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Rick Perkins
MP
Member of Parliament
for South Shore—St. Margarets
Assumed office
September 20, 2021
Preceded byBernadette Jordan
Shadow Ministers for Innovation, Science, and Industry
In office
October 12, 2022 – Present
LeaderPierre Poilievre
ShadowingFrançois-Philippe Champagne
Preceded byEd Fast
Shadow Ministers of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
In office
November 9, 2021 – October 12, 2022
LeaderPierre Poilievre
Candice Bergen
Erin O'Toole
ShadowedJoyce Murray
Preceded byRichard Bragdon
Succeeded byClifford Small
Personal details
Born (1961-11-04) November 4, 1961 (age 62)
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Political partyConservative
SpouseWendy Perkins
ResidenceSt. Margaret's Bay, Nova Scotia
Alma materSaint Mary's University
OccupationPolitician

Rick Perkins MP (born November 4, 1961) is a Canadian politician and Member of Parliament for the riding of South Shore—St. Margarets.[1][2]

Background

Perkins holds an MBA from the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary's University. He worked on the political staff to Canadian Conservative Minister the Honourable Barbara McDougall during the two terms of the government of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. After the 1993 federal election Rick worked for two financial services companies CIBC and Newcourt Credit Group before co-founding the investor relations firm Genoa Management. He left this firm to become retail executive and business strategist. His most notable business achievement was the hostile takeover he engineered of Liquor Stores North America, which was the largest publicly traded retailer of beverage alcohol in North America. He served on the Board of Directors and senior management of this company.[citation needed] He previously ran in Scarborough—Agincourt for the Progressive Conservatives in the 1997 Canadian federal election[3] and in South Shore—St. Margarets for the Conservatives in the 2019 Canadian federal election.

Political career

44th Canadian Parliament (2021–present)

In the 2021 Canadian federal election, Perkins defeated Liberal incumbent and Ministers of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Bernadette Jordan.[4]

On November 9, 2021, Perkins was named Shadow Minister for Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard by Conservative Party leader Erin O'Toole.[5] Upon assuming the role Perkins was appointed as Vice-Chair of the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans,[6] as well as a member of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.[7]

Following O'Toole's ousting as party leader in February 2022, Perkins was reappointed as Shadow Minister for Fisheries by intern party leader Candice Bergen.[8]

In March 2022, Perkins was one of 313 Canadian officials barred from entering Russia. The Russian ban was in response to new Canadian economic sanctions targeting Russian officials and entities following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February.[9] In response to ban, Perkins stated on social media that he would “wear this [ban] as a badge of honor” as he continues to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.[10]

During the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election Perkins endorsed hopeful leadership candidate Jean Charest and was further named co-chair of the campaigns national advisory board.[11] Following Pierre Poilievre’s victory in the leadership race,[12] Perkins immediately congratulated him on becoming the new party leader.[13] In a post-leadership interview with the National Post Perkins stated that the Conservative caucus was now “totally united” behind Poilievre despite what the tone of the leadership contest might have indicated."[14]

Upon becoming the new leader, Poilievre kept Perkins on as the fisheries critic until October 12, 2022, until he was then replaced by Newfoundland MP Clifford Small. Perkins then became the Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science, and Industry, replacing former critic Ed Fast.[15] Upon assuming the new critic position, Perkins was named Vice-Chair of the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology,[16] and was further appointed to the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure for the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology.[17] Perkins remains a member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard as well.

Political positions

2020 Mi'kmaq lobster dispute

Perkins was an outspoken critic of Minister Bernadette Jordan's handling of the 2020 Mi'kmaq lobster dispute. Perkins called on her to respect the Supreme Court’s R v Marshall decision, which stated that the Mi’kmaq treaty rights could be regulated and that the Mi'kmaq were not guaranteed an open season in the fisheries. Jordan's handling of the dispute and subsequent criticism played an important role in her electoral defeat.[18]

After defeating Jordan in the 2021 Canadian federal election, Perkins stated in an interview with Global News that he would seek to "find a path forward that [would] bring everyone under the same set of rules and the same regulation through DFO."[19]

Electoral record

2021 Canadian federal election: South Shore—St. Margarets
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Rick Perkins 20,454 40.90 +12.83 $114,937.56
Liberal Bernadette Jordan 18,575 37.15 -4.52 $101,389.53
New Democratic Olivia Dorey 9,541 19.08 +3.16 $21,851.45
Green Thomas Trappenberg 1,434 2.87 -14.47 $2,256.32
Total valid votes/expense limit 50,004 100.0 – $115,179.35
Total rejected ballots 400
Turnout 50,404 63.16 -4.53
Registered voters 79,797
Source: Elections Canada[20]
2019 Canadian federal election: South Shore—St. Margarets
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Bernadette Jordan 21,886 41.67 −15.26 $101,013.68
Conservative Rick Perkins 14,744 28.07 +5.51 $86,186.65
New Democratic Jessika Hepburn 8,361 15.92 −0.91 none listed
Green Thomas Trappenberg 6,070 11.56 +8.65 $3,255.40
People's Robert Monk 667 1.27 New none listed
Independent Steven Foster 376 0.72 New $662.21
Independent Shawn McMahon 165 0.31 New $0.00
Veterans Coalition Jason Matthews 125 0.24 New none listed
Christian Heritage Kevin Schulthies 124 0.24 New $234.83
Total valid votes/expense limit 52,518 100.0     $109,434.66
Total rejected ballots 439 0.83 +0.40
Turnout 52,957 67.69 −2.14
Eligible voters 78,238
Liberal hold Swing −10.38
Source: Elections Canada[21]
1997 Canadian federal election: Scarborough—Agincourt
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Jim Karygiannis 25,995 65.1 +5.3 $47,944
Progressive Conservative Rick Perkins 7,115 17.8 −3.4 $41,232
Reform Edward Lee 4,291 10.8 −3.8 $0.00
New Democratic Doug Hum 2,512 6.3 +4.0 $15,398
Total valid votes/expense limit 39,913 100.0 $104,574

References

  1. ^ Groff, Meghan. "Conservative Rick Perkins takes South Shore-St. Margarets". halifaxtoday.ca. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Rick Perkins - Member of Parliament - Members of Parliament - House of Commons of Canada".
  3. ^ "Canadian Elections Database".
  4. ^ Tunney, Catharine; Raycraft, Richard (September 21, 2021). "The surprise upsets, dramatic losses and nail-biting races of election night". CBC News.
  5. ^ "Erin O'Toole announces Conservative Shadow Cabinet". Conservative Party of Canada. 9 November 2021.
  6. ^ "FOPO - Home - House of Commons of Canada". 22 November 2021. Archived from the original on 2022-07-12.
  7. ^ "Committee Members of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session". House of Commons. 22 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Candice Bergen announces changes to Conservative Shadow Cabinet". Conservative Party of Canada. 23 May 2022.
  9. ^ Gilmore, Rachel (March 15, 2022). "Justin Trudeau among 313 Canadians banned from Russia". Global News Canada.
  10. ^ Perkins, Rick (15 March 2022). "MP Rick Perkins". Facebook.
  11. ^ Charest, Jean (11 July 2022). "Jean Charest on Twitter". Twitter.
  12. ^ Aiello, Rachel (10 September 2022). "Pierre Poilievre wins conservative leadership on first ballot". CTV News.
  13. ^ Perkins, Rick (10 September 2022). "MP Rick Perkins". Facebook.
  14. ^ Karadeglija, Anja (11 September 2022). "Conservative caucus united following Poilievre's victory, MPs say". National Post.
  15. ^ "Pierre Poilievre announces Inflation-busting Conservative Shadow Cabinet". Conservative Party of Canada. 12 October 2022.
  16. ^ "INDU - Home - House of Commons of Canada". 21 November 2022.
  17. ^ "SIND - Home - House of Commons of Canada". 21 November 2022.
  18. ^ Thomas, Jesse (September 21, 2021). "Sipekne'katik Chief says new fisheries minister should be from outside Atlantic Canada". Global News. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  19. ^ Cooke, Alex (September 20, 2021). "Liberal Bernadette Jordan projected to lose to Conservative Rick Perkins, out as fisheries minister". Global News. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  20. ^ "Election night results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  21. ^ "Results Validated by the Returning Officer". Elections Canada. Retrieved 27 October 2019.

External links

Members of the House of Commons of Canada
Categories