Jim Gouk

James William Gouk (April 15, 1946 – May 27, 2025) was a Canadian politician. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1993 to 2006.{{Cite web |title=Rob Morrison on Jim Gouk {{!}} openparliament.ca |url=https://openparliament.ca/debates/2025/5/30/rob-morrison-1/only/ |access-date=2025-05-31 |website=openparliament.ca}}

Biography

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Gouk began his political career out west as an alderman in Castlegar, British Columbia. Gouk would enter federal politics in 1993 when he was elected into the House of Commons of Canada. In the 1993 Canadian federal election he was elected in Kootenay West—Revelstoke with the Reform Party of Canada. In the 1997 Canadian federal election he was elected out of the West Kootenay—Okanagan riding. In the 2000 Canadian federal election, Gouk was elected after joining the Canadian Alliance from the Kootenay—Boundary—Okanagan riding. He was elected a fourth time in the 2004 Canadian federal election in the riding of Southern Interior, this time for the Conservative Party of Canada. An air traffic controller, businessman and realtor, he had been an opposition critic of Transport, Public Works and Government Services, Labour, and Via Rail before retiring from politics at the dissolution of parliament prior to the 2006 federal election.{{Cite web |date=January 12, 2006 |title=B.C. Tory candidate dumped over smuggling charges |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/b-c-tory-candidate-dumped-over-smuggling-charges-1.571550 |website=CBC News}}

Gouk died on May 27, 2025, after a three-year battle with cancer.{{Cite web|last=Morrison|first=Rob|date=May 30, 2025|title=Former MP Jim Gouk, thank you for serving the Kootenays, may you rest in peace. #robmorrisonmp|url=https://www.facebook.com/robmorrisonmp/videos/1226445142191562|access-date=May 30, 2025|type=video|via=Facebook}}