Richard Neufeld
{{Short description|Canadian politician (born 1944)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| name = Richard Neufeld
| honorific-suffix =
| image =
| imagesize =
| office = Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources of British Columbia{{efn|Office known as "Minister of Energy and Mines" from 2001 to 2005.}}
| premier = Gordon Campbell
| term_start = June 5, 2001
| term_end = January 19, 2009
| predecessor = Glenn Robertson
| successor = Blair Lekstrom
{{Collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |Parliamentary constituencies
|titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office1 = Canadian Senator
from British Columbia
| term_start1 = January 2, 2009
| term_end1 = November 6, 2019
| nominator1 = Stephen Harper
| appointer1 = Michaëlle Jean
| predecessor1 = Pat Carney
| successor1 = Margo Lainne Greenwood {{small|(2022)}}
| constituency_AM2 = Peace River North
| assembly2 = British Columbia Legislative
| term_start2 = October 17, 1991
| term_end2 = January 19, 2009
| predecessor2 = Tony Brummet
| successor2 = Pat Pimm{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
| office3 = Mayor of Fort Nelson
| term_start3 = 1981
| term_end3 = 1986
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|11|06}}
| birth_place = Lethbridge, Alberta{{cite web |title=Neufeld, Hon. Richard (Peace River North) Minister of Energy and Mines |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/international/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/neufeld-hon-richard-peace-river-north-minister-energy-and-mines |work=Canadian Parliamentary Guide |access-date=2024-10-20}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| spouse = Montana Currie
| party = Conservative
| otherparty = British Columbia Social Credit Party (1991-1994)
Reform Party of British Columbia (1994-1997)
British Columbia Liberal Party (1997-2009)
| residence = Fort St. John, British Columbia
| alma_mater =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Richard Neufeld (born November 6, 1944) is a former Canadian politician who served as a Senator for British Columbia from 2009 to 2019. He was previously a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, representing the electoral district of Peace River North from 1991 to 2009, and served as Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources in the cabinet of Premier Gordon Campbell.
Background
Born in Lethbridge, Alberta, Neufeld was adopted by his parents from an orphanage,{{cite web|url=https://sencanada.ca/en/sencaplus/people/meet-senator-richard-neufeld/|title=Meet Senator Richard Neufeld |work=SenCA+ Magazine |publisher=Senate of Canada|date=2019-05-23|accessdate=2024-10-20}} and grew up in the hamlet of Grassy Lake before moving to Fort St. John, British Columbia. He worked as a truck driver, then became a district manager with Tompkins Contracting. He was an alderman on the Fort Nelson council from 1978 to 1981, then served as mayor from 1981 to 1986.{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/38thparl/neufeld.htm|title=MLA: Hon. Richard Neufeld |publisher=Legislative Assembly of British Columbia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218213850/http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/38thparl/neufeld.htm|archive-date=2011-02-18|url-status=dead}}
Provincial politics
Neufeld ran in the 1991 BC general election as a Social Credit Party (Socred) candidate in Peace River North, receiving 5,758 votes (54.79% of total valid votes) in a field of five candidates to become the riding's member of the legislative assembly (MLA).{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/peace-river-north-1.1323125 |title=Peace River North |date=2013-04-29 |publisher=CBC News |access-date=2024-10-20 }}{{cite web |title=Candidates: Richard Neufeld |url=https://canadianelectionsdatabase.ca/PHASE5/?p=0&type=person&ID=18228 |work=Canadian Elections Database |access-date=2024-10-20}} He was one of only seven Socred candidates elected that year; with the formerly dominant Socreds collapsing, Neufeld defected to the BC Reform Party in March 1994.{{cite web|url=https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Profile?personId=17349|title=Profile - Neufeld, Richard |publisher=Library of Parliament|accessdate=2024-10-20}}
He was re-elected in Peace River North as a BC Reform candidate in the 1996 provincial election, receiving 5,299 votes (48.41% of total valid votes) in a field of six candidates. He was one of two BC Reform candidates to be elected, the other being party leader Jack Weisgerber. BC Reform's presence was blamed for splitting the centre-right vote, allowing the New Democratic Party to eke out a majority despite coming second in the popular vote behind the Liberals. Wilf Hanni succeeded Weisgerber as Reform leader in August 1997; following a conflict with Hanni, Neufeld defected to the Liberals that October. During this time in the Official Opposition he served as energy, mines and northern development critic.
In the 2001 general election Neufeld was re-elected in Peace River North as the BC Liberal candidate, receiving 6,629 votes (73.22% of total valid votes) in a field of four candidates. With the Liberals gaining power, Neufeld was appointed Minister of Energy and Mines on June 5, 2001 by Premier Gordon Campbell.{{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=2024-10-20}} In this role, Neufeld was at the centre of the fray regarding the "re-regulation" of BC Hydro, which involves privatization of some of that Crown corporation. He also advocated for the increased use of coal power, and promoted allowing a scientific review of offshore oil and gas. His term as Minister of Energy and Mines was marked by significant growth in the oil and gas, and mining sectors.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}
After winning re-election in 2005 by receiving 5,498 votes (59.37% of total valid votes) in a field of four candidates, he remained in the Campbell ministry as Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.
Senate
On December 22, 2008, it was announced that Neufeld would be appointed to the Senate of Canada on the advice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, sitting as a Conservative.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/nancy-greene-raine-nabs-1-of-3-new-senate-seats-for-b-c-1.720000 |title=Nancy Greene Raine nabs 1 of 3 new Senate seats for B.C. |date=2008-12-22 |publisher=CBC News |access-date=2024-10-20 }} He assumed office on January 2, 2009, and officially resigned as MLA and provincial cabinet minister on the 19th of that month. He served in a number of committees during his time in the upper house, including as vice-chair of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, and as chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources.
Upon reaching age 75 on November 6, 2019, Neufeld was aged out of the Senate per constitutionally-enshrined mandatory retirement rules.{{cite web|url=https://sencanada.ca/en/sencaplus/people/a-call-of-a-lifetime-senator-neufeld-says-goodbye-to-the-red-chamber/|title='A call of a lifetime': Senator Neufeld says goodbye to the Red Chamber |work=SenCA+ Magazine |publisher=Senate of Canada|date=2019-11-06|accessdate=2024-10-20}}
Honours
- He was awarded the Freedom of the City of Fort St. John on 24 June 2019, and formally received the honour on 26 November 2021.{{cite web |title=Freedom of the City Policy |url=https://www.fortstjohn.ca/assets/Documents/Council~Policies/102%20-%20Freedom%20of%20the%20City%20Policy.pdf |website =City of Fort St. John |access-date=13 October 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/fort-st-john/former-senator-richard-neufeld-receives-freedom-of-the-city-4801742 |title=Former Senator Richard Neufeld receives Freedom of the City |last=Summer |first=Tom |date=26 November 2021 |website=The Alaska Highway News |publisher= |access-date=1 December 2021 }}
{{Incomplete list|date=December 2021}}
Notes
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References
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{{Gordon Campbell Ministry}}
{{Authority control}}
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Category:British Columbia Social Credit Party MLAs
Category:British Columbia municipal councillors
Category:Conservative Party of Canada senators
Category:Canadian senators from British Columbia
Category:Members of the Executive Council of British Columbia
Category:Politicians from Lethbridge
Category:Reform Party of British Columbia MLAs
Category:20th-century mayors of places in British Columbia
Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia