Graham Bruce
{{Short description|Canadian politician (born 1952)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image =
| name = Graham Bruce
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|7|7}}
| birth_place = Duncan, British Columbia
| residence = Crofton, British Columbia
| assembly = British Columbia Legislative
| constituency_AM = Cowichan-Ladysmith
| term_start = May 16, 2001
| term_end = May 17, 2005
| predecessor = Jan Pullinger
| successor = Doug Routley
| assembly1 = British Columbia Legislative
| constituency_AM1 = Cowichan-Malahat
| term_start1 = October 22, 1986
| term_end1 = October 17, 1991
| predecessor1 = Barbara Wallace
| successor1 = Jan PullingerThe new riding of Cowichan-Ladysmith
| office2 = Minister of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Culture of British Columbia
| premier2 = Rita Johnston
| term_start2 = April 15, 1991
| term_end2 = November 5, 1991
| predecessor2 = Lyall Franklin Hanson
| successor2 = Robin Blencoe (Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Housing)
| office3 = Minister of Skills Development and Labour of British Columbia
| premier3 = Gordon Campbell
| term_start3 = June 5, 2001
| term_end3 = June 16, 2005
| predecessor3 = Joan Smallwood (Labour)
| successor3 = Michael de Jong (Labour and Citizens' Services)
| office4 = Mayor of North Cowichan
| term_start4 = 1979
| term_end4 = 1987
| predecessor4 = George W. Whittaker
| successor4 = H. Rex Hollett
| party = Social Credit → BC Liberal
| spouse = Anneke
| occupation =
}}
Graham Preston Bruce is a former Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, representing the electoral district of Cowichan-Malahat from 1986 to 1991 as part of the Social Credit Party (Socred),{{cite book|title=The Canadian Parliamentary Guide|author=Normandin, P.G.|date=1991|publisher=Gale Canada |issn=0315-6168 |isbn=9780921925408 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AhiJAAAAMAAJ|access-date=November 16, 2014}} and the district of Cowichan-Ladysmith from 2001 to 2005 as a BC Liberal. He was a cabinet minister under premiers Rita Johnston and Gordon Campbell.
Biography
Bruce was a North Cowichan councillor for three years, before serving as the municipality's mayor from 1979 to 1987.{{cite web |title=Bruce, Hon. Graham (Cowichan-Ladysmith) Minister of Skills Development and Labour |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/international/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/bruce-hon-graham-cowichan-ladysmith-minister-skills-development-and-labour |work=Canadian Parliamentary Guide |access-date=2024-09-26}}{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.bc.ca/MLA/37thparl/bruce.htm|title=MLA: Hon. Graham Bruce|publisher=Legislative Assembly of British Columbia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222050303/http://www.leg.bc.ca/MLA/37thparl/bruce.htm|archive-date=2012-02-22|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=Past Councils |url=https://www.northcowichan.ca/municipal-hall/mayor-council/current-council/past-councils |publisher=Municipality of North Cowichan |access-date=2024-09-27}} In the 1983 provincial election, he ran as a Social Credit Party candidate in the riding of Cowichan-Malahat, but lost to the incumbent New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Barbara Wallace.{{cite web |title=Candidates: Graham Preston Bruce |url=https://canadianelectionsdatabase.ca/PHASE5/?p=0&type=person&ID=17393 |work=Canadian Elections Database |access-date=2024-09-26}}{{cite news|title=Lake Flashback: Integrated learning, budget woes, and Wallace wins |first=Sarah |last=Simpson |url=https://www.lakecowichangazette.com/community/lake-flashback-integrated-learning-budget-woes-and-wallace-wins-1007074 |newspaper=Lake Cowichan Gazette |date=2023-05-14 |access-date=2024-09-26 }}
He ran in Cowichan-Malahat again in the 1986 provincial election, this time defeating NDP candidate Carolyn Askew to become the riding's member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). On October 3, 1989, Bruce and three colleagues — Duane Delton Crandall, David Mercier, and Doug Mowat — quit the governing Social Credit caucus to sit as "Independent Social Credit" members. In a joint statement, the four stressed that they "in no way desire[d] the fall of our government", but wished to spur an "open and realistic assessment" of Premier Bill Vander Zalm's continued leadership.{{Cite news |last=Leyne |first=Les |last2=Heiman |first2=Carolyn |date=October 4, 1989|title=Four Socreds quit caucus |pages=A1–A2 |work=Times Colonist}} Bruce was said to have grown discontent after the shocking by-election defeat in Cariboo, a longtime stronghold for the party, two weeks prior.{{Cite news |last=Leyne |first=Les |date=October 4, 1989|title=Rebels set to push if Vander Zalm doesn't jump |pages=A1 |work=Times Colonist}} He returned to the Socred caucus on February 14, 1990, alongside Mercier and Mowat (Crandall had already rejoined caucus in January).{{Cite news |date=1990-02-15 |title=Valentine for Vander Zalm: Dissident MLAs will return to Socred fold |pages=A3 |work=Times Colonist}}
Vander Zalm resigned as premier and party leader in April 1991; his successor Rita Johnston appointed Bruce to the cabinet as Minister of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Culture.{{cite web|title=Rita Johnston Cabinet: 34th Parliament 1991 |url=https://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/reference/johnstoncabinet.pdf|publisher=Legislative Assembly of British Columbia|accessdate=2024-09-26}} With the Cowichan-Malahat riding being disestablished ahead of that October's provincial election, Bruce instead contested the new riding of Cowichan-Ladysmith. Despite the change in leadership, the Socreds were unable to make up lost ground, and was defeated by the NDP; Bruce himself lost to NDP candidate Jan Pullinger.
Bruce ran for party leader following Johnston's resignation in January 1992. In the November 1993 leadership election, he came in second place behind Grace McCarthy after three ballots.{{cite book |last=Courtney |first=John C. |date=1995 |title=Do Conventions Matter?: Choosing National Party Leaders in Canada |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jdIPs9zun7AC&dq=%22linda+reid%22+%22allan+warnke%22&pg=PA369 |location= |publisher=McGill-Queen's Press |page=369 |isbn=0773565698}}
He returned to politics in 2001 by running again in Cowichan-Ladysmith in that year's provincial election, this time for the BC Liberals. He defeated NDP candidate Rob Hutchins to re-enter the legislature, and was named to Premier Gordon Campbell's cabinet that June as Minister of Skills Development and Labour;{{cite web|title=Campbell Cabinet: 37th Parliament 2001-2005, 38th Parliament 2005-2009, 39th Parliament 2009-2011 |url=https://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/reference/campbell_cabinet.pdf|publisher=Legislative Assembly of British Columbia|accessdate=2024-09-26}} he was additionally named Government House Leader in December 2004. He ran for re-election in 2005, but lost to NDP challenger Doug Routley.{{cite news|title=B.C. Liberals win again, lose 8 ministers |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/b-c-liberals-win-again-lose-8-ministers-1.557086 |publisher=CBC News |date=2005-05-18 |access-date=2024-09-26 }}
Following his re-election loss, Bruce conducted consulting work for the Cowichan Tribes. In 2007, he was accused by the opposition NDP of improper lobbying activities on behalf of the tribes within two years of his departure from the legislature.{{cite news|title=Former B.C. Liberal minister caught in lobby scandal, NDP alleges |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/former-b-c-liberal-minister-caught-in-lobby-scandal-ndp-alleges-1.652565 |publisher=CBC News |agency=The Canadian Press |date=2007-10-16 |access-date=2024-09-27 }}{{cite news|title=Former B.C. minister won't face conflict of interest investigation |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/former-b-c-minister-won-t-face-conflict-of-interest-investigation-1.652562 |publisher=CBC News |date=2007-12-21 |access-date=2024-09-27 }} Conflict of Interest Commissioner Paul Fraser ruled in 2009 that Bruce did not benefit directly from his previous ministerial role.{{cite web|title=Sidebar: There's Gold in Garbage Lobbying|first=Bob |last=Mackin |url=https://thetyee.ca/News/2013/09/04/John-Les-Hired/ |publisher=The Tyee |date=September 4, 2013 |access-date=2024-09-27}} However, in a separate investigation by the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada, Bruce was found in breach of the Federal Lobbyists' Code of Conduct for not registering.{{cite web|title=The lobbying activities of Graham Bruce |url=https://lobbycanada.gc.ca/en/investigations/reports-on-investigation/the-lobbying-activities-of-graham-bruce/#req_reg |publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada |year=2011 |access-date=2024-09-27}}
From 2009 to 2018, Bruce served as chief executive officer of the Island Corridor Foundation, an organization seeking to revive passenger rail service on Vancouver Island.{{cite news|title=Meeting Tuesday could shed light on Graham Bruce's future with foundation that wants to re-start passenger rail on Vancouver Island |url=https://www.oakbaynews.com/news/meeting-tuesday-could-shed-light-on-graham-bruces-future-with-foundation-that-wants-to-re-start-passenger-rail-on-vancouver-island-446831 |publisher=Oak Bay News |first=JR |last=Rardon |date=2016-05-30 |access-date=2024-09-27 }}{{cite news|title=New CEO brings drive to Island Corridor Foundation |url=https://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com/news/new-ceo-brings-drive-to-island-corridor-foundation-785408 |publisher=Cowichan Valley Citizen |first=Robert |last=Barron |date=2018-08-03 |access-date=2024-09-27 }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.leg.bc.ca/MLA/37thparl/bruce.htm Graham Bruce]
{{Gordon Campbell Ministry}}
{{Johnston Ministry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bruce, Graham}}
Category:British Columbia Social Credit Party MLAs
Category:British Columbia municipal councillors
Category:20th-century mayors of places in British Columbia
Category:Members of the Executive Council of British Columbia
Category:People from Duncan, British Columbia
Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia