▁lived ▁in ▁North west ▁Cal g ary ▁for ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁life . ▁ ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁James ▁F ow ler ▁High ▁School ▁and ▁went ▁to ▁Br igh am ▁Young ▁University , ▁obtain ing ▁a ▁b ach elor ▁of ▁science ▁degree ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁Mel chin ▁received ▁his ▁C . A . ▁design ation ▁from ▁the ▁Institute ▁of ▁Char tered ▁Account ants ▁of ▁Al berta . ▁Mel chin ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁of ▁L atter - day ▁Sain ts . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁ ▁Mel chin ▁was ▁first ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Assembly ▁of ▁Al berta ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁Al berta ▁general ▁election . ▁He ▁defeated ▁inc umb ent ▁Liberal ▁Frank ▁Bru se ker ▁in ▁a ▁hot ly ▁cont ested ▁election . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁Al berta ▁general ▁election ▁he ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁to ▁his ▁second ▁term ▁in ▁a ▁lands lide ▁increasing ▁his ▁pl ur ality ▁by ▁ 6 0 0 0 ▁votes , ▁winning ▁over ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁more ▁than ▁the ▁second ▁place ▁candidate . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁his ▁first ▁port folio ▁in ▁the ▁Al berta ▁government ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Re venue . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁to ▁his ▁third ▁term ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁Al berta ▁general ▁election ▁and ▁was ▁appointed ▁by ▁Premier ▁Ralph ▁Klein ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Energy .