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Brian MasonBrian Mason is a Canadian politician and current leader of the Alberta New Democrats. Mason studied political science at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and went on to serve as executive director of the Alberta Federation of Students from 1977-79. Mason then accepted employment as a bus driver for Edmonton Transit Services. Mason re-entered politics in 1989, when he launched a legal challenge to a provincial law that required municipal employees to resign their positions to run as municipal candidates. The challenge was unsuccessful, but Mason nonetheless pursued his political ambitions and was elected in October of that year as a city councillor for Ward 3 in Edmonton. The law he challenged was repealed shortly after the election. Mason remained on the council until the resignation of then-ND leader Pam Barrett in 2000. Mason ran in the ensuing Edmonton-Highlands by-election and easily held the legislature seat for the NDs. He was re-elected in the general election held on March 12, 2001. During his tenure as an MLA, Mason's supporters have credited him for bringing issues such as energy deregulation, high automobile insurance rates, education funding and treatment of senior citizens to the forefront of Alberta politics. When his sole ND colleague in the legislature, Raj Pannu resigned as party leader in July 2004, Mason was appointed to the role of interim leader. Mason was formally elected leader of the New Democrats at a leadership convention in Edmonton on September 18, 2004. The 26th Alberta general election is expected in November, when Mason's supporters hope his personal popularity in Edmonton will translate into more seats for his party, especially in the capital. External Links
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