Blair Lekstrom


Blair Lekstrom is a Canadian politician, formerly a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. He represented the riding of Peace River South having been first elected in the 2001 election. Reelected in 2005 and 2009, he did not run in the 2013 provincial election. He is now an advisor and spokesperson for HD Mining International, Ltd. Since October 2008, he is a city councillor in Dawson Creek.

Early life and education

He was born in 1961 in North Battleford, Saskatchewan and moved to Dawson Creek, British Columbia later that year. He graduated from the South Peace Secondary School, and worked with BC Tel starting in 1979 as an installer-repairman until his election in 2001.

Political career

Prior to provincial politics, he served as mayor of Dawson Creek for two terms, and was a city councillor for three years prior. Lekstrom was the president of the North Central Municipal Association for the 1999-2000 term.
He formerly served as the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Products in the government of Gordon Campbell, before resigning from the BC Liberal caucus over the Harmonized Sales Tax on June 11, 2010, a policy that Lekstrom had previously endorsed. Following the election of Christy Clark as the party's new leader in the 2011 leadership election, Lekstrom rejoined the Liberals on March 3, 2011.
Lekstrom announced in September 2012 that he would not run for office in the 2013 provincial election.
In September 2013, he was hired by HD Mining International, Ltd.