Earl Dreeshen

Earl Dreeshen (born July 9, 1953) is a Canadian politician, who served as a Member of Parliament with the Conservative Party from 2008 to 2025.

Earl Dreeshen
Earl Dreeshen in 2016
Member of Parliament for Red Deer—Mountain View Red Deer (2008-2015)
In office October 14, 2008 – March 23, 2025
Preceded by	Bob Mills
Succeeded by	Riding dissolved
Personal details
Born	(1953-07-09) July 9, 1953 (age 72) Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Political party	Conservative
Relations	Devin Dreeshen (son)
Residence	Red Deer County[1]
Profession	Farmer

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.^[2]

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.^[3][4]

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.^[5]

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."^[6]

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.^[7]

Electoral record

v t e 2019 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			68,169	100.0
Total rejected ballots			278
Turnout			68,447	76.8
Eligible voters			89,098
	Conservative hold		Swing		+3.49
Source: Elections Canada[8][9]

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			62,212	100.0		$223,075.30
Total rejected ballots			135	–	–
Turnout			62,347	71.8	–
Eligible voters			86,737
	Conservative hold		Swing		-7.47
Source: Elections Canada[10][11]

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			49,994	100.00
Total rejected ballots			119	0.24	-0.02
Turnout			50,113	54.01	+4.14
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			45,368	100.00	$92,848
Total rejected ballots			118	0.26	+0.04
Turnout			45,486	49.87	-14.86