Steve Thomson (politician)

Steve Thomson
38th Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
In office
June 22, 2017 – June 29, 2017
PremierChristy Clark
Lieutenant GovernorJudith Guichon
Preceded byLinda Reid
Succeeded byDarryl Plecas
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Kelowna-Mission
In office
May 12, 2009 – September 21, 2020
Preceded bySindi Hawkins
Succeeded byRenee Merrifield
Personal details
Born1951 or 1952 (age 72–73)
Political partyLiberal
Residence(s)Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

Steve Thomson (born 1951 or 1952) is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a BC Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2009 provincial election, representing the riding of Kelowna-Mission.[1][2] Thomson was re-elected in 2013 and 2017 and elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia on June 22, 2017. He had previously served as Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations since 2011.[3] Thomson resigned as Speaker on June 29, 2017, after less than a week in office, immediately following the defeat of the minority Liberal government of Christy Clark on a confidence vote.[4]

Thomson joined the cabinet in 2009 as Minister of Agriculture and Lands and has also served as Minister of Natural Resource Operations, Minister of Energy, as chair to the Environment and Land Use Committee and as a member of the Treasury Board.

In Opposition, he served as the Official Opposition Critic for Citizens' Services and for Trade.

Prior to entering politics, he was executive director of the BC Agriculture Council, general manager of the BC Fruit Growers Association and the BC Milk Producers Association, as well as director of the Kelowna Museum, the Okanagan Innovation Fund, and the BC BioEnergy Network.

Electoral record

2017 British Columbia general election: Kelowna-Mission
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Steve Thomson 15,041 57.18 +0.32 $53,316
New Democratic Harwinder Sandhu 5,720 21.24 −4.6 $13,757
Green Rainer Wilkins 3,836 14.24 – $18
Conservative Charles Hardy 1,976 7.34 −5.33 $8,095
Total valid votes 26,933 100.00 –
Total rejected ballots 112 0.42 −0.24
Turnout 27,045 57.67 +4.09
Registered voters 46,898
Source: Elections BC[5][6]
2013 British Columbia general election: Kelowna-Mission
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Steve Thomson 13,687 56.86 +2.96 $78,163
New Democratic Tish Lakes 6,221 25.84 −0.23 $28,693
Conservative Mike McLoughlin 3,051 12.67 +0.81 $30,353
No Affiliation Dayleen Van Ryswyk 1,113 4.62 – $12,350
Total valid votes 24,072 100.00
Total rejected ballots 161 0.66
Turnout 24,233 53.58
Source: Elections BC[7]
B.C. General Election 2009 Kelowna-Mission
Party Candidate Votes % ± Expenditures
Liberal Steve Thomson 11,506 53.90 $74,868
  NDP Tisha Kalmanovich 5,566 26.07 $21,149
Conservative Mark Thompson 2,531 11.86 $9,931
Green Crystal Wariach 1,563 7.32 – $5,137
  Independent Silverado Socrates 130 0.61 $250
Refederation Daniel Thorburn 51 0.24 – $360
Total valid votes 21,347 100
Total rejected ballots 115 0.54
Turnout 21,462 50.68

References

  1. ^ Name: Steve Thomson Anonymous. Kelowna Capital News [Kelowna, B.C] 23 Apr 2009: 4.
  2. ^ Waters, Alistair. "Stewart loses cabinet ministry posting". Kelowna Capital News. Archived from the original on 19 September 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  3. ^ Shaw, Rob. "B.C. legislature resumes, MLAs elect Liberal Steve Thomson as Speaker". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  4. ^ "Steve Thomson resigns as speaker of the B.C. Legislature". 29 June 2017.
  5. ^ "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 17 May 2017.


Flag of British ColumbiaPolitician icon

This article about a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.