Bill Routley

{{Infobox officeholder

|image =

| name = Bill Routley

| honorific-suffix =

| caption =

| birth_date ={{Birth year and age|1948|12}}

| birth_place =

| residence = Duncan, British Columbia, Canada

| assembly = British Columbia Legislative

| constituency_AM = Cowichan Valley

| term_start = May 12, 2009

| term_end = May 9, 2017

| predecessor = riding established

| successor = Sonia Furstenau

| party = New Democratic

| spouse = Charmaine

| children = 2

| occupation = Mill worker, Trade union representative

}}

Bill Routley is a Canadian politician who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 39th and 40th Parliament of British Columbia, from 2009 to 2017. As a member of the BC New Democratic Party, he was elected to represent the riding of Cowichan Valley in the 2009 provincial election and re-elected in the 2013 election. In both parliaments his NDP formed the official opposition and Routley acted as their deputy critic on issues relating to forests and natural resource operations.

Prior to being elected as an MLA, Routley worked in Vancouver Island forest industry. He worked at the Youbou Sawmill before taking a job working for his union, the International Woodworkers of America-Canada, Local 1-80. He eventually became president of the union local, which merged with other unions to become the USW-Steelworkers Local 1-1937. At the union, Routley helped negotiate contracts, advocated for work safety measures, campaigned against raw log exports, and fought mill closure.

Background

Routley, the son of a Pentecostal minister, was raised on Vancouver Island.{{cite news |title=Routley driven by his intense sense of justice |last=Stobbart |first= Marcia |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date=October 23, 2002 |page=8}} He began a career in the forestry industry with a job at the B.C. Forest Product's Youbou (veneer) sawmill. A bad experience earlier in life, while working at a shoe store in Victoria, made Routley interested in worker rights. At Youbou Routley was elected chairman of his local union's Safety Committee and then as chairman of its Plant Committee.{{cite news |title=Longtime union president retiring |last=Bainas |first= Lexi |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date=January 16, 2009 |page=6}} During that time he also acted as a School Trustee in Lake Cowichan{{cite news |title=Labour leaders back teachers |last=Bainas |first= Lexi |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= October 16, 2005 |page=3}} In 1985 Routley accepted a 3-month position working at the union office in Duncan. The temporary job led to a permanent position at the office and in 1986 he became the vice-president of IWA-Canada, Local 1-80. In the late-1980s Routley and the union were involved in fighting against wasteful logging practises.{{cite news |title=Forest waste fight vowed |last=Hume |first= Mark |newspaper= The Vancouver Sun |date=November 12, 1988 |page=A1}} Protest rallies were held to raise awareness of forest mismanagement by Fletcher Challenge Canada which led to fines against the company{{cite news |title=Firm fined for wasting good wood |newspaper= Ottawa Citizen |date=November 16, 1988 |page=C9}} and they formed the "Woodworker's Survival Task Force" to investigate how to keep local sawmills operational following years of over-logging and waste.{{cite news |title=Loggers protest exports, wasteful forestry methods |last=Hume |first= Mark |newspaper= The Vancouver Sun |date=November 26, 1988 |page=A9}}

In the 1990s, in addition to starting a home decorating business with his wife, Routley became president of the IWA-Canada, Local 1-80, conflicted with environmentalists protesting logging at Clayoquot Sound, where he viewed the postponement of logging as costing jobs,{{cite news |title=Tree-huggers meet cutters: Environmentalists, loggers seek common ground over forest use |last=Parfitt |first= Ben |newspaper= The Vancouver Sun |date=September 5, 1991 |page=D3}}{{cite news |title=B.C. forest workers and environmentalists unite Agreement signed to preserve jobs and timber |last=Lush |first= Patricia |newspaper= The Globe and Mail |date=September 7, 1991 |page=B1}}{{cite news |title=Pole-sitting woman delays logging plans |newspaper= Waterloo Region Record |location= Kitchener, Ontario |date=October 29, 1991 |page=D12}} and he opposed the division of Tree Farm License 46 as detrimental to the Youbou mill which was struggling.{{cite news |title=Split of TFL 46 worries union |last=Parfitt |first= Ben |newspaper= The Vancouver Sun |date=October 12, 1991 |page=C4}} In the summer 2000, Routley represented over 12,000 members of the IWA-Canada, Local 1-80 engaged in a 10-day strike against the Forest Industrial Relations (FIR), a corporate bargaining unit representing 70 companies.{{cite news |title=IWA strike over |last=Costa |first= Andrew |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= July 9, 2000 |page=3}} After that three-year contract expired, another strike occurred (with the exception of a few financially troubled mills) over the attempt by the FIR (which by then represented 61 companies) to impose a contract onto the union.{{cite news |title=Coast IWA walks out: 12,000 workers on strike after LRB ruling |last=Duffy |first= Andrew |newspaper=Times Colonist |location=Victoria, British Columbia |date= November 22, 2003 |page=A1}} The three-week strike ended with back-to-work legislation, the Coastal Forest Industry Dispute Settlement Act, adopted by the 37th Parliament of British Columbia.{{cite news |title=B.C. to end forest strike |last=O'Brian |first= Amy |author2=Cindy E. Harnett |newspaper=Times Colonist |location=Victoria, British Columbia |date= December 15, 2003 |page=A1}} The back-to-work legislation caused a rift within the union, as it was agreed to by IWA-Canada president Dave Haggard, but opposed by the local presidents, including Routley.{{cite news |title=Routley angered by deal: IWA local president 'outraged' by ruling |last=Bennett |first= Nelson |newspaper=Nanaimo Daily News |location=Nanaimo, British Columbia |date= December 17, 2003 |page=3}} He also opposed union leadership during its merger into the United Steelworkers Union of America — Routley opposed the merger believing it would make the union less responsive to forestry issues.{{cite news |title=IWA 1-80 executive opposing merger with Steelworkers |last=Bainas |first= Lexi |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= March 31, 2004 |page=3}}{{cite news |title=Merger has doubters |last=Bennett |first= Nelson |newspaper=Nanaimo Daily News |location=Nanaimo, British Columbia |date= July 31, 2004 |page=3}} Union members approved the merger and Routley kept his position as a local president, saying "my view is we have to embrace this change".{{cite news |title=Routley aims to 'embrace' union merger |last=Bennett |first= Nelson |newspaper=Nanaimo Daily News |location=Nanaimo, British Columbia |date= August 28, 2004 |page=A3}} Also during the 2000s, Routley fought against increases to raw log exports{{cite news |title=Raw logs leaving B.C. may soon face an export tax |last=Hamilton |first= Gordon |newspaper= The Vancouver Sun |date=August 19, 2004 |page=D1}} which he saw as coming at the expense of Vancouver Island mills{{cite news |title=Union urges tax to save Island jobs in sawmills |last=Curtis |first= Malcolm |newspaper=Times Colonist |location=Victoria, British Columbia |date= October 27, 2000 |page=A3}} as the raw logs were being sent to more efficient mills in the United States and Asia and he directly blamed the softwood lumber deal{{cite news |title=Union coalition fighting raw log exports |last=Costa |first= Andrew |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= November 8, 2000 |page=11}} and legislated increased allowable raw log export quotas.{{cite news |title=Softwood deal relies on return to quotas |last=Duffy |first= Andrew |newspaper=Times Colonist |location=Victoria, British Columbia |date= July 30, 2003 |page=A1}} With TimberWest seeking to permanently close the Youbou mill, Routley and community members sought to purchase the mill as the Cowichan Lake Community Forest Co-op.{{cite news |title=Former employees trying to buy Youbou mill |last=Costa |first= Andrew |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= May 14, 2000 |page=1}}{{cite news |title=CVRD backs efforts to save Youbou mill |last=Costa |first= Andrew |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= May 28, 2000 |page=5}} The cooperative was unable to raise sufficient funds{{cite news |title=Level of community support disappoints IWA's Routley |last=Costa |first= Andrew |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= December 6, 2000 |page=10}}{{cite news |title=Mill+TFL a mere $33 million: IWA has $1 million |last=Costa |first= Andrew |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= January 28, 2001 |page=2}} and the mill closed in 2001. The union sued the province for damages resulting from the closure arguing it violated a clause in the Tree Farm License{{cite news |title=IWA sues province: Claims forests ministry negligent when it removed 'Clause 7' |last=Costa |first= Andrew |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= May 6, 2001 |page=3}} and the province in turn sued Youbou owners TimberWest for the damages.{{cite news |title=Province sues TimberWest over Youbou mill closure |last=Costa |first= Andrew |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= November 11, 2001 |page=1}}

Routley campaigned for safety measures following a spike in occupational fatalities (43 deaths in 2005).{{cite news |title=Forest deaths 'appalling' |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= October 30, 2006 |page=2}}{{cite news |title=7,000 forestry workers on strike; Shift schedules at heart of massive job action by coastal workers; flexibility key to stay competitive, say firms |last=Duffy |first= Andrew |newspaper=Times Colonist |location=Victoria, British Columbia |date= July 21, 2007 |page=C6}} He helped stage awareness rallies and the December 2005 Forest Fatalities Summit.{{cite news |title=Steelworkers fighting for Coastal communities |last=Routley |first= Bill |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= May 30, 2007 |page=9}} He blamed a Labour Relations Board ruling during the 2004 contract bargaining that gave forestry companies the right to set flexible hours without consultation with employees{{cite news |title=Forest firms win flexibility |last=Hamilton |first= Gordon |newspaper=Times Colonist |location=Victoria, British Columbia |date= May 28, 2004 |page=B6}} which Routley linked to over-worked and exhausted employees. Routley was also critical of the bidding process for contractors used by forestry companies which he saw as contributing to the erosion of safety-related rules and procedures.{{cite news |title=Companies 'can't escape' through contractors, Routley says |last=Bainas |first= Lexi |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= December 5, 2005 |page=3}} The next contract negotiations occurred in 2007 with FIR now representing 31 companies affecting 7,000 union members.{{cite news |title=Forestry union serves strike notice |first=Jenn |last=Marshall |newspaper=Nanaimo News Bulletin |location=Nanaimo, British Columbia |date= July 5, 2007 |page=1}} A 12-week strike ensued but the union won limits contracting-out of services and the ability to decline shift work that they saw as contributing to the increasing casualties. Routley recommended refusal of the contract but union members narrowly approved the deal.{{cite news |title=Workers angry, despite yes vote; Although they chose to go back to work, many feel they have not been treated well, says union leader |first=Robert |last=Barron |newspaper=Nanaimo Daily News |location=Nanaimo, British Columbia |date= October 23, 2007 |page=A4}}

In 2008, as the Great Recession was affecting the forestry industry with significant layoffs, Routley's Local 1-80 merged with Local 1-363 to form Local 1-1937. Routley, who had announced his candidacy for the newly formed provincial electoral district of Cowichan Valley,{{cite news |title=Bill Routley throws hat into B.C. Race |last=Bainas |first= Lexi |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= July 18, 2008 |page=2}} supported the merger.{{cite news |title=Local 1-80 to join in union merger |last=Bainas |first= Lexi |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= December 12, 2008 |page=15}} He resigned from his union position after he won the NDP nomination,{{cite news |title=Longtime union president retiring |last=Bainas |first= Lexi |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= January 16, 2009 |page=6}} defeating two others: health-care worker Rhoda Taylor and former Cowichan Valley Regional District rural director Richard Hughes on the first ballot.{{cite news |title=NDP picks Routley for riding |last=Gaudreault |first= Ashley |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= December 10, 2008 |page=2}}

Provincial politics

In the May 2009 election, Routley faced Cathy Basskin of Cowichan Bay for the BC Liberals,{{cite news |title=Basskin ready to claim Cowichan for the Liberals |last=Siefken |first= Krista |newspaper=Cowichan News Leader Pictorial |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= February 5, 2009}} Simon Lindley of Maple Bay for the Green Party,{{cite news |title=Green candidate enters Cowichan Valley riding race |last=Siefken |first= Krista |newspaper=Cowichan News Leader Pictorial |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= February 17, 2009}} Jason Murray of Cowichan Bay for the BC Conservative Party,{{cite news |title=Cowichan's Conservative candidate makes health care his priority |last=Siefken |first= Krista |newspaper=Cowichan News Leader Pictorial |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= April 21, 2009}} and Michial Moore of Shawnigan Lake for the BC Refederation Party.{{cite news |title=Fourth candidate enters election race in Cowichan Valley|last=Siefken |first= Krista |newspaper=Cowichan News Leader Pictorial |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= March 27, 2009}} Routley, who was the favourite to win,{{cite news |title=The commentaries made in the backrooms matter |last=Hrushowy |first= Patrick |newspaper=Cowichan News Leader Pictorial |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= May 8, 2009}} had a campaign focused on contrasting major projects identified with BC Liberal Party leader and Premier Gordon Campbell like the Olympics and the Sea to Sky Highway with over-crowded health care facilities.{{cite news |title=Routley's NDP would end Liberal pet projects |last=Marner |first= Doug |newspaper=Lake Cowichan Gazette |location=Lake Cowichan, British Columbia |date= March 30, 2009 |page=8}} Even though the 60-year-old Routley won his riding, his BC New Democratic Party formed the official opposition to the BC Liberals who formed a majority government.

As the 39th Parliament began, Routley was assigned the role of deputy critic of the Ministry of Forests and Range, with fellow NDP MLA Norm Macdonald as the full-time critic.{{cite news |title=Critics appointed |last=Simpson |first= Sarah |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date= June 12, 2009 |page=16}} The two critics toured the province to consult with stakeholders in the forestry industry in summer 2009.{{cite news |title=City council meets with B.C.'s Opposition critics on forestry; Pair of MLAs survey communities on fact-finding tour |last=Morrow |first= Shayne |newspaper=Alberni Valley Times |location=Port Alberni, British Columbia |date= July 22, 2009 |page=1}} Their work on reviewing the proposed Forestry Service Providers Protection Act was cited as a rare instance of criticism by opposition politicians having a real, beneficial impact on proposed legislation as they successfully had the act amended to carry forward provisions from the Woodworkers Lien Act.{{cite news |title=NDP convinces gov't to preserve forest law |last=Hoekstra |first= Gordon |newspaper=Prince George Citizen |location=Prince George, British Columbia |date= May 28, 2010 |page=4}}{{cite news |title=MLAs co-operate and public wins |newspaper=Times Colonist |location=Victoria, British Columbia |date= June 3, 2010 |page=A10}} On Vancouver Island, after Catalyst Paper refused to pay its property taxes on its Crofton mill, Routley sided in favour of municipality saying the sawmill should pay its full property tax bill.{{cite news |title=Tour of island a real eye opener for MLA Bill Routley |newspaper=Lake Cowichan Gazette |location=Lake Cowichan, British Columbia |date=August 24, 2009 |page=10}}

Routley was appointed to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. The committee toured the province to meet with stakeholders and delivered a report concerning budget priorities. He was sharply critical of the BC Liberal Party for introducing HST{{cite news |title=B.C. budget: MLAs slam cuts, HST |first=Lexi |last=Bainas |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date=September 4, 2009 |page=13}} and campaigned for its repeal.{{cite news |title=Routley rallying the troops to fight against HST |first=Krista |last=Siefken |newspaper=Cowichan News Leader Pictorial |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date=April 1, 2010}}{{cite news |title=Bill Routley, MLA, on why he opposes the HST |first=Bill |last=Routley |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date=June 17, 2011 |page=7}} The HST referendum returned 56% of his Cowichan Valley constituency voting to repeal the tax in favour of the PST. During the debate in the Legislative Assembly to lower the HST by 2% Routley was applauded for launching a "mini-filibuster" that prevented Premier Christy Clark from speaking on the issue.{{cite news |title=Routley outfoxes premier with impromptu filibuster |newspaper=Times Colonist |location=Victoria, British Columbia |date=June 5, 2011 |page=A4}}

Routley had remained loyal to party leader Carole James{{cite news |title=James fends off challenge in key vote |last=Shaw |first=Rob |newspaper=Times Colonist |location=Victoria, British Columbia |date=November 21, 2010 |page=A3}} and greeted her resignation with sadness.{{cite news |title=Routleys react: one excited, one sad |last=Siefken |first=Krista |newspaper=Cowichan News Leader Pictorial |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date=December 6, 2010}} During the subsequent NDP leadership election, Routley endorsed John Horgan, saying that Horgan "really gets rural issues and he has the creativity and collaborative approach that we need to find real solutions to rural problems".{{cite news |title=High-profile local pair backs Horgan |newspaper=Cowichan News Leader Pictorial |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date=February 22, 2011}} After Adrian Dix won and became the leader of the BC NDP, he kept Routley at the deputy critic role focusing on forestry and natural resource operation.{{cite news |title=MLAs remain in shadow cabinet |last=Rothbauer |first= Kevin |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date=April 27, 2011 |page=8}}

In January 2013 Routley underwent heart valve replacement surgery.{{cite news |title=Cowichan MLA Bill Routley recovering from heart-condition surgery |last=Rusland |first=Peter |newspaper=Cowichan News Leader Pictorial |location=Duncan, British Columbia |date=January 16, 2013 |url=http://www.cowichannewsleader.com/news/187149871.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006030328/http://www.cowichannewsleader.com/news/187149871.html |archivedate=October 6, 2014 }} He recovered and, at the age of 64, sought re-election. In the May 2013 election he was again challenged by candidates from the BC Liberal Party, BC Green Party and BC Conservative Party but from the beginning of the campaign Routley was viewed as the most likely to win.{{cite news |title=Handicapping the race: Routley a consensus favourite |last=Rusland |first=Peter |newspaper=Cowichan News Leader Pictorial |location=Duncan, BC |date=April 19, 2013 |page=66}} While Routley was re-elected, his party again formed the official opposition to a BC Liberal majority government. As the 40th Parliament began, Dix kept Routley as the deputy critic of the Ministry of Forests and Range, with fellow NDP MLA Norm Macdonald as the full-time critic.{{cite news |title=Routleys ready for shadow cabinet roles |last=Simpson |first=Sarah |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location= Duncan, BC |date=July 5, 2013 |page=4}} In 2014, after Dix resigned as leader of the BC NDP and the 2014 British Columbia New Democratic Party leadership election had begun, Routley endorsed John Horgan.{{cite news |title=Greater Victoria MLAs, MPs line up behind Horgan in B.C. NDP leadership bid |newspaper=Victoria News |date=April 17, 2014 |page= 1}} Times Colonist columnist Les Leyne described Routley's persona in the legislature as "a well-meaning old-time union man who knows how give an amusing - and loud - speech."{{cite news |title=Cowichan Valley MLA's rant puzzling |last=Leyne |first=Les |newspaper=Times Colonist |location= Victoria, BC |date=October 11, 2014 |page=A10}} After making critical comments about the Duncan-Cowichan Chamber of Commerce in such a speech in 2014, Routley was forced to apologize.{{cite news |url=https://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com/news/routley-apologizes-for-chamber-comments/ |title=Routley apologizes for Chamber comments |first=Lexi |last=Bainas |newspaper=Cowichan Valley Citizen |location=Duncan, BC |date=October 17, 2014 |page=A5}} With the 2017 election approaching, the 68 year old Routley opted to retire and not seek reelection.{{cite news |title=Routley not seeking re-election |last=Goldie |first=James |newspaper=Lake Cowichan Gazette |location=Lake Cowichan, BC |date=August 30, 2016}} Subsequently, his NDP lost his Cowichan Valley seat to Sonia Furstenau of the Green Party.

Electoral history

References

External links

[http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/39thParl/routleyB.htm Legislative Assembly of British Columbia] - Bill Routley
[https://web.archive.org/web/20111117100625/http://www.billroutley.com/main.html Member of the Legislative Assembly] - Bill Routley (Cowichan Valley)
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120504050023/http://www.bcndp.ca/people/bill-routley British Columbia New Democratic Party] - Bill Routley

Category:British Columbia New Democratic Party MLAs

Category:Trade unionists from British Columbia

Category:Living people

Category:People from Duncan, British Columbia

Category:International Woodworkers of America people

Category:1948 births

Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia