Mike Ellis (Canadian politician)

Michael George Ellis (born January 9, 1973) is a Canadian politician who has represented Calgary-West in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta since 2014, sitting as a member of the Progressive Conservatives and later the United Conservative Party (UCP). Ellis was sworn in as Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services in Alberta. Prior to entering politics, he worked as a police officer.

Background
Ellis was born and raised in Calgary, where he was a police sergeant with the Calgary Police Service between the years 2003 and 2015.

He is married with three children.

Political career
Ellis was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in a by-election on October 27, 2014 as a Progressive Conservative (PC). He was re-elected in the 2015, 2019, and 2023 provincial elections and has also been the government whip.

He had previously challenged his predecessor, Ken Hughes, in a nomination contest in the same district for the 2012 Alberta general election,

Ellis supported Danielle Smith during her leadership bid citing that she shares his "values for improving public safety."

Premier Jason Kenney named Ellis as Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions in a 2021 cabinet shuffle.

Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services
Ellis was appointed Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services by Premier Danielle Smith on October 24, 2022 upon Smith's victory of the 2022 United Conservative Party leadership election.

In December 2022 Ellis updated the Alberta Police Act to include an independent committee that handles complaints made towards police.

Ellis has introduced plans to have police carry mandatory body cams.

Ellis gave the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) $4.4 million to combat gang and gun violence.

During the 2023 Alberta general election, Ellis joined the far-right Rebel News' hosts Ezra Levant and Sheila Gunn Reid for their live-coverage of the event. Ellis was sworn in again as Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services on June 9, 2023.

Deputy Premier of Alberta
Following the defeat of former Deputy Premier Kaycee Madu in the 2023 Alberta general election and cabinet reshuffling of Nathan Neudorf, Ellis was sworn in as the sole Deputy Premier of Alberta on June 9, 2023.