News and Announcements

EDMONTON, AB (May 23, 2019): The Honourable Nathan Cooper, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Shannon Dean to serve as the 9th Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, effective immediately.

“Ms. Dean has served the Legislative Assembly of Alberta honourably for more than two decades as an expert on parliamentary law and procedure. She brings a wealth of executive management experience in the Legislative Assembly Office, recently serving as Acting Clerk of the Assembly. I am confident that Ms. Dean’s record of leadership will continue in her new role as Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta,” said Speaker Cooper.

The Clerk is the chief executive officer of the Legislative Assembly and has authority and responsibility equivalent to that of a deputy minister of a government department. Under the direction of the Speaker, the Clerk has both procedural and managerial responsibilities.

Ms. Dean received a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta in 1987 before moving on to Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. She graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and was admitted to the Bar of the Province of Alberta in 1992. Ms. Dean began her service as Parliamentary Counsel with the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in 1996 and became Senior Parliamentary Counsel in 2000. In 2011, Ms. Dean was named Director of House Services in addition to Senior Parliamentary Counsel and in 2016 she became what is now known as Law Clerk and Executive Director of House Services for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. In this role, Ms. Dean served as chief legal advisor to the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta while bringing extensive management experience to the Legislative Assembly Office Leadership Team. In 2018, Ms. Dean was named Acting Clerk – Procedure and Law Clerk and Executive Director of House Services for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

“Ms. Dean is eminently qualified to lead the Legislative Assembly Office and I am honoured to appoint her as the first female clerk in Alberta’s history.” Speaker Cooper said. “I would also like to thank Mr. Merwan Saher for his service as the 8th Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Mr. Saher served during a time of great transition and for this we are grateful.”

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Lianne Bell Chief of Staff, Speaker’s Office
Office: 780.427.2464
lianne.bell@assembly.ab.ca