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Mike Farnworth

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The Honourable
Mike Farnworth
MLA
Farnworth in 2017
15th Deputy Premier of British Columbia
In office
October 28, 2021 – November 18, 2024
PremierJohn Horgan
David Eby
Preceded byCarole James[a]
Succeeded byNiki Sharma
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General of British Columbia
In office
July 18, 2017 – November 18, 2024
PremierJohn Horgan
David Eby
Preceded byMike Morris
Succeeded byGarry Begg
Minister of Social Development and Economic Security of British Columbia
In office
November 1, 2000 – June 5, 2001
PremierUjjal Dosanjh
Preceded byJan Pullinger
Succeeded byposition abolished
Minister of Health & Minister Responsible for Seniors of British Columbia
In office
February 29, 2000 – November 1, 2000
PremierUjjal Dosanjh
Preceded byPenny Priddy
Succeeded byCorky Evans
Minister of Employment and Investment & Minister Responsible for Housing of British Columbia
In office
February 18, 1998 – February 24, 2000
PremierGlen Clark
Dan Miller
Preceded byDan Miller
Succeeded byGordon Wilson
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of British Columbia
In office
January 6, 1997 – February 18, 1998
PremierGlen Clark
Preceded byDan Miller
Succeeded byJenny Kwan
Member of the
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
for Port Coquitlam
(Port Coquitlam-Burke Mountain; 2005–2009)
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 17, 2005
Preceded byKarn Manhas
In office
October 17, 1991 – May 16, 2001
Preceded byRiding established
Succeeded byKarn Manhas
Dean of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 24, 2020
Preceded byLinda Reid
Personal details
Born (1959-07-23) July 23, 1959 (age 65)
Bebington, England[1]
Political partyBC NDP
Residence(s)Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
Alma materSimon Fraser University

Michael C. Farnworth MLA (born July 23, 1959) is a Canadian politician who has served as the 15th and current deputy premier of British Columbia since 2021, and the minister of public safety and solicitor general since 2017. A member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP), Farnworth represents the riding of Port Coquitlam in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, where he is the NDP's house leader, and the dean of the Legislative Assembly.

Background

[edit]

Born in Bebington, England,[1] Farnworth was raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia.[2] He attended Simon Fraser University, earning a bachelor's degree in geography.[2] Prior to entering elected office, Farnworth worked at CP Rail, Gulf Oil, and Mount Isa Mines.[3]

Farnworth has publicly acknowledged that he is gay. He has had a relationship with his partner, Doug, for over twenty five years.[4]

Political career

[edit]

After serving three terms on Port Coquitlam City Council[5] and working for Port Moody—Coquitlam Member of Parliament Ian Waddell,[3] Farnworth ran for the BC NDP in the 1991 provincial election, in which he was first elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Port Coquitlam.[2]

He was re-elected in 1996,[6] and was appointed Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing by Premier Glen Clark in January 1997,[7] before becoming Minister of Employment and Investment and Minister Responsible for Housing in 1998.[8] Under Premier Ujjal Dosanjh, Farnworth was named Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Seniors in February 2000, before becoming Minister of Social Development and Economic Security in November that year.[8]

He ran in the redistributed riding of Port Coquitlam-Burke Mountain in 2001, but lost his seat amidst the party's province-wide wipeout.[9] Following the election, Farnworth worked in the Balkans and Iraq for the U.S.-based National Democratic Institute.[2][8]

In the 2005 B.C. general election, Farnworth sought to take back his old seat, defeating the one-term Liberal Party incumbent Karn Manhas, and winning the riding with 11,844 votes (48.14% of valid votes).[10] In 2009, he was re-elected to his fourth term in the recreated riding of Port Coquitlam with 54.71% of valid votes.[11] He then ran in the 2011 NDP leadership election to replace outgoing leader Carole James;[12] he lost to Adrian Dix after three rounds of voting.[13]

Farnworth was returned to the legislature in the 2013 B.C. general election with more than half of the riding's popular vote,[14] but the BC NDP lost the election despite favourable opinion polls leading up to the vote. Following Dix's resignation as party leader in September 2013,[15] both Farnworth and John Horgan formally announced their candidacies for the post in March 2014.[8] With a significant number of NDP MLAs backing Horgan[16] (including Dawn Black, Joe Trasolini, and Fin Donnelly, all figures from Farnworth's own Tri-Cities area[17]), Farnworth withdrew from the leadership race in April, leaving Horgan the sole candidate.[18] After the deadline for nominations passed on May 1, Horgan was acclaimed leader of the BC NDP, and appointed Farnworth as opposition house leader.[19]

Farnworth was re-elected MLA in the 2017 B.C. general election with more than 55% of the vote.[20] In the subsequent NDP minority government, Farnworth was appointed Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.[21] He retained the same cabinet posts in the NDP majority government following his re-election in 2020.[22]

On October 28, 2021, Farnworth was appointed Deputy Premier of British Columbia by Premier John Horgan, in the wake of an announcement that Horgan was to undergo throat surgery on October 29.[23] When Horgan stepped down as premier and was succeeded by David Eby, Farnworth retained his portfolios in Eby's cabinet.[24]

While in Eby's cabinet, Farnworth has attempted to pass Bill 34, the Restricting Public Consumption Act. It is currently facing a Charter challenge from the Harm Reduction Nurses Association (HRNA).[25] Farnworth has stated, “We recognize that vulnerable and/or unhoused people often do not have many reasonable options for places to consume drugs, particularly in places that do not yet have adequate overdose prevention services, and our government is exploring how the regulations may address the impact of the legislation on this population,”[26] but the BC NDP attempted unsuccessfully to appeal the legal challenge regardless[27]

Electoral record

[edit]
2020 British Columbia general election: Port Coquitlam
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Mike Farnworth 15,370 64.14 +8.35 $9,774.62
Liberal Mehran Zargham 5,009 20.90 −9.15 $4,583.11
Green Erik Minty 3,023 12.61 −0.22 $2,051.19
Libertarian Lewis Clarke Dahlby 563 2.35 +1.37 $0.00
Total valid votes 23,965 100.00 –
Total rejected ballots    
Turnout    
Registered voters
Source: Elections BC[28][29]
2017 British Columbia general election: Port Coquitlam
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Mike Farnworth 14,079 55.79 +2.85 $52,164
Liberal Susan Chambers 7,582 30.05 −6.52 $26,734
Green Jason Hanley 3,237 12.83 – $1,177
Libertarian Lewis Clarke Dahlby 248 0.98 −0.63 $89
Cascadia Billy Gibbons 88 0.35 – $1,973
Total valid votes 25,234 100.00 –
Total rejected ballots 131 0.52 −0.20
Turnout 25,365 62.44 +5.18
Registered voters 40,621
Source: Elections BC[30][31]
2013 British Columbia general election: Port Coquitlam
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Mike Farnworth 11,755 52.94 −1.77 $86,221
Liberal Barbara Lu 8,120 36.57 −2.28 $23,507
Conservative Ryan Hague 1,525 6.87 – $3,928
Your Political Party Brent Williams 447 2.01 +1.34 $610
Libertarian Jogender Dahiya 358 1.61 +0.73 $872
Total valid votes 22,205 100.00 –
Total rejected ballots 160 0.72 +0.20
Turnout 22,365 57.26 +2.05
Registered voters 39,059
Source: Elections BC[32]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Office vacant from November 2020, until October 2021.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b P.G. Normandin (1996). The Canadian Parliamentary Guide. p. 619.
  2. ^ a b c d "41st Parliament Members at dissolution on September 21, 2020: Hon. Mike Farnworth". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  3. ^ a b "36th Parliament Members at dissolution on April 18, 2001: Hon. Michael Farnworth". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Archived from the original on 2019-08-20. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  4. ^ "NDP Leadership hopeful comes out of the closet as he announces his candidacy". CTV News. January 13, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  5. ^ "MLA: Mike Farnworth". Member Biography. Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved May 11, 2010.
  6. ^ "1996 Statement of Votes – 36th Provincial General Election – May 28, 1996" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  7. ^ "Premier Clark Announces Cabinet Changes". Government of British Columbia. 1997-01-06. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  8. ^ a b c d Smith, Charlie (2014-03-02). "Mike Farnworth enters B.C. NDP leadership race". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  9. ^ "2001 Statement of Votes – 37th Provincial General Election – May 16, 2001" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  10. ^ "2005 Statement of Votes – 38th Provincial General Election – May 17, 2005" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  11. ^ "2009 Statement of Votes – 39th Provincial General Election – May 12, 2009" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  12. ^ "Farnworth jumps into the ring". CKNW. January 13, 2011. Archived from the original on January 16, 2011.
  13. ^ "Adrian Dix wins B.C. NDP leadership". CBC News. April 17, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  14. ^ "2013 Statement of Votes – 40th Provincial General Election – May 14, 2013" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  15. ^ "Adrian Dix resigns as B.C. NDP Leader". Globe and Mail. September 18, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  16. ^ Austin, Ian (March 24, 2014). "15 NDP MLAs back Horgan but won't discuss Kwan". The Province. Vancouver, BC. p. A3.
  17. ^ "Trio of Tri-City NDPers back Horgan, not Farnworth, for leader". The Tri City News. Coquitlam, BC. April 4, 2014. p. 1.
  18. ^ Hunter, Justine (April 9, 2014). "NDP's Horgan sole candidate for leadership as Farnworth drops out". The Globe and Mail. p. S1.
  19. ^ "Port Coquitlam MLA gets opposition house leader post". The Tri City News. Coquitlam, BC. June 24, 2014. p. 1.
  20. ^ "Statement of Votes – 41st Provincial General Election – May 9, 2017" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  21. ^ "BC NDP takes power: The big issues and the people John Horgan has appointed to handle them". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  22. ^ Lindsay, Bethany (November 26, 2020). "New faces join B.C.'s new cabinet, while stalwarts stay on in key roles". CBC News. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  23. ^ Judd, Amy (October 28, 2021). "B.C. Premier John Horgan to undergo surgery to remove growth in throat". Global News. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  24. ^ "B.C. Premier David Eby unveils new cabinet of 23 ministers". CTV News. 2022-12-07. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
  25. ^ "Harm Reduction Nurses Association v. British Columbia (Attorney General), 2023 BCSC 2290" (PDF). Canadian Drug Policy Coalition.
  26. ^ Johal, Rumneek (17 November 2023). "BC Passed an Anti-Drug Law. Community Groups Say It Will Target Unhoused and Racialized People".
  27. ^ https://assets.nationbuilder.com/pivotlegal/pages/1698/attachments/original/1709677735/BCCA_denying_BC%E2%80%99s_application_for_leave_to_appeal_and_request_for_a_stay_of_the_injunction_on_Bill_34.pdf?1709677735. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  28. ^ "2020 Provincial General Election Final Voting Results". electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
  29. ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  30. ^ "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  31. ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  32. ^ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
British Columbia provincial government of John Horgan
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
Mike Morris Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General
July 18, 2017– 		Incumbent
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