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Carl Benito
MLA for Edmonton-Mill Woods
Incumbent
Assumed office  2008
Preceded by	Weslyn Mather
Born	February 21, 1954 (1954-02-21) (age 55) Manila, Philippines
Political party	Progressive Conservative
Spouse(s)	Estrella
Residence	Edmonton, Alberta
Occupation	realtor, investor

Carl Benito (born February 21, 1954 in Manila, Philippines) is a Canadian politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, representing the constituency of Edmonton-Mill Woods as a member of the Progressive Conservatives.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Political career 3 Personal life 4 Election Results 5 References

[edit] Early life

Benito was born February 21, 1954 in Manila to father Herminio Benito, an employee with the Philippines health department, and mother Rosa Manansala-Benito. He was the fourth of five children. Benito immigrated to Canada in March 1982. Prior to his election in 2008, Benito was a licensed real estate and insurance agent in Edmonton for 23 years. He holds a commerce degree from Far Eastern University in Manila and an economics degree from the University of Alberta.

[edit] Political career

Benito first sought public office in the 2001 provincial election in the constituency of Edmonton-Mill Woods. He was unsuccessful in the electoral bid losing to Liberal Don Massey by 518 votes. In the 2008 provincial election, Benito unseated the first-term Liberal incumbent Weslyn Mather by 756 votes. He is the first Filipino elected to the provincial legislature in Alberta.   His campaign promises were:

• Outstanding Young Men Award
• Free Notary and Commissioner of Oath
• Scholarship Awards Night
• Family Picnic in the Park
• Constituency Office Christmas Open House
• Constituency Pop, Hotdog and Donair Day
• Job Fair
• News Letter
• Festival of Martial Arts
• School Council Outstanding Project Cup
• Model Citizen Medal
• Outstanding Mother of the Year Award

[edit] Personal life

Benito has been married to Estrella Benito, a registered nurse, for 28 years, and they have three children together. An avid martial arts enthusiast, Benito has been a trainer at the YMCA in Edmonton and with the Philippine Military Academy. He has collaborated on a book on the stick-fighting art of Arnis.^[1]

[edit] Election Results

2008 Alberta general election results (Edmonton-Mill Woods)			Turnout 40.1%
Affiliation		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive Conservative	Carl Benito	4752	44%
	Wildrose Alliance	Robert Leddy	320	3%
	Liberal	Weslyn Mather	3996	37%
	Green	David A. Hrushka	290	3%
	NDP	Christina Gray	1474	14%
Total			10832	100%

[edit] References

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