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Bobbie Sparrow

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Honourable
Bobbie Sparrow
PC
Minister of Energy, Mines, and Resources
In office
June 25, 1993 – November 3, 1993
Prime MinisterKim Campbell
Preceded byBill McKnight
Succeeded byAnne McLellan
Minister of Forestry
In office
June 25, 1993 – November 3, 1993
Prime MinisterKim Campbell
Preceded byFrank Oberle Sr.
Succeeded byAnne McLellan
Member of Parliament
for Calgary Southwest
(Calgary South; 1984–1988)
In office
September 4, 1984 – October 25, 1993
Preceded byJohn William Thomson
Succeeded byPreston Manning
Personal details
BornBarbara Jane O'Connor
(1935-07-11)July 11, 1935
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DiedFebruary 19, 2026(2026-02-19) (aged 90)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
PartyProgressive Conservative
Spouse
Bob Sparrow
​
​
(m. 1956; died 1973)​
Profession
  • Registered nurse
  • businesswoman
  • politician

Barbara Jane Sparrow PC (née O'Connor; July 11, 1935 – February 19, 2026) was a Canadian politician.

Political career

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Sparrow, a Registered Nurse and businessperson, was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1984 federal election as Member of Parliament for the Alberta riding of Calgary South.[1] That election brought the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada to power under the leadership of Brian Mulroney. In that election she won the biggest plurality in Canadian history up to that time with 47,763 more votes than second place runner-up Harold Millican from the Liberal Party of Canada.[2]

Redistribution of federal ridings by Elections Canada prior to the 1988 federal election abolished Sparrow's riding; in 1988, she ran and won in the new riding of Calgary Southwest. In 1991, she was named parliamentary secretary to the Minister of National Health and Welfare.[1]

When Kim Campbell succeeded Mulroney as PC leader and prime minister in 1993, she brought Sparrow into the Cabinet as Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources and Minister of Forestry.[1]

Both Sparrow and the Campbell government were defeated in the subsequent 1993 federal election that reduced the Tories to only two seats in the House of Commons. Sparrow lost her seat to Reform Party leader Preston Manning.[3][4]

Philanthropy

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Sparrow joined the Junior League of Calgary, Canada in 1961, and was elected President of the League in 1969.[5] Sparrow was also a part of many Committees within the Junior League.[6] In line with her philanthropic interests were human rights ones. In response to a constituent, she supported the Soviet Jewry movement in Canada by requesting permission to “adopt” a refusenik, and advocated directly to Soviet authorities on their behalf.[7]

Personal life and death

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Sparrow was married to her husband, Bob Sparrow, until his death in 1973.[8]

Sparrow died in Calgary on February 19, 2026, at the age of 90.[9][8]

Electoral record

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1993 Canadian federal election: Calgary Southwest
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ReformPreston Manning41,63061.22+47.80$59,445
Progressive ConservativeBobbie Sparrow12,64218.59–46.57$61,978
LiberalBill Richards11,08716.30+4.77$60,511
New DemocraticCatherine Rose1,0991.62–6.49$4,791
NationalLea Russell9101.34–$2,580
GreenSol Candel3010.44–$6,216
Natural LawIda Bugmann2490.37–none listed
IndependentMiel S.R. Gabriel570.08–$218
CommunistDarrell Rankin280.04–$1,422
Total valid votes 68,00399.80
Total rejected ballots 1370.20+0.03
Turnout 68,14070.82–9.62
Eligible voters 96,213
Reform gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +47.19
Source: Elections Canada[10][11][12]
1988 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%
Progressive ConservativeBobbie Sparrow40,39765.16
ReformJanet Jessop8,31613.41
LiberalPercy Baker7,14711.53
New DemocraticVera Vogel5,0248.10
IndependentLarry R. Heather6691.08
RhinocerosJohnny Barretto3720.60
Confederation of RegionsBill Sinclair680.11
Total valid votes 61,993100.00
1984 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive ConservativeBobbie Sparrow55,590
LiberalHarold Millican7,827
New DemocraticBrendan Quigley6,135
Confederation of RegionsPhyllis Kobley866
IndependentLarry Heather800
Commonwealth of CanadaBill Bohdan136

References

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  1. 1 2 3 "Profile - Sparrow, Barbara Jane (Bobbie)". lop.parl.ca. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  2. ↑ Raymaker, Darryl (2017). Trudeau's Tango: Alberta Meets Pierre Elliott Trudeau, 1968–1972. University of Alberta Press. p. 282.
  3. ↑ Campbell, Murray; Sallot, Jeff (October 26, 1993). "A Liberal Landslide: All but 2 Tories lose; Bloc could become Official Opposition". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario. p. A1.
  4. ↑ Cernetig, Miro (October 26, 1993). "Manning's reach exceeds grasp: Reform fails to make inroads into Ontario". The Globe and Mail. Calgary, Alberta. p. A1.
  5. ↑ "Sustainable Assets: Bobbie Sparrow: A Woman of Many Interests". January 24, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  6. ↑ "The Association of Junior League International". Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  7. ↑ Rena Cohen to Bobbie Sparrow, correspondence cited in Saundra Lipton, “Let My People Go: Calgary Community Support for the Free Soviet Jewry Movement,” Canadian Jewish Studies 40 (2025), 101, 111fn.141.
  8. 1 2 Gilligan, Melissa (February 20, 2026). "'A steady and principled leader': Former Calgary MP Bobbie Sparrow passes away". CTV News. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Barbara "Bobbie" Jane Sparrow". McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  10. ↑ Canada, Library of Parliament (2026). "Elections and Ridings: Calgary Southwest, Alberta (1993)". lop.parl.ca.
  11. ↑ Canada, Chief Electoral Officer (1993). Thirty-Fifth General Election, 1993: Official Voting Results (Report). Ottawa: Elections Canada. ISBN 0-662-60097-5.
  12. ↑ Canada, Chief Electoral Officer (1993). Thirty-Fifth General Election, 1993: Contributions and Expenses of Registered Political Parties and Candidates (Report). Ottawa: Elections Canada. ISBN 0-662-61265-5.
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