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The Honourable
Raymond Chan
PC
陳卓愉
Member of Parliament
for Richmond
In office
2004–2008
Preceded byJoe Peschisolido
Succeeded byAlice Wong
In office
1993–2000
Preceded byTom Siddon
Succeeded byJoe Peschisolido
Personal details
Born (1951-10-25) October 25, 1951 (age 72)
Hong Kong
Political partyLiberal
Spouse(s)divorced and re-married
Residence(s)Richmond, British Columbia
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionEngineer

Raymond Chan PC (Chinese: 陳卓愉; pinyin: Chén Zhuōyú; Jyutping: Can4 Ceok3 Jyu4; born 1951) is a Canadian engineer and politician. He is among the first Chinese Canadian to be appointed to the Cabinet of Canada. A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, Chan was elected to Parliament in the 1993 federal election, defeating then Defence Minister Tom Siddon in the riding of Richmond, British Columbia. Elected in 1993, Chan is the third Chinese Canadian represented in Parliament, after Douglas Jung, who secured a seat in 1957, Art Lee in 1974. In 2008, Chan lost his riding of Richmond to Conservative candidate Alice Wong.

Early life

Raymond Chan was born in Hong Kong in 1951.[1] He emigrated to Canada in 1969,[1] two years after Canada liberalized its immigration policy. He received a B.A.Sc. degree in Engineering Physics from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 1977. From 1977 to 1993, he worked as an engineer for TRIUMF, a particle accelerator laboratory at UBC.[2][3]

Political career

Chan joined the Liberal Party of Canada in 1991 after he was elected as the inaugural president of the Vancouver Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movement in China. Then he was elected to Parliament in the 1993 election,[4] defeating Defence Minister Tom Siddon in the riding of Richmond, British Columbia. Chan secured the nomination win over future cabinet colleague Herb Dhaliwal, who subsequently chose to run in the adjacent Vancouver South riding. He was then appointed by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien as the Secretary of State for the Asia-Pacific Region for the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. He served in this position from 1993 to 2000.

He was defeated in the 2000 election by Joe Peschisolido of the Canadian Alliance. After Peschisolido crossed the floor to the Liberal Party, Chan battled Peschisolido for the Liberal Party's nomination, and won it after a fiercely contested race.[5]

Chan returned to Parliament in the 2004 election. He was subsequently appointed to the cabinet by Prime Minister Paul Martin as the Minister of State (Multiculturalism) for the Department of Heritage.

Chan was re-elected in 2006, and served as Opposition Critic for the Asia Pacific, Seniors, the Social Economy, and Canada Border Security throughout the 39th session of Parliament.

He was defeated by Conservative Alice Wong in the election of 2008[6] by more than 8,000 votes. He sought nomination as a Richmond Liberal again in 2009 and was defeated by Peschisolido. He has been a major fundraiser for political candidates since leaving office.[7]

Electoral history

2008 Canadian federal election: Richmond Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Alice Wong 21,329 49.77 +11.08 $79,037
Liberal Raymond Chan 13,221 30.85 -11.98 $78,275
New Democratic Dale Jackaman 5,059 11.81 -2.17 $14,221
Green Michael Wolfe 2,754 6.43 +1.93 $1,900
Independent Wei Ping Chen 397 0.93 – $6,851
Independent Dobie Yiu-Chung To 93 0.22 – $1,813
Total valid votes/expense limit 42,878 100.0     $86,879
Total rejected ballots 192 0.45 0.01
Turnout 43,070 52 -4
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +11.53
2006 Canadian federal election: Richmond Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Raymond Chan 18,712 42.83 -1.65 $68,055
Conservative Darrel Reid 16,904 38.69 +3.37 $73,990
New Democratic Neil Smith 6,106 13.98 -1.02 $12,724
Green Richard Gordon Mathias 1,967 4.50 +0.25 $2,850
Total valid votes 43,689 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 194 0.44 -0.11
Turnout 43,883 56 -6
Liberal hold Swing -2.51
2004 Canadian federal election: Richmond Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Raymond Chan 18,204 44.48 +2.44 $64,433
Conservative Alice Wong 14,457 35.32 -14.51 $71,614
New Democratic Dale Jackaman 6,142 15.00 +9.32 $11,072
Green Stephen H.F. Kronstein 1,743 4.25 +2.36 $160
Canadian Action Allan Warnke 376 0.91 – $625
Total valid votes 40,922 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 226 0.55 +0.08
Turnout 41,148 62.29 +0.59
Liberal hold Swing +8.48
2000 Canadian federal election: Richmond Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Alliance Joe Peschisolido 21,064 44.40 +8.44 $58,128
Liberal Raymond Chan 19,940 42.04 -1.77 $63,896
New Democratic Gail Paquette 2,695 5.68 -3.88 $10,941
Progressive Conservative Frank Peter Tofin 2,578 5.43 -2.85 $4,329
Green Kevan Hudson 897 1.89 +0.53 $61
Natural Law Kathy McClement 164 0.34 -0.05
Marxist–Leninist Edith Petersen 93 0.19 -0.02 $10
Total valid votes 47,431 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 218 0.47 -0.03
Turnout 47,649 61.70 -3.19
Alliance gain from Liberal Swing +5.10
1997 Canadian federal election: Richmond Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Raymond Chan 18,165 43.81 +6.81 $53,959
Reform Adrian Wade 14,912 35.96 +5.07 $36,549
New Democratic Sylvia Surette 3,964 9.56 +3.31 $13,680
Progressive Conservative Larry Blaschuk 3,435 8.28 -10.72 $21,581
Green Kevan Hudson 565 1.36 +0.78 $19
Christian Heritage Randy Cliff 167 0.40 -0.09
Natural Law Mark McCooey 164 0.39 –
Marxist–Leninist Dorothy-Jean O'Donnell 90 0.21 – $225
Total valid votes 41,462 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 210 0.50
Turnout 41,672 64.89
Liberal hold Swing +0.87
1993 Canadian federal election: Richmond Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Raymond Chan 21,442 37.00 +14.20
Reform Nick Loenen 17,791 30.89 +27.56
Progressive Conservative Tom Siddon 11,013 19.00 -25.04
New Democratic Sylvia Surette 3,623 6.25 -20.96
National Fred Pawluk 2,263 3.91 –
Green Kevan Hudson 337 0.58 +0.15
Natural Law Kathy McClement 333 0.57 –
Independent Judith Campbell 315 0.54 –
Christian Heritage Clyde E. Vint 282 0.49 -0.74
Independent Jerry Haldeman 254 0.44 –
Libertarian Kerry Daniel Pearson 159 0.27 -0.49
Independent John Edgar Square-Briggs 29 0.05 –
Total valid votes 57,950 100.0  
Liberal gain from Progressive Conservative Swing -6.68

References

  1. ^ a b 加拿大大選中的華裔候選人 [Chinese Candidate in the Canadian Election]. BBC Chinese. November 27, 2000. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  2. ^ "Raymond Chan Wins Another Parliamentary Election" 陈卓愉胜出 当选列治文选区国会议员. SinoVision [北美中文网]. January 23, 2006. Retrieved January 4, 2018 – via WestCA.com.
  3. ^ 加国前多元文化部长：华裔移民不是过客. SinoQuebec.com. February 16, 2006. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  4. ^ Raymond Chan – Parliament of Canada biography
  5. ^ "Delta - Richmond East". CBC News. September 20, 2010. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  6. ^ "Harper has fresh timber for new cabinet". CTV News. The Canadian Press. October 16, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  7. ^ Cooper, Sam (October 5, 2020). "Did Canadian politicians know the victims of a targeted shooting at a trendy Richmond restaurant?". Global News. Retrieved October 7, 2020.

External links

27th Ministry – Cabinet of Paul Martin Cabinet post (1) Predecessor Office Successor   Minister of State (Multiculturalism)2004–2006   26th Ministry – Cabinet of Jean Chrétien Sub-Cabinet Post Predecessor Title Successor Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)(1993–2001) Rey Pagtakhan
Cabinet of Prime Minister Paul Martin (2003–2006)
Cabinet of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien (1993–2003)
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