Elwood Veitch
Elwood Veitch | |
|---|---|
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Burnaby-Willingdon | |
| In office May 5, 1983 – October 17, 1991 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Lorimer |
| Succeeded by | Joan Sawicki |
| In office December 11, 1975 – May 10, 1979 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Lorimer |
| Succeeded by | Jim Lorimer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 21, 1929 |
| Died | September 18, 1993 (aged 64) |
| Party | Social Credit |
| Spouse |
Sheila Boyce (m. 1953) |
| Education | University of British Columbia Columbia Pacific University |
| Occupation | Financial administrator |
Elwood Neal Veitch (July 21, 1929[1] – September 18, 1993[2]) was a financial administrator and political figure in British Columbia, Canada. He represented Burnaby-Willingdon in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1975 to 1979 and from 1983 to 1991 as a Social Credit (Socred) member, and served in the provincial cabinet under premiers Bill Bennett, Bill Vander Zalm and Rita Johnston.
Biography
Veitch was born in Monck Township, Ontario, the son of Wellington Veitch and Alice Alma Brott.[1] He was educated in Bracebridge and Ajax, and earned a business diploma from the University of British Columbia; he went on to receive a master's degree in business administration by correspondence from Columbia Pacific University.[3] He married Sheila Gertrude Boyce in 1953.[1]
He ran as a Social Credit candidate in the 1975 provincial election, and defeated the incumbent New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Jim Lorimer to become the member of the Legislative Assembly for Burnaby-Willingdon.[4]: 323 Initially a backbencher, he chaired the legislative committee on crown corporations before being named to Premier Bill Bennett's cabinet in December 1978, serving as Minister of Tourism and Small Business Development.[5][6]
He lost to Lorimer in the 1979 election,[4]: 333 [7] then took the seat back from Lorimer in 1983,[4]: 341 and served as parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Education in the 33rd Parliament.[8] He re-entered Bennett's cabinet in February 1986 as Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs,[6][9] and retained the role after Bill Vander Zalm took over as premier that August.[10]
Veitch defeated NDP candidate Joan Sawicki in the October 1986 election,[4]: 351 and was named Provincial Secretary and Minister of Government Services that November,[11] before becoming Minister of Regional Development in July 1988;[12] he additionally served as Minister of State for the Mainland/Southwest Region beginning in October 1987.[10] He was also named acting Attorney General in June 1988 following Brian Smith's resignation, although this appointment was not confirmed by an Order in Council.[10]
He was re-assigned as Minister of International Business and Immigration in November 1989,[10] and additionally became Minister of Finance and Corporate Relations in March 1991 following Mel Couvelier's resignation.[13] Rita Johnston replaced Vander Zalm as premier in April 1991, and assigned Veitch as Provincial Secretary and Minister responsible for Multiculturalism and Immigration.[14] He ran for re-election that October, but lost to Sawicki as part of the Socreds' electoral collapse.[15]
He died in 1993 at the age of 64.[2]
References
- ^ a b c Normandin, P G (1985). Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1985.
- ^ a b Leyton-Brown, David (1999). Canadian annual review of politics and public affairs. University of Toronto Press. p. 272. ISBN 0-8020-4701-7. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ^ Fitterman, Lisa (November 26, 1986). "Veitch claims ignorance in matter of degree". Vancouver Sun. p. A8. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Electoral History of British Columbia, 1871-1986" (PDF). Elections BC. pp. 323, 333, 341, 351. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ^ Leiren, Hall (December 6, 1978). "Two new faces dealt into reshuffled cabinet". The Vancouver Express. p. 5. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ a b Bennett, Judith Antonik; Verspoor, Frederike (1989). "British Columbia Executive Council Appointments: 1871-1986" (PDF). British Columbia Legislative Library. p. 70. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ "Only two sides to politics in B.C." The Gazette. Montreal. Canadian Press. June 6, 1979. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "B.C. property owners face tax hike". Star-Phoenix. Saskatoon. Canadian Press. March 2, 1985. p. A12. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "B.C. shuffle affects 11 ministries". Ottawa Citizen. Canadian Press. February 12, 1986. p. A14. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Vander Zalm Cabinet: 33rd-34th Parliament 1986–1991" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
- ^ "New faces added to leaner B.C. cabinet". Star-Phoenix. Saskatoon. Canadian Press. November 7, 1986. p. 48. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ^ "B.C. legislators spared non-stop bagpipe tunes". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. Associated Press. May 21, 1989. p. 30. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ^ "Executive Council". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. 1990. Archived from the original on January 28, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ^ "Rita Johnston Cabinet: 34th Parliament 1991" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
- ^ "1991 British Columbia Election". Canadian Elections Database. Retrieved November 10, 2025.