Wayne Cao

Template:Short description Template:Use Canadian English {{#invoke:infobox|infoboxTemplate | bodyclass = vcard | bodystyle = {{#if:|width: {{{mainwidth}}}}} | child = {{{embed}}}

| abovestyle = font-size: 100%;

| above = {{#if:|

{{{honorific-prefix}}}

}}

{{#if:|

{{{honorific-suffix}}}

}}

| subheaderstyle = font-size:125%; font-weight:bold;

| subheader = {{#ifeq:{{{embed}}}|yes||{{#if:|{{#if:|

}}{{{native_name}}}{{#if:|

}}}}}}

| image = {{#invoke:InfoboxImage|InfoboxImage|image=PC MLA Wayne Cao.jpg|size=200px|sizedefault=frameless|upright=1|alt=|suppressplaceholder=yes}} | image2 = {{#invoke:InfoboxImage|InfoboxImage|image=|size=200px|sizedefault=frameless|upright=1|alt=|suppressplaceholder=yes}} | image3 = {{#invoke:InfoboxImage|InfoboxImage|image=|sizedefault=frameless|upright=1|alt=|suppressplaceholder=yes}} | captionstyle = line-height:normal;padding-top:0.2em; | caption{{#if:|3|{{#if:|2}}}} = Cao in 2011

| headerstyle = color: #202122; {{#ifeq:{{{embed}}}|yes|background:#eee|background:lavender}}

| data2 = | header3 = {{#if:Nguyễn CảoTemplate:Birth date and ageNorth VietnamProgressive ConservativeKim HoangthreeCalgary University of Waterloo
University of Auckland Information technology professional|Personal details}} | label4 = Pronunciation | data4 =

| label5 = Born | data5 = {{#invoke:Separated entries|br

|1 = {{#if:Nguyễn Cảo|

Nguyễn Cảo

}}

|2 = Template:Birth date and age
|3 = North Vietnam
}}

| label6 = Died | data6 = {{#invoke:Separated entries|br||}}

| label7 = {{#ifexpr: Template:Strfind short

   | Manner |{{#if:|Manner|Cause}} }} of death

| data7 = {{#if:||}}

| label8 = Resting place | class8 = label | data8 = {{#invoke:Separated entries|br||}}

| label9 = Citizenship | data9 =

| label10 = Nationality | data10 = {{#switch:{{#invoke:delink|delink|}} | {{#ifeq:Template:Country2nationality|{{#invoke:delink|delink|}}|{{#invoke:delink|delink|}}}} = | {{#ifeq:Template:Find country|England|British}} = | #default = }}

| label11 = Political party | data11 = {{#switch:Progressive Conservative | = | Democrat | Democratic | Democrat = Democratic | Republican | United States Republican Party | Republican | Republican Party = Republican | Conservative Party | Conservative = Conservative | Labour Party | Labour = Labour | Conservative Party | Conservative = Conservative | Liberal Party | Liberal = Liberal | KMT | Kuomintang | KMT | KMT | Kuomintang | Kuomintang (KMT) | Kuomintang (KMT) = Kuomintang | DPP | DPP | Democratic Progressive Party = Democratic Progressive Party | #default = Progressive Conservative }}

| label12 = Other political
affiliations | data12 =

| label13 = Height | data13 = {{#if:|Template:Infobox person/height}}

| label14 = Spouse{{#if:|s|{{#invoke:Detect singular|pluralize|Kim Hoang|likely=(s)|plural=s}}}} | data14 = Kim Hoang

| label15 = Domestic partner{{#invoke:Detect singular|pluralize||likely=(s)|plural=s}} | data15 =

| label16 = Relations | data16 =

| label17 = Children | data17 = three

| label18 = Parent{{#if:|{{#invoke:Detect singular|pluralize||likely=(s)|plural=s}}|{{#ifexpr:Template:Count > 1|s}}}} | data18 = {{#if:|{{{parents}}}|{{#invoke:list|unbulleted|{{#if:|{{{father}}} (father)}}|{{#if:|{{{mother}}} (mother)}}}}}}

| label19 = Relatives | data19 =

| label20 = Residence{{#invoke:Detect singular|pluralize|Calgary|likely=(s)|plural=s}} | class20 = {{#if:||label}} | data20 = Calgary

| label21 = Education | data21 =

| label22 = Alma mater | data22 = University of Waterloo
University of Auckland

| label23 = Occupation | data23 = Information technology professional

| label24 = Profession | data24 =

| label25 = Known for | data25 =

| label26 = Salary | data26 =

| label27 = Cabinet | data27 =

| label28 = Committees | data28 =

| label29 = Portfolio | data29 =

| label30 = {{#if:|Civilian awards|Awards}} | data30 =

| label31 = {{{blank1}}} | data31 =

| label32 = {{{blank2}}} | data32 =

| label33 = {{{blank3}}} | data33 =

| label34 = {{{blank4}}} | data34 =

| label35 = {{{blank5}}} | data35 =

| label36 = Signature | data36 = {{#if:|[[File:{{{signature}}}|{{#if:|{{{signature_size}}}|128x80px}}|class=skin-invert|alt=|Wayne Cao's signature]]}}

| label37 = Website | data37 =

| label38 = Nickname{{#invoke:Detect singular|pluralize||likely=(s)|plural=s}} | data38 =

| header39 = {{#if:|Military service}}

| label40 = Allegiance | data40 =

| label41 = {{#if:||Branch/service}} | data41 =

| label42 = {{#if:||Years of service}} | data42 =

| label43 = {{#if:||Rank}} | data43 =

| label44 = {{#if:||Unit}} | data44 =

| label45 = Commands | data45 =

| label46 = {{#if:||Battles/wars}} | data46 =

| label47 = {{#if:|Military awards|Awards}} | data47 =

| label48 = {{{military_blank1}}} | data48 =

| label49 = {{{military_blank2}}} | data49 =

| label50 = {{{military_blank3}}} | data50 =

| label51 = {{{military_blank4}}} | data51 =

| label52 = {{{military_blank5}}} | data52 =

| below =

{{#if:| As of {{{date}}}{{#if:|, {{{year}}}}}}}

{{#if:|Source: [{{{source}}}]}}

}}{{#if:|{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}} }}{{#if:|{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}} }}{{#if:|{{#if:||{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}}}} }}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox officeholder with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| regexp1 = 1blankname[%d]* | regexp2 = 1namedata[%d]* | regexp3 = 2blankname[%d]* | regexp4 = 2namedata[%d]* | regexp5 = 3blankname[%d]* | regexp6 = 3namedata[%d]* | regexp7 = 4blankname[%d]* | regexp8 = 4namedata[%d]* | regexp9 = 5blankname[%d]* | regexp10 = 5namedata[%d]* | allegiance | alma_mater | regexp11 = alongside[%d]* | alt | regexp12 = ambassador_from[%d]* | regexp13 = appointed[%d]* | regexp14 = appointer[%d]* | regexp15 = assembly[%d]* | awards | battles | battles_label | birth_date | birth_name | birth_place | birthname | regexp16 = blank[%d]* | bodyclass | branch | branch_label | cabinet | candidate | caption | categories | regexp17 = chancellor[%d]* | children | citizenship | regexp18 = co%-leader[%d]* | commands | committees | regexp19 = constituency[%d]* | regexp20 = constituency_AM[%d]* | regexp21 = constituency_MP[%d]* | regexp22 = convocation[%d]* | regexp23 = country[%d]* | regexp24 = data[%d]* | date | death_cause | death_date | death_manner | death_place | demo | regexp25 = deputy[%d]* | regexp26 = district[%d]* | education | election_date | embed | father | regexp28 = firstminister[%d]* | footnotes | regexp29 = governor[%d]* | regexp30 = governor_general[%d]* | regexp31 = governor%-general[%d]* | height | honorific_prefix | honorific-prefix | honorific_suffix | honorific-suffix | image | image name | image_name_alt | image_size | imagesize | image_upright | incumbent | regexp32 = jr/sr[%d]* | regexp33 = jr/sr and state[%d]* | known_for | regexp34 = leader[%d]* | regexp35 = legislature[%d]* | regexp36 = lieutenant[%d]* | regexp37 = lieutenant_governor[%d]* | mainwidth | regexp38 = majority[%d]* | regexp39 = majority_floor_leader[%d]* | regexp40 = majority_leader[%d]* | regexp41 = majorityleader[%d]* | mawards | regexp42 = military_blank[%d]* | regexp43 = military_data[%d]* | regexp44 = minister[%d]* | regexp45 = minister_from[%d]* | regexp46 = minority_floor_leader[%d]* | regexp47 = minority_leader[%d]* | regexp48 = minorityleader[%d]* | regexp49 = module[%d]* | regexp50 = monarch[%d]* | mother | name | nationality | native_name | native_name_lang | nickname | nocat | regexp51 = nominator[%d]* | nominee | occupation | regexp52 = office[%d]* | opponent | regexp53 = order[%d]* | otherparty | parents | regexp54 = parliament[%d]* | regexp55 = parliamentarygroup[%d]* | partner | party | party_election | portfolio | regexp56 = preceded[%d]* | regexp57 = preceding[%d]* | regexp58 = predecessor[%d]* | regexp59 = premier[%d]* | regexp60 = president[%d]* | regexp61 = primeminister[%d]* | regexp62 = prior_term[%d]* | profession | pronunciation | rank | rank_label | relations | relatives | residence | resting_place | resting_place_coordinates | restingplace | restingplacecoordinates | regexp63 = riding[%d]* | runningmate | salary | serviceyears | serviceyears_label | signature | signature_alt | signature_size | smallimage | smallimage_alt | source | speaker | speaker_office | spouse | spouses | regexp64 = state[%d]* | regexp65 = state_assembly[%d]* | regexp66 = state_delegate[%d]* | regexp67 = state_house[%d]* | regexp68 = state_legislature[%d]* | regexp69 = state_senate[%d]* | regexp70 = status[%d]* | regexp71 = suboffice[%d]* | regexp72 = subterm[%d]* | regexp73 = succeeded[%d]* | regexp74 = succeeding[%d]* | regexp75 = successor[%d]* | regexp76 = taoiseach[%d]* | regexp77 = term[%d]* | regexp78 = term_end[%d]* | regexp79 = term_label[%d]* | regexp80 = term_start[%d]* | regexp81 = termend[%d]* | regexp82 = termlabel[%d]* | regexp83 = termstart[%d]* | regexp84 = title[%d]* | unit | unit_label | regexp85 = vicegovernor[%d]* | regexp86 = vicepremier[%d]* | regexp87 = vicepresident[%d]* | regexp88 = viceprimeminister[%d]* | regexp89 = assuming[%d]* | website | width | year }}

Wayne Cao (born Nguyễn Cảo; December 7, 1946) is a Canadian politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, where he represented the district of Calgary-Fort as a Progressive Conservative. He was first elected in the 1997 provincial election and was re-elected four times. He is perhaps best known as the sponsor of the legislation that led to the enshrining of "Alberta". In April 2008, he elected as the Legislature's Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees and served in that position for the 27th Legislature. Mr. Cao also served as a member of the Standing Committee on Resource Stewardship.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early lifeEdit

Cao was born December 7, 1946, in northern Vietnam.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He studied engineering, mathematics, and computing science in Saigon and at the University of Auckland and the University of Waterloo.<ref name="leg bio">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After the Vietnam War, he came to California as a refugee - he boarded an American helicopter just before the fall of Saigon - and settled in Calgary in 1976.<ref name="Calgary Sun">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He worked for Shell Petroleum for twenty-six years before taking early retirement in 1997 to enter politics.<ref name="leg bio"/> During this time, he also lectured at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.<ref name="leg bio"/>

Political careerEdit

Cao first sought public office in the 1997 provincial election, when he ran in the riding of Calgary-Fort as the Progressive Conservative.<ref name="results">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was elected handily, and was re-elected in each of the next three elections.<ref name="results"/> He supported Jim Dinning in the 2006 P.C. leadership race.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Dead link</ref>

File:WayneCaoDeputySpeaker3.JPG

Wayne Cao elected Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Whole Assembly Committees, Legislature, Alberta, Canada, April 2008

In April 2008, he was elected by his legislator colleagues as the Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, defeating Len Mitzel and Bridget Pastoor in a secret ballot.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Dead link</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Cao would announce he would retire from the legislature in February 2015, prior to the 2015 Alberta general election<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> which saw the Progressive Conservative dynasty end when the New Democratic Party would be elected to a majority government. Cao's former electoral district Calgary-Fort would elect New Democrat Joe Ceci.

Legislative initiativesEdit

Cao has moved a large number of private member's bills. Of these, the only one to pass was 2001's Alberta Official Song Act, which established a contest for the province's official song, with the winner to be selected by an all party committee of the legislature. It passed with the support of members from all parties, although Progressive Conservative Rob Renner felt that the province's official song should be something that was already known to most Albertans rather than a new song composed for the occasion, and Liberal Hugh MacDonald argued that no official song was necessary, since Alberta already had an "unofficial song", Alberta Bound<ref>Template:Cite hansard</ref> (which MacDonald recalled hearing Ian Tyson sing at the closing ceremonies of the 1988 Winter Olympics, although the song, along with Four Strong Winds, was actually sung at the opening ceremonies by Tyson and Gordon Lightfoot, the song's composer and singer).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The ensuing competition selected "Alberta", composed by Mary Kieftenbeld, as the province's official song.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Cao followed this bill with efforts to encourage the translation of O Canada into all languages spoken by Canadians; he composed a Vietnamese version and sang it on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

File:WayneCaoDeputySpeaker2.jpg

Wayne Cao, Deputy Speaker, Legislature, Alberta, Canada 2008

Cao also made headlines in 2007 with the School (Canadian History Content) Amendment Act, which would have mandated that 75% of the instructional hours in high school social studies courses be devoted to Canadian history.<ref name="Canadian content">Template:Cite news</ref> Several MLAs spoke in opposition to the bill, including Liberals Bill Bonko (who felt, as a former school trustee, that any percentage should be mandated by local school boards) and Harry Chase, New Democrat David Eggen (who suggested that global history was as or more important than Canadian history), and Progressive Conservative Education Minister Ron Liepert (who agreed with Eggen and who extolled the virtues of the recently implemented existing social studies curriculum).<ref>Template:Cite hansard</ref> Outside of the legislature, Progressive Conservatives Neil Brown and Len Webber expressed reservations about the decision being made at the political, rather than local, level.<ref name="Canadian content"/> The legislature adjourned before the bill came to a vote.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Cao also sponsored the Employment Standards (Parental Leave) Amendment Act, which would have combined the provisions for adoptive leave and maternity leave and extended them to 27 weeks (Alberta's maternity leave provisions were, at the time, the least generous in the country).<ref name="May 16">Template:Cite hansard</ref> He first introduced the bill in 1999, but the legislature adjourned before it reached second reading.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He re-introduced it in 2000, when several MLAs, including Liberals Don Massey, Laurie Blakeman, Linda Sloan, and Percy Wickman and Progressive Conservatives Moe Amery, Karen Kryczka, and Mary Anne Jablonski, spoke in support of the bill on second reading.<ref name="May 16"/><ref name="May 23"/><ref name="November 15"/> Only Shiraz Shariff spoke against, citing concerns that the business community hadn't been sufficiently consulted.<ref name="May 23">Template:Cite hansard</ref> The bill passed second reading with 34 votes in favour and four (Gary Friedel, Richard Magnus, Barry McFarland, and Rob Renner) against.<ref name="November 15">Template:Cite hansard</ref> However, the legislature adjourned while the bill was still in committee.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2008, Cao sponsored the Alberta Volunteer Service Medal Act, which would have established a medal for exceptional volunteers.<ref name="April 21">Template:Cite hansard</ref> It received bipartisan support from Progressive Conservatives Jonathan Denis, Carl Benito, Neil Brown, and Greg Weadick and Liberals Hugh MacDonald and Darshan Kang, but was ultimately hoisted on a motion from Progressive Conservative Fred Horne.<ref name="April 21"/><ref name="April 28">Template:Cite hansard</ref> The bill's opponents included Liberal Harry B. Chase (who felt that the government's role in volunteer recognition should come in the form of support, rather than in the form of after-the-fact recognition) and Progressive Conservatives Richard Marz (who argued that medals should be restricted to those who had risked their lives), Heather Forsyth (who was concerned by the level of bureaucracy in the bill), George Rogers (who suggested that it duplicated existing government programs), Ray Prins (who was concerned that by singling out individual volunteers it would demean the contributions of those who weren't recognized), and Doug Griffiths (who echoed Rogers' arguments and also expressed concern that the proposed award would have a built in bias in favour of volunteers with large organizations).<ref name="April 21"/><ref name="April 28"/>

His other private member's bills have included 1997's Highway Traffic Amendment Act, 2002's Environmental Protection and Enhancement (Residential Land Disclosure) Amendment Act, 2003's Financial Summit Act, and 2004's Government Accountability (Identification of Expenditures) Amendment Act, none of which reached second reading.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="2003 Bills">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In addition to his private member's bills, Cao has sponsored a government bill, the Tobacco Tax Amendment Act of 2003.<ref name="2003 Bills"/> The bill was in response to an increase in the number of Albertans buying tobacco products out of province, after the government imposed taxes on the import of tobacco products to Alberta that saw taxes on such goods more than double.<ref>Template:Cite hansard</ref> It passed after little debate.<ref>Template:Cite hansard</ref> Cao also sponsored a successful private bill in 1998, the Tanya Marie Bryant Adoption Termination Act.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal lifeEdit

Cao is married to Kim Hoang, an engineer and banker.<ref name="leg bio"/> The pair have three sons: William (a lawyer), Winston (an engineer), and Willis (a scientist).<ref name="leg bio"/> They also have three grandchildren: Dylan from Mimi/William, Maxwell and Chelsea from Sarah/Winston.

He identifies Confucius and Winston Churchill as his political heroes.<ref name="Calgary Sun"/>

Election resultsEdit

Template:Alberta provincial election, 1997/Calgary-Fort Template:Alberta provincial election, 2001/Calgary-Fort Template:Alberta provincial election, 2004/Calgary-Fort Template:Alberta provincial election, 2008/Calgary-Fort Template:Alberta provincial election, 2012/Calgary-Fort

External linksEdit

Wayne Cao's web page

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist