Rich Coleman

Canadian politician

Rich Coleman
Leader of Opposition in British Columbia
In office
August 4, 2017 – February 3, 2018
Preceded byChristy Clark
Succeeded byAndrew Wilkinson
13th Deputy Premier of British Columbia
In office
September 5, 2012 – July 18, 2017
PremierChristy Clark
Preceded byKevin Falcon
Succeeded byCarole James
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Langley East
Fort Langley-Aldergrove (1996-2017)
In office
May 28, 1996 – November 24, 2020
Preceded byGary Farrell-Collins
Succeeded byMegan Dykeman
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General of British Columbia
In office
June 5, 2001 – June 16, 2005
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byIvan Messmer
Succeeded byJohn Les
In office
April 27, 2009 – June 10, 2009
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byJohn van Dongen
Succeeded byKash Heed
In office
October 25, 2010 – March 14, 2011
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byMike de Jong
Succeeded byShirley Bond
Minister of Forests and Range of British Columbia
In office
June 16, 2005 – June 23, 2008
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byMike de Jong (Forests)
Succeeded byPat Bell
Minister of Housing and Social Development of British Columbia
In office
June 23, 2008 – October 25, 2010
PremierGordon Campbell
Succeeded byKevin Krueger
Minister of Energy and Mines of British Columbia
Minister of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas (2012-2013)
In office
March 14, 2011 – June 10, 2013
PremierChristy Clark
Preceded bySteve Thomson
Succeeded byBill Bennett
In office
June 12, 2017 – July 18, 2017
PremierChristy Clark
Preceded byBill Bennett
Succeeded byMichelle Mungall (Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources)
Minister of Natural Gas Development of British Columbia
In office
June 10, 2013 – June 12, 2017
PremierChristy Clark
Preceded byposition established
Succeeded byEllis Ross
Personal details
BornNelson, British Columbia, Canada
Political partyElevate Langley
BC Liberal
SpouseMichele Coleman
Residence(s)Township of Langley, British Columbia[1]

Richard Thomas Coleman is a Canadian politician and former police officer who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in British Columbia, representing Fort Langley-Aldergrove from 1996 to 2017, and Langley East from 2017 to 2020. As part of the British Columbia Liberal Party caucus, he served in several cabinet posts under Premiers Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark, including as the 13th Deputy Premier of British Columbia from 2012 to 2017. He was also the party's interim leader and Leader of Opposition in British Columbia between 2017 and 2018.

Early life

Coleman was born in Nelson as the third of six siblings.[2] His father was a civil servant and his mother Rosa Coleman was a school English teacher.[3][4] He moved to Penticton with his family in 1957,[3] and graduated from Penticton Secondary School in 1971.[5][6] He is married to Michele Coleman, with whom he has two children.[4][6]

Before entering politics, Coleman was member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and ran a real estate management business.[6][7][8]

Politics

As a candidate with the British Columbia Liberal Party, Coleman was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in 1996 to represent Fort Langley-Aldergrove, and was re-elected in that riding in 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2013.[9] During his first term from 1996 to 2001, Coleman served as opposition housing critic, forests deputy critic and caucus whip, and was a member of the Official Opposition Caucus Committee on Crime.[6] With the Liberals gaining power in 2001, he was named to the cabinet by Premier Gordon Campbell as Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.[10]

After winning re-election in 2005, he was re-assigned Minister of Forests and Range, and Minister Responsible for Housing.[10] He approved in January 2007 the removal of 28,283 hectares (approx. 70,000 acres) of private land from three coastal tree farm licences along the southwest coast of Vancouver Island, and transferred ownership of these lands in totality to Western Forest Products.[11] Minister Coleman announced this decision about eight months after his brother, Stan Coleman, joined Western Forest Products as their manager of strategic planning.[2]

In response to the many concerns and allegations of this land giveaway, the University of Victoria's Environmental Law Centre requested an official investigation by the Auditor-General's Office of British Columbia.[12] On July 1, 2008, BC Auditor-General John Doyle released his report, "Removing Private Land from Tree Farm Licences 6, 19 & 25: Protecting the Public Interest?"[13] In his report he "condemned former forests minister Rich Coleman for allowing a forestry company to remove land from three tree farm licences for residential development, citing the possibilities of conflicts of interest and insider trading by government staff."[14]

As Minister of Housing and Social Development from 2008 to 2010,[10] Rich Coleman presided over those years when offshore foreign investment in BC real estate was a growing public concern, amidst a growing housing crisis. As late as July 2015, he refused to comply with repeated requests for relevant data and analysis: “We’ve worked with the real estate guys for years and have got data on sales,” Coleman said. Asked twice why not at least share the data, he redirected the topic to dangers of restricting foreign investment, claiming that “throws an ethnic group out there and says they’re the problem.”[15] By August 2016, with a year leading up to the next provincial election (May 2017), "the B.C. government moved so quickly to institute its new tax on foreign buyers that it never finished a promised study into the impact of foreign ownership on housing affordability."[16]

Coleman briefly resumed the role of Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General in April 2009 following the resignation of John van Dongen, until Kash Heed took over the post that June.[10] During that time, Coleman was the minister responsible[17][18] for the April 2009 shutdown of an RCMP task force on illegal gambling, three months after it warned that organized crime was involved in both legal and illegal gaming activities in BC.[19] Internal government records were later released suggesting that the task force was disbanded due to "funding pressure ... and perceived ineffectiveness."[20] Coleman has said that the team was shut down because "it wasn't effective."[21] In early 2020 new revelations came to light regarding the extent and criminality of this episode of money laundering in BC. Rich Coleman "was repeatedly asked to respond in an interview to the allegations in this story" but refused, agreeing by statement only to cooperate with any future inquiry.[22] Coleman once more returned as Solicitor General in October 2010 following a cabinet shuffle.[10][23]

On December 1, 2010, Coleman announced to the media he had decided not to enter the provincial Liberal leadership race to replace the outgoing Gordon Campbell. Coleman indicated he had planned to announce his run the following day, had MLA support and campaign funds, but decided not to pursue the post due to family reasons.[24][25][26] He was considered a frontrunner in the race.[27] He instead supported Kevin Falcon,[28] who placed second in the leadership election behind Christy Clark.

Coleman was named Minister of Energy and Mines and Minister Responsible for Housing in March 2011, as part of Clark's initial cabinet.[29][30] He became deputy premier in September 2012 following the resignation of Kevin Falcon, and continued in the re-titled post of Minister of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas.[29] Following his re-election in 2013, he was named to the newly established position of Minister of Natural Gas Development, and stayed on as deputy premier.[29]

He was re-elected in the 2017 election in the new riding of Langley East,[9] and returned to the cabinet as deputy premier and Minister of Energy and Mines.[31] He finished his term in both roles that July,[29] following the Liberal minority government's defeat in a confidence vote on June 29.[32] With Christy Clark resigning as leader of the Liberal Party, Coleman stated he did not intend to run for the position, and was named interim party leader and Leader of the Opposition on August 4, 2017.[33][34] He served in those roles until Andrew Wilkinson was elected new Liberal leader in February 2018, and announced in February 2020 that he would not seek re-election in the next provincial election.[35]

Coleman is considered one of the best fundraisers and organizers for the BC Liberals.[27]

In June 2022 the Cullen Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia final report stated: "By 2010, then-minister responsible for gaming Rich Coleman was aware of the concerns of the GPEB investigation division and law enforcement that the province's casinos were being used to launder the proceeds of crime... more could have been done by Mr. Coleman... who served in that role for extended periods during the evolution of this crisis.[36]

A poll conducted by Research Co. in June 2022 found that 66% of British Columbians believed it is true that Coleman knowingly ignored warnings about suspected drug-money laundering in casinos.[37]

Coleman ran for mayor of Langley Township in 2022 as a candidate with Elevate Langley,[1] finishing a distant third.[38]

Honours

Coleman received the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003, and was awarded the Canada 125 Medal for community service.[7] He was the 1988 Langley, British Columbia Volunteer of the Year, [4][7] and was awarded Rotary's top honour, the Paul Harris Fellowship.[4][39]

Coleman was the second person ever awarded Kin Canada (Kinsmen)'s highest honour, the Hal Rogers Fellowship, after Kin founder Harold A. Rogers.[4]

Electoral record

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2017 British Columbia general election: Langley East
Party Candidate Votes % Expenditures
Liberal Rich Coleman 16,348 53.45 $58,649
New Democratic Inder Johal 7,817 28.14 $7,046
Green Bill Masse 4,968 16.24 $587
Libertarian Alex Joehl 448 1.47 $39
Total valid votes 30,584 100.00
Total rejected ballots 223 0.72
Turnout 30,807 64.54
Registered voters 47,730
Source: Elections BC[40]
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2013 British Columbia general election: Fort Langley-Aldergrove
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Rich Coleman 15,989 55.10 –5.99
New Democratic Shane Dyson 7,511 25.89 –4.34
Conservative Rick Manuel 2,615 9.01 –
Green Lisa David 2,229 7.68 +0.56
Independent Kevin Mitchell 672 2.32 –
Total valid votes 29,016 100.00
Total rejected ballots 136 0.47
Turnout 29,152 60.53
Source: Elections BC[41]

References

  1. ^ a b "In the Langley Township Mayoralty Race: Rich Coleman". Langley Advance Times. October 7, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  2. ^ a b MacLeod, Andrew (January 14, 2008). "Forest Minister's Brother High in Firm Granted Tree Farm Deal". The Tyee. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Bucholtz, Frank (July 17, 2013). "MLA Rich Coleman's mother passes away at 93". Penticton Western News. Archived from the original on February 9, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e "About Rich Coleman | | MLA Rich Coleman". Archived from the original on April 9, 2012.
  5. ^ "School District 67". Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d "Coleman, Hon. Rich (Fort Langley-Aldergrove) Minister Of Public Safety And Solicitor General". Canadian Parliamentary Guide. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "Executive Council Biographies". Archive.news.bc.ca. June 16, 2005.
  8. ^ 'For me, it's zero tolerance': Back in his days as a Mountie, Solicitor-General Rich Coleman saw his share of carnage on the roads -- and it makes him all the more determined to stamp out street racing and save lives. He's already come down hard on B.C.'s high- horsepower hotheads, and even tougher laws are on the way: [Final Edition] Smyth, Michael. The Province [Vancouver, B.C] 02 June 2002: A14.
  9. ^ a b "41st Parliament Members at dissolution on September 21, 2020: Rich Coleman". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Campbell Cabinet: 37th Parliament 2001-2005, 38th Parliament 2005-2009, 39th Parliament 2009-2011" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  11. ^ "PRIVATE LAND REMOVED FROM TREE FARM LICENCES". Archive.news.gov.bc.ca. January 31, 2007. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  12. ^ "B.C. auditor general to review Vancouver Island land deal". CBC. November 20, 2007. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  13. ^ "Removing Private Land from Tree Farm Licences 6, 19 & 25: Protecting the Public Interest? | Auditor General of British Columbia". Bcauditor.com. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  14. ^ "Auditor general's report slams sale of forestry lands". Cbc.ca. July 16, 2008. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  15. ^ Ball, David (July 16, 2015). "What Vancouverites Don't Know Is Hurting Our Housing Hopes". The Tyee. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  16. ^ "Incomplete government study on foreign buyers now a waste of money: Opposition". vancouversun.com. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  17. ^ Cooper, Sam (January 15, 2020). "B.C. disbanded RCMP unit after report warned possible crime figure bought stake in casino". Global News. Retrieved January 22, 2020. The minister responsible for reviewing the January 2009 RCMP report and the decision to disband IIGET, former B.C. solicitor general Rich Coleman, has stated the unit was ineffective.
  18. ^ Ball, David P. (July 1, 2018). "How the laundering of 'dirty money' in B.C. casinos was exposed". The Star. Retrieved January 22, 2020. In 2009, Coleman — a former RCMP officer himself — oversaw the elimination of the only independent, dedicated gambling crime police unit, the integrated illegal gaming enforcement team (IIGET).
  19. ^ Holman, Sean (August 6, 2010). "B.C. warned of organized crime's reach into gambling". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  20. ^ Cooper, Sam (October 24, 2017). "Illegal gaming unit killed in 2009 due to BCLC 'funding pressure'". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  21. ^ Zussman, Richard (July 5, 2018). "Rich Coleman says BC Liberals did 'everything we could' to crack down on casino money laundering". Global News. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  22. ^ "B.C. disbanded RCMP unit after report warned possible crime figure bought stake in casino". Global News. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  23. ^ "Campbell rolls out new B.C. cabinet". CBC News. October 25, 2010. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  24. ^ MacLeod, Andrew (December 1, 2010). "Coleman declines to run for BC Liberal leadership". The Tyee. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  25. ^ "Rich Coleman not entering B.C. Liberal race". CBC News. December 1, 2010. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  26. ^ "Mike de Jong joins B.C. Liberal leadership race". CTV News. The Canadian Press. December 1, 2010. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  27. ^ a b Shaw, Rob (September 11, 2016). "B.C. deputy premier Rich Coleman decides to run for re-election". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016.
  28. ^ "Rich Coleman backs Falcon for premier". CTV News. December 22, 2010. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  29. ^ a b c d "Christy Clark Cabinet 2011-2017" (PDF). Legislative Library of British Columbia. January 24, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  30. ^ "B.C. Premier Christy Clark sworn in, unveils cabinet". CTV News. March 14, 2011. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  31. ^ "B.C. Premier Christy Clark and cabinet sworn in". CBC News. June 12, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  32. ^ "B.C. Liberal government loses confidence vote 44-42, sparking either NDP government or election". CBC News. June 29, 2017. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  33. ^ "Christy Clark resigns as MLA and leader of B.C. Liberal party, Rich Coleman to serve as interim". Vancouver Sun.
  34. ^ Ghoussoub, Michelle (July 28, 2017). "Christy Clark resigns as leader of B.C. Liberal Party". CBC News. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  35. ^ "Rich Coleman, B.C. MLA and former cabinet minister, announces he won't seek re-election". CBC News. February 29, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  36. ^ "Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia : Executive summary" (PDF). Cullencommission.ca. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  37. ^ "British Columbians Would Appoint Anti-Corruption Commissioner". Research Co. June 24, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  38. ^ "B.C. Votes 2022: Fraser Valley election results for Langley, Chilliwack, Abbotsford and more". CBC News. October 11, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  39. ^ "Hon. Rich Coleman". Archived from the original on August 29, 2017.
  40. ^ "Statement of Votes – 41st Provincial General Election – May 9, 2017" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  41. ^ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved May 17, 2017.

External links

  • Rich Coleman, MLA for Fort Langley-Aldergrove
British Columbia provincial government of Christy Clark
Cabinet posts (3)
Predecessor Office Successor
Kevin Falcon Deputy Premier of British Columbia
September 5, 2012–July 18, 2017 		Carole James
Ministry Created Minister of Natural Gas Development
June 7, 2013–June 12, 2017 		Ellis Ross
Steve Thomson Minister of Energy and Mines
March 14, 2011–June 7, 2013 		Bill Bennett
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Gordon Campbell
Gordon Campbell