | 6.31 | -2.84 | $7,450 |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 45,368 | 100.00 | $92,848 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 118 | 0.26 | +0.04 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,486 | 49.87 | -14.86 |