Rick Thorpe
{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image =
| name = Rick Thorpe
| caption =
| birth_name = Richard Thorpe
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|62|2008|06|20}}{{cite news |title=Rick Thorpe won't seek re-election |url=https://www.castanet.net/news/West-Kelowna/40089/Rick-Thorpe-won-t-seek-re-election |publisher=Castanet |first=Wayne |last=Moore |date=2008-06-20 |accessdate=2024-05-28}}
| birth_place = London, Ontario, Canada{{cite news |title=In conversation with... Rick Thorpe |url=https://www.pentictonherald.ca/news/article_f77c07f4-abea-11e8-9892-0bc3e8513890.html |publisher=Penticton Herald |date=2018-08-29 |accessdate=2024-05-28}}
| residence = Summerland, British Columbia, Canada
| assembly = British Columbia Legislative
| constituency_AM = Okanagan-Westside
Okanagan-Penticton (1996-2001)
| term_start = May 28, 1996
| term_end = May 12, 2009
| predecessor = Jim Beattie
| successor = Ben Stewart
| office1 = Minister of Competition, Science and Enterprise of British Columbia
| premier1 = Gordon Campbell
| term_start1 = June 5, 2001
| term_end1 = January 26, 2004
| predecessor1 = Position established
| successor1 = Position abolished
| office2 = Minister of Provincial Revenue of British Columbia
| premier2 = Gordon Campbell
| term_start2 = January 26, 2004
| term_end2 = June 23, 2008
| predecessor2 = Bill Barisoff
| successor2 = Kevin Krueger
| office3 = Minister responsible for Deregulation of British Columbia
| premier3 = Gordon Campbell
| term_start3 = June 16, 2005
| term_end3 = June 23, 2008
| predecessor3 = Kevin Falcon (Minister of State for Deregulation){{efn|Position vacant from January 26, 2004 to June 16, 2005.}}
| successor3 = Kevin Krueger
| office4 = Minister of Small Business of British Columbia
| premier4 = Gordon Campbell
| term_start4 = June 16, 2005
| term_end4 = June 23, 2008
| predecessor4 = John Les
| successor4 = Kevin Krueger
| party = BC Liberal
| spouse = {{marriage|Yasmin John-Thorpe|1973}}
| occupation =
}}
Rick Thorpe is a Canadian politician. He was formerly a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia, representing Okanagan-Penticton from 1996 to 2001, and Okanagan-Westside from 2001 to 2009. A caucus member of the British Columbia Liberal Party, he served in several cabinet posts under Premier Gordon Campbell.
Biography
Born in London, Ontario, Thorpe grew up in the southwestern part of that province before meeting his wife Yasmin in Trinidad. The couple married in 1973, and have three children together.{{cite web |url=https://www.leg.bc.ca/pages/bclass-legacy.aspx#/content/legacy/web/mla/38thparl/thorpe.htm |publisher=Legislative Assembly of British Columbia |title=38th Parliament Members at dissolution on April 14, 2009: MLA: Rick Thorpe |accessdate=2024-05-28}}{{Cite web |title=Thorpe, Hon. Rick, C.M.A. (Okanagan-Westside) Minister of Provincial Revenue |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/international/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/thorpe-hon-rick-cma-okanagan-westside-minister-provincial-revenue |publisher=Canadian Parliamentary Guide |accessdate=2024-05-28}} A Certified Management Accountant, Thorpe was employed in the brewing industry for 22 years, including at Labatt.{{cite news |title=Thorpes bring background of giving to PRH campaign |url=https://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/news/thorpes-bring-background-of-giving-to-prh-campaign-3531465 |publisher=Penticton Western News |date=2015-12-14 |accessdate=2024-05-28}} The family lived in various places in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Israel before settling in Penticton, British Columbia, where Thorpe became a partner in a winery. He also served as president of the Okanagan Wine Festival in 1994 and 1995.
He was nominated as the BC Liberal candidate in Okanagan-Penticton in May 1995, and was elected the riding's MLA in the 1996 provincial election. While the Liberals were the official opposition, Thorpe served as critic for small business, tourism and culture. With the riding being redistributed ahead of the 2001 election, Thorpe ran instead in Okanagan-Westside and was re-elected MLA there. The Liberals gained power in that election, and Thorpe was appointed to the cabinet by Premier Gordon Campbell that June to serve as Minister of Competition, Science and Enterprise, before being re-assigned as Minister of Provincial Revenue in January 2004.{{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=2024-05-28}}
Following his re-election in 2005, his cabinet post was modified to Minister of Small Business and Revenue, and he was additionally named Minister responsible for Deregulation. In June 2008 he announced his decision not to run in the next provincial election, and was dropped from the cabinet.{{cite news |title=Premier names new cabinet heading into election |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/premier-names-new-cabinet-heading-into-election-1.742501 |publisher=CBC News |date=2008-06-23 |accessdate=2024-05-28}}
After finishing his term as MLA in May 2009, he served a two-year term as member of the board of management of the Canada Revenue Agency, then as the board's chair from 2013 to 2017.{{cite news |title=Former MLA Thorpe named to Revenue Canada board |url=https://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/news/former-mla-thorpe-named-to-revenue-canada-board-3526570 |first=Steve |last=Kidd |publisher=Penticton Western News |date=2013-10-08 |accessdate=2024-05-28}}{{cite web|title=Section 3 – Introduction to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA): Biographies |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/corporate/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/canada-revenue-agency-ministerial-transition-documents-november-2015/section-3-introduction-canada-revenue-agency-cra.html |publisher=Canada Revenue Agency|accessdate=2024-05-28}} In addition, he served as director and vice-chair on the board of the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia from 2012 to 2014.{{cite news |title=ICBC spending comes under the microscope as executive pay set to be revealed |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/metro/icbc-spending-comes-under-the-microscope-as-executive-pay-set-to-be-revealed |first=Jonathan |last=Fowlie |publisher=Vancouver Sun |date=2012-08-15 |accessdate=2024-05-28}}
Electoral record
{{2001 British Columbia general election/Okanagan-Westside}}
{{2005 British Columbia general election/Okanagan-Westside}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Gordon Campbell Ministry}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thorpe, Rick}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Businesspeople from London, Ontario
Category:Members of the Executive Council of British Columbia
Category:People from Summerland, British Columbia
Category:Politicians from London, Ontario
Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia