High River is a town in southwestern Alberta, Canada with a population of 12,920 (2011). It is 37 kilometres (23 mi) south of the city of Calgary, at the junction of Alberta Highways 2 and 23. Although reasonably distant from Calgary, the town is nonetheless considered to be part of the Calgary Region.

The community gets its name from the Highwood River, which flows through the town, and often floods in the spring.

The town is best known for being the birthplace of former Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark. Other well-known former citizens include W.O. Mitchell, author of such books as Who Has Seen the Wind and Roses Are Difficult Here, and NHL and WHA hockey player John "Pie" McKenzie.

High River was used as a set for Smallville in Superman III, as well as High River, Montana in Nickelodeon's series Caitlin's Way. Recently, Heartland, a CBC television series has found High River its main filming spot. Also, the movie Carolina Moon based on the book by Nora Roberts was filmed in High River.

Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards. Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Success followed with a string of hits including "River Deep, Mountain High" and the 1971 hit "Proud Mary". With the publication of her autobiography I, Tina (1986), Turner revealed severe instances of spousal abuse against her by Ike Turner prior to their 1976 split and subsequent 1978 divorce. After virtually disappearing from the music scene for several years following her divorce from Ike Turner, she rebuilt her career, launching a string of hits beginning in 1983 with the single "Let's Stay Together" and the 1984 release of her fifth solo album Private Dancer.

Her musical career led to film roles, beginning with a prominent role as The Acid Queen in the 1975 film Tommy, and an appearance in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. She starred opposite Mel Gibson as Aunty Entity in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome for which she received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture, and her version of the film's theme, "We Don't Need Another Hero", was a hit single. She appeared in the 1993 film Last Action Hero.

Danielle M. Smith (born April 1, 1971) is a Canadian journalist and a provincial politician in Alberta. Smith has served as leader of the Wildrose Party since October 2009. She is currently the leader of the Official Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, where she represents the riding of Highwood as an MLA.

Prior to being elected leader of the Wildrose Party, Smith was the Director of Provincial Affairs for Alberta with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. She has also worked as a journalist in print, radio and television. Since taking over as leader, Smith has been instrumental in the growth of the Wildrose Party, taking a party that lacked official party status to one that formed the Official Opposition within three years.

Danielle Smith was born in Calgary, Alberta on April 1, 1971, and is the second of five children. Her father was descended from one Philipus Kolodnicki, a Ukrainian immigrant whose name was anglicized to "Philip Smith" upon his arrival in Canada in 1915. Growing up, her family lived in subsidized housing. Her father worked at Firestone, her mother at a drive-thru diner, and went on to work in the public service.