Steven Fletcher (politician)

Steven John Fletcher PC (born June 17, 1972) is a former Canadian politician. He served in senior roles in the Conservative Party of Canada in opposition and in government, including 5 years as a Federal Cabinet Minister. After four terms as a Member of Parliament, he served a term as a member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly for one term.

Fletcher served in the House of Commons of Canada from 2004 to 2015, representing the riding of Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia as a member of the Conservative Party. In 2004, the then leader of the opposition Stephen Harper appointed Fletcher to the shadow cabinet as health critic. After forming government, Fletcher was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to Health in 2006. He was appointed to cabinet in 2008. He served on numerous cabinet committees. He was the Minister for Democratic Reform and then after the 2011 election, was appointed to Minister of State (Transport). He was the first quadriplegic and wheelchair user to serve in the House of Commons, as well as in Cabinet. Fletcher was appointed as Minister of State (Democratic Reform) on October 30, 2008. After the Conservative Party victory on May 2, 2011, Fletcher was appointed as Minister of State (Transport).

Fletcher received the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal on December 17, 2002, for his contributions to society and advocacy work.^[4] He received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.^[5]

Fletcher was the leader of the Manitoba Party and an MLA in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly.

In an effort to increase the number of women in cabinet,^[6] Fletcher was left out of cabinet in the July 15, 2013 Cabinet shuffle by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Although not officially in Cabinet, he continued to sit on the treasury board cabinet committee.^[7] Fletcher was defeated in the federal election of 2015, but was elected six months later to the riding of Assiniboia in Manitoba's 2016 provincial election.

Fletcher resigned his membership in the Federal Conservative party in October 2018, and his party membership in the Provincial Progressive Conservative Party in June of the same year, exactly one year after leaving the Provincial Caucus.