The Honourable
Greg Thompson
PC
Thompson in 2018
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs of New Brunswick
In office
November 9, 2018 – September 10, 2019
PremierBlaine Higgs
Preceded byFrancine Landry
Succeeded byBlaine Higgs
Member of the
New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
for Saint Croix
In office
September 24, 2018 – September 10, 2019
Preceded byJohn Ames
Minister of Veterans Affairs
In office
February 6, 2006 – January 16, 2010
Prime MinisterStephen Harper
Preceded byAlbina Guarnieri
Succeeded byJean-Pierre Blackburn
Member of Parliament
for New Brunswick Southwest
In office
June 2, 1997 – May 2, 2011
Preceded byDistrict created
Succeeded byJohn Williamson
Member of Parliament
for Carleton—Charlotte
In office
November 21, 1988 – October 25, 1993
Preceded byFred McCain
Succeeded byHarold Culbert
Personal details
Born
Greg Francis Thompson

(1947-03-28)March 28, 1947
St. Stephen, New Brunswick
DiedSeptember 10, 2019(2019-09-10) (aged 72)
Saint John, New Brunswick
Political partyProgressive Conservative (2018 - 2019)
Other political
affiliations
SpouseLinda Thompson

Gregory Francis Thompson, PC (March 28, 1947 – September 10, 2019[1]) was a Canadian politician who served six terms as a Member of Parliament (MP), and for one term he represented the district of Saint Croix in the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, from 2018 until 2019.

Political career

Thompson was a high school history teacher at Fundy High School from 1975 to 1980.[2]

Thompson, a high school teacher, a businessman and financial planner was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1988 Canadian federal election as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. He was elected in the riding of Carleton—Charlotte. His bid for re-election in the 1993 Canadian federal election was unsuccessful and he was defeated by Harold Culbert of the Liberal Party of Canada by fewer than 1,000 votes.

Thompson however ran again in the next election and was re-elected in the riding of Charlotte, where he defeated Culbert. Thompson was re-elected in the 2000 Canadian federal election in the riding of New Brunswick Southwest and again the 2004 Canadian federal election in the riding of St. Croix—Belleisle. Shortly before the 2004 election, he joined the new Conservative Party of Canada. He was re-elected in the 2006 federal election. In the 2008 federal election he was elected for a sixth term in the riding of New Brunswick Southwest by garnering over 58% of the vote.

During his time in parliament, he has served as the critic of Human Resources Development, the Treasury Board, Regional Development, Health, and Public Accounts, as well as critic of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. On February 6, 2006, he was appointed Minister of Veterans Affairs in Stephen Harper's Cabinet. In April 2007, he and Harper told the press in Kitchener, Ontario that a Veterans' Bill of Rights would come into effect soon and there would be a new ombudsman for veterans along with it.[3]

Thompson resigned from his position in Cabinet on January 16, 2010, because years of travel had worn him down and he wasn't looking forward to making a trip to New Zealand due to the length and time he had to invest in the trip. He also announced he would not run in the 2011 federal election.[4][5]

Veterans Affairs privacy issues

Thompson speaking with veterans at the ceremony marking the 89th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge

In October 2010, Canada's Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart uncovered evidence that widespread privacy abuses had been occurring at Veterans Affairs Canada. Among the cases where privacy issues were investigated is that in which highly personal information of an outspoken critic of Veterans Affairs, including confidential medical and financial information, was included in briefing notes prepared for then-minister Greg Thompson.[6][7][8]

Provincial politics

In 2018 Thompson ran provincially under the Progressive Conservatives in the riding of Saint Croix and won. He served as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs until his death in September 2019.[9]

Electoral record

2018 New Brunswick general election: Saint Croix
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Greg Thompson 3,249 39.21 +0.02
Liberal John Ames 2,436 29.40 -12.34
People's Alliance Joyce Wright 1,466 17.69 +11.74
Green Donna Linton 1,047 12.63 +6.27
New Democratic Jan Underhill 89 1.07 -5.69
Total valid votes 8,287 99.83
Total rejected ballots 14 0.17 -0.15
Turnout 8,301 66.19 +7.22
Eligible voters 12,176
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +6.18


2008 Canadian federal election: New Brunswick Southwest
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Greg Thompson 17,474 58.32 +3.52 $40,981.82
Liberal Nancy MacIntosh 5,863 19.57 -7.22 $19,548.24
New Democratic Andrew Graham 4,958 16.55 +0.92 $4,704.82
Green Robert Wayne Boucher 1,667 5.56 +2.78 $33.90
Total valid votes/expense limit 29,962 100.0     $78,512
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 180 0.60 -0.03
Turnout 30,142 61.17 -5.62
Eligible voters 49,273
Conservative hold Swing +5.37
2006 Canadian federal election: New Brunswick Southwest
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Greg Thompson 18,155 54.80 +1.74 $32,170.17
Liberal Stan Smith 8,877 26.79 -4.72 $21,541.46
New Democratic Andrew Graham 5,178 15.63 +3.94 3,438.46
Green Erik Millett 922 2.78 -0.34 $0.50
Total valid votes/expense limit 33,132 100.0     $73,312
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 210 0.63
Turnout 33,342 66.79
Eligible voters 49,921
Conservative hold Swing +3.23
2004 Canadian federal election: New Brunswick Southwest
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Greg Thompson 16,339 53.06 -14.48 $41,476.00
Liberal Jim Dunlap 9,702 31.51 +3.25 $55,323.96
New Democratic Patrick Webber 3,600 11.69 +7.49 $81.90
Green Erik Millett 960 3.12 – $797.55
Canadian Action David Szemerda 194 0.63 – none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 30,795 100.0     $71,262
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 216 0.70
Turnout 31,011 62.23 -5.12
Eligible voters 49,834
Conservative notional gain from Progressive Conservative Swing -8.86
Changes from 2000 are based on redistributed results. Change for the Conservative Party is based on the combined totals of the Progressive Conservative Party and the Canadian Alliance.
2000 Canadian federal election: New Brunswick Southwest
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Greg Thompson 14,489 47.2 +2.3
Liberal Winston Gamblin 8,442 27.5 +1.8
Alliance John Erbs 6,562 21.4 +0.4
New Democratic Habib Kilisli 1,173 3.8 -3.6
Total valid votes 30,666 100.0
1997 Canadian federal election: New Brunswick Southwest
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative Greg Thompson 14,533 44.9
Liberal Harold Culbert 8,309 25.7
Reform Eric Banks 6,814 21.0
New Democratic Rob Rainer 2,397 7.4
Natural Law Thomas Mitchell 280 0.9
Total valid votes 32,333 100.0
1993 Canadian federal election: Carleton—Charlotte
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Culbert 13,970 43.1 +1.5
Progressive Conservative Greg Thompson 12,157 40.6 -6.6
Reform Greg Wyborn 3,827 11.8
New Democratic Bill Barteau 1,016 3.1 -4.6
National Richard Shelley 431 1.3
Total valid votes 32,401
1988 Canadian federal election: Carleton—Charlotte
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Greg Thompson 16,026 47.2 -14.6
Liberal Harold Culbert 14,116 41.6 +17.6
New Democratic Ben Kilfoil 2,596 7.7 -6.5
Confederation of Regions Robert Storr 1,183 3.5
Total valid votes 33,921

See also

References

  1. ^ Greg Thompson, longtime politician and Saint Croix MLA, dies at 72
  2. ^ "Canada Votes 2006: New Brunswick Southwest". CBC News. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  3. ^ "Canada's veterans get bill of rights". CBC News. April 3, 2007. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  4. ^ "Veterans Affairs minister Thompson resigns". CBC News. January 16, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  5. ^ "Go to NZ? No way - I quit, says minister". The New Zealand Herald. January 18, 2010. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
  6. ^ "Veterans Affairs critic's confidential medical information given to minister". The Globe and Mail. September 21, 2010. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  7. ^ "Privacy Commissioner finds evidence of systemic abuse at Veterans Affairs". The Globe and Mail. September 28, 2010. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  8. ^ "Vet alleges government tried to hospitalize him". Toronto Sun. October 10, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  9. ^ Jacques, Poitras (September 11, 2019). "Saint Croix MLA Greg Thompson remembered as gentleman of 'stubborn determination'". CBC. Retrieved September 14, 2019.

External links

Cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper (2006–2015)
Cabinet of Premier of New Brunswick Blaine Higgs (2018–present)
Ministers of Veterans Affairs
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