Jim Eglinski

Eglinski was born in Two Hills, Alberta and raised in Chipman, Alberta on a farm.{{Cite web |url=http://eedition.edsonleader.com/doc/Edson-Leader/edpr_092313/2013092001/22.html |title=Edson Leader - September 23, 2013 - 0022 |access-date=2015-05-26 |archive-date=2015-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526214135/http://eedition.edsonleader.com/doc/Edson-Leader/edpr_092313/2013092001/22.html |url-status=dead}} He worked for 40 years as a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer, and served as a councillor and eventually mayor for the town of Fort St. John, British Columbia.[http://www.whitecourtpress.com/jim-eglinski-in-the-running/ "Jim Eglinski: In the running"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129014541/http://www.whitecourtpress.com/jim-eglinski-in-the-running/ |date=2014-11-29 }}. Whitecourt Press, October 8, 2014.

Eglinski was first elected to represent the riding Yellowhead in a 2014 by-election.[http://www.fitzhugh.ca/yellowhead-byelection-called-for-nov-17/ "Yellowhead byelection called for Nov. 17"]. The Fitzhugh, October 15, 2014.[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/jim-eglinski-to-be-elected-in-yellowhead-riding-cbc-projects-1.2838406 "Jim Eglinski to be elected in Yellowhead riding, CBC projects"]. CBC News, November 17, 2014.

He was re-elected in the 2015 Canadian federal election with over 70 percent of the vote.[http://www.mytowntoday.ca/2014/11/17/conservatives-take-yellowhead-in-landslide/ "Conservatives Take Yellowhead In Landslide"]. Whitecourt Press, October 8, 2014. {{Archive url|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129033359/http://www.mytowntoday.ca/2014/11/17/conservatives-take-yellowhead-in-landslide/|date=2014-11-29}} In the 42nd Canadian Parliament, his Conservative Party formed the Official Opposition. While he was not assigned to a critic role, Eglinski did introduce one private member bill into the House of Commons, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (abuse of vulnerable persons) [http://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/bill/C-206/first-reading/page-ToC (Bill C-206)], which sought to make physical, emotional, sexual or financial abuse of a senior or someone who depends on others due to a mental or physical disability to be an aggravating circumstance for sentencing purposes. The bill was introduced on December 10, 2015, but did not advance to second reading.

In 2016, Eglinski surprised many by participating in the flag-raising to kick off Pride Week in Jasper, Alberta, a rare move for a Conservative MP. Acknowledging that he once opposed condoning homosexuality and saw no need for LGBT pride celebration, Eglinski credited his change of heart to the coming-out of one of his grandchildren.{{cite news |last=Markusoff|first=Jason|date=2017-07-26 |title=The Tory MP who made his peace with Pride Week |url=http://www.macleans.ca/politics/the-tory-mp-who-made-his-peace-with-pride-week/ |work=Maclean's}}

In the 2017 Conservative Party leadership contest, Eglinski initially endorsed eventual winner Andrew Scheer, but later switched his endorsement to Erin O'Toole.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/grenier-conservative-leadership-endorsements-1.4042721 |title=Erin O'Toole winning Conservative caucus as it shuns leadership front-runners Bernier, O'Leary |publisher=CBC News |date=2017-03-28}}

On June 16, 2017 Eglinski asked the government for a plan to protect the park from the pine beetle, and the residents who were "concerned for their own safety.. and the security of their homes," and the security of the tourists in the park. Catherine McKenna who was then Minister of Environment and Climate Change offered to discuss this question in private.Hansard 196 2017-06-16 12:02 [p.12846] Eglinski continued to raise the issue throughout his tenure in Parliament but he never managed to convince the government that there was a danger. Eglinski continued to pepper and prod the government, for example: "In June this year, the minister said in the House that she looked forward to discussing it further, but I have continued to repeatedly bring up the pine beetle issue because there has been no talk and no action."Hansard 223 2017-10-26 18:21 [p.14610]

In late 2017, Eglinski faced nomination challenge for re-election from Ryan Ouderkirk, a parliamentary assistant to fellow MP David Yurdiga. "Surprised" by and "not happy" with the challenge, Eglinski announced in January 2018 that he would not seek re-election in 2019.{{cite news |last=Rana |first=Abbas |date=2018-01-22 |title=Seven Conservative MPs face divisive nomination challenges, party denies it's behind the move |url=https://www.hilltimes.com/2018/01/22/seven-conservative-mps-facing-divisive-nomination-challenges-party-abound-speculation-leadership-behind-least-challengers/131486 |work=The Hill Times }}

{{Canadian election result/top|CA|2015|Yellowhead (electoral district)|Yellowhead|percent=yes|change=yes|expenditures=yes}}

{{CANelec|CA|Conservative|Jim Eglinski|37,950|72.3|-5.77|–}}

{{CANelec|CA|Liberal|Ryan Maguhn|7,467|14.2|+11.31|–}}

{{CANelec|CA|NDP|Ken Kuzminski|4,753|9.0|-3.88|–}}

{{CANelec|CA|Green|Sandra Wolf Lange|1,538|2.9|-2.44|–}}

{{CANelec|CA|Libertarian|Cory Lystang|817|1.6|-1.4|–}}

{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes/Expense limit|52,525|100.0  | |$257,007.56}}

{{Canadian election result/total|Total rejected ballots|161|–|–}}

{{Canadian election result/total|Turnout|52,686|71.2%|–}}

{{Canadian election result/total|Eligible voters|73,996}}

{{CANelec/hold|CA|Conservative|-8.54}}

{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Canada[http://www.elections.ca/Scripts/vis/candidates?L=e&ED=48034&EV=41&EV_TYPE=1&PC=&PROV=AB&PROVID=48&MAPID=&QID=8&PAGEID=17&TPAGEID=&PD=&STAT_CODE_ID=-1 Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Yellowhead, 30 September 2015][http://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=can&dir=cand/canlim&document=index&lang=e Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815061116/http://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=can&dir=cand%2Fcanlim&document=index&lang=e |date=2015-08-15 }}}}

{{end}}{{2014 Canadian federal by-elections/Yellowhead}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|http://www.jimeglinski.ca/}}
• {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=18319}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eglinski, Jim}}

Category:1948 births

Category:British Columbia municipal councillors

Category:Conservative Party of Canada MPs

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century mayors of places in British Columbia

Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Alberta

Category:People from Edson, Alberta

Category:People from Fort St. John, British Columbia

Category:People from Two Hills, Alberta

Category:Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers

Category:21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada