Rick Perkins

Perkins holds an MBA from the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary's University. He worked on the political staff to Canadian Conservative Minister the Honourable Barbara McDougall during the two terms of the government of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. After the 1993 federal election Rick worked for two financial services companies CIBC and Newcourt Credit Group before co-founding the investor relations firm Genoa Management. He left this firm to become retail executive and business strategist. His most notable business achievement was the hostile takeover he engineered of Liquor Stores North America, which was the largest publicly traded retailer of beverage alcohol in North America. He served on the Board of Directors and senior management of this company.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}} He previously ran in Scarborough—Agincourt for the Progressive Conservatives in the 1997 Canadian federal election{{cite web|url=http://canadianelectionsdatabase.ca/PHASE5/index.php?p=0&type=election&ID=612#page_1=ontario&page_2=constituency_2474|title=Canadian Elections Database}} and in South Shore—St. Margarets for the Conservatives in the 2019 Canadian federal election.

In the 2021 Canadian federal election, Perkins defeated Liberal incumbent and Ministers of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Bernadette Jordan.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/federal-election-upsets-wins-loses-1.6183018|title=The surprise upsets, dramatic losses and nail-biting races of election night|first1=Catharine |last1=Tunney|first2=Richard |last2= Raycraft |date=September 21, 2021 |work=CBC News}}

On November 9, 2021, Perkins was named Shadow Minister for Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard by Conservative Party leader Erin O'Toole.{{Cite web|url=https://www.conservative.ca/erin-otoole-announces-new-shadow-cabinet/|title=Erin O'Toole announces Conservative Shadow Cabinet |website=Conservative Party of Canada |date=9 November 2021}} Upon assuming the role Perkins was appointed as Vice-Chair of the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans,{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/fopo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712175206/https://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/fopo |archive-date=2022-07-12 |date=22 November 2021|title=FOPO - Home - House of Commons of Canada }} as well as a member of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.{{Cite web|url= https://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/SFOP?parl=44&session=1 |title=Committee Members of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session |website=House of Commons |date=22 November 2021}}

Following O'Toole's ousting as party leader in February 2022, Perkins was reappointed as Shadow Minister for Fisheries by intern party leader Candice Bergen.{{Cite web|url=https://www.conservative.ca/candice-bergen-announces-changes-to-conservative-shadow-cabinet/|title=Candice Bergen announces changes to Conservative Shadow Cabinet |website=Conservative Party of Canada|date=23 May 2022 }}

In March 2022, Perkins was one of 313 Canadian officials barred from entering Russia. The Russian ban was in response to new Canadian economic sanctions targeting Russian officials and entities following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February.{{cite news|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8683818/justin-trudeau-313-other-canadians-banned-from-russia/|title=Justin Trudeau among 313 Canadians banned from Russia |first1=Rachel |last1=Gilmore |date=March 15, 2022 |work=Global News Canada}} In response to ban, Perkins stated on social media that he would “wear this [ban] as a badge of honor” as he continues to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.{{Cite web |last=Perkins |first=Rick |url=https://www.facebook.com/RickPerkinsMP/posts/pfbid0a5AQnAvXJ1vN1wZdEj46Q2XWbKdBdjUgNfAnG4bvmFxb9dupS45XXJVZbD4a51YEl|title=MP Rick Perkins |website=Facebook |date=15 March 2022}}

During the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election Perkins endorsed hopeful leadership candidate Jean Charest and was further named co-chair of the campaigns national advisory board.{{Cite web |last=Charest |first=Jean |url=https://twitter.com/JeanCharest_/status/1519300463597961216/|title=Jean Charest on Twitter |website=Twitter |date=11 July 2022}} Following Pierre Poilievre’s victory in the leadership race,{{Cite web |last=Aiello |first=Rachel |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/pierre-poilievre-wins-conservative-leadership-on-first-ballot-1.6063223|title=Pierre Poilievre wins conservative leadership on first ballot |website=CTV News |date=10 September 2022}} Perkins immediately congratulated him on becoming the new party leader.{{Cite web |last=Perkins |first=Rick |url=https://www.facebook.com/RickPerkinsMP/posts/pfbid0imqg8Rzs5EWFGapdgRcNeodWbebMP6Y5MJXjjiySRg7z7qwFQx1B9CBkc7XtkJsUl|title=MP Rick Perkins |website=Facebook |date=10 September 2022}} In a post-leadership interview with the National Post Perkins stated that the Conservative caucus was now “totally united” behind Poilievre despite what the tone of the leadership contest might have indicated."{{Cite web |last=Karadeglija |first=Anja |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/conservative-caucus-united-following-poilievres-victory-mps-say|title=Conservative caucus united following Poilievre's victory, MPs say |website=National Post |date=11 September 2022}}

Upon becoming the new leader, Poilievre kept Perkins on as the fisheries critic until October 12, 2022, until he was then replaced by Newfoundland MP Clifford Small. Perkins then became the Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science, and Industry, replacing former critic Ed Fast.{{Cite web |title=Pierre Poilievre announces Inflation-busting Conservative Shadow Cabinet |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8210066/sipeknekatik-chief-new-fisheries-minister-outside-atlantic-canada/ |website=Conservative Party of Canada |date=12 October 2022}} Upon assuming the new critic position, Perkins was named Vice-Chair of the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology,{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/INDU?parl=44&session=1|date=21 November 2022|title=INDU - Home - House of Commons of Canada }} and was further appointed to the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure for the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/SIND?parl=44&session=1 |date=21 November 2022|title=SIND - Home - House of Commons of Canada }} Perkins remains a member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard as well.

Perkins was an outspoken critic of Minister Bernadette Jordan's handling of the 2020 Mi'kmaq lobster dispute. Perkins called on her to respect the Supreme Court’s R v Marshall decision, which stated that the Mi’kmaq treaty rights could be regulated and that the Mi'kmaq were not guaranteed an open season in the fisheries. Jordan's handling of the dispute and subsequent criticism played an important role in her electoral defeat.{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Jesse |date=September 21, 2021 |title= Sipekne'katik Chief says new fisheries minister should be from outside Atlantic Canada |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8210066/sipeknekatik-chief-new-fisheries-minister-outside-atlantic-canada/ |access-date=July 8, 2022 |website=Global News}}

After defeating Jordan in the 2021 Canadian federal election, Perkins stated in an interview with Global News that he would seek to "find a path forward that [would] bring everyone under the same set of rules and the same regulation through DFO."{{Cite web |last=Cooke |first=Alex |date=September 20, 2021 |title= Liberal Bernadette Jordan projected to lose to Conservative Rick Perkins, out as fisheries minister |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8204776/canada-election-2021-nova-scotia/ |access-date=July 8, 2022 |website=Global News}}

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{{1997 Canadian federal election/Scarborough—Agincourt}}

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• {{Cite web|url=https://rickperkins.ca/about/|title=Meet Rick|accessdate=Oct 22, 2021}}

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Category:1961 births

Category:Living people

Category:Conservative Party of Canada MPs

Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Nova Scotia

Category:Politicians from Halifax, Nova Scotia

Category:Saint Mary's University (Halifax) alumni

Category:Businesspeople from Halifax, Nova Scotia

Category:Canadian businesspeople in retailing

Category:21st-century Canadian businesspeople

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