“When I had my accident I was told that, if I were to live, I’d live in an institution for the rest of my life… I don’t think those people thought that that institution would be the Parliament of Canada” Steven Fletcher
Steven Fletcher is the Minister of State for Democratic Reform. In his role as Minister he is responsible for Senate reform legislation, House of Commons seat distribution, the creation of a Canadian agency to promote democracy abroad and many other initiatives surrounding voter turn-out and Canadian democracy. Steven is one of five Ministers who serve on the Treasury Board cabinet committee.
Fletcher was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 in the west Winnipeg federal riding of Charleswood St. James Assiniboia. He was re-elected in 2006 and 2008 with increasing margins. In the 2008 election he won with 54% of the vote or over 13,000 vote plurality. Prior to his election, Mr. Fletcher worked as an engineer in the Mining Industry until an automobile collision with a moose, left him a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the neck down. He returned to University where he obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). He was elected for two terms as the president of the student body at the University of Manitoba (UMSU). He also served two terms on the University Of Manitoba Board Of Governors and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA). Mr. Fletcher was twice elected the President of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba and has played a leading role in many community organizations
Mr. Fletcher has a Bachelor in Science degree in Engineering (B.Sc.GE) from the University of Manitoba. He is also the first permanently disabled Canadian to be elected to the House of Commons.