George Abbott (politician)

George Abbott (born 1952[1][2]) is a former politician and cabinet minister for the Canadian province of British Columbia. Abbott was a BC Liberal Party Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia representing the riding of Shuswap from 1996 to 2013. He served as a cabinet minister under premiers Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark.

George Abbott
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Shuswap
In office
May 28, 1996 – May 14, 2013
Preceded byShannon O'Neill
Succeeded byGreg Kyllo
Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services of British Columbia
In office
June 5, 2001 – January 26, 2004
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byJenny Kwan (Community Development, Cooperatives and Volunteers), David Zirnhelt (Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation)
Succeeded byMurray Coell
Minister of Sustainable Resource Management of British Columbia
In office
January 26, 2004 – June 16, 2005
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byStan Hagen
Minister of Health of British Columbia
In office
June 16, 2005 – June 10, 2009
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byShirley Bond
Succeeded byKevin Falcon
Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation of British Columbia
In office
June 10, 2008 – October 25, 2010
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byMichael de Jong
Succeeded byBarry Penner
Minister of Education of British Columbia
In office
October 25, 2010 – November 25, 2010
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byMargaret MacDiarmid
Succeeded byMargaret MacDiarmid
Minister of Education
In office
March 14, 2011 – September 5, 2012
Preceded byMargaret MacDiarmid
Succeeded byDon McRae
Personal details
Born1952
Political partyBC Liberal
Occupationpolitical scientist

Politics

Campbell ministry

George Abbott was appointed Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services on June 5, 2001. As minister, Abbott worked with UBCM to pass the Community Charter. He was later awarded a lifetime membership in UBCM for his work on the file.[3]

Abbot became Minister of Sustainable Resource Management on January 26, 2004. In this role, he worked with industry, environmental, and First Nations groups to complete the Great Bear Rainforest agreement which included a move to ecosystem-based management. As a result of his work on this file, Abbott was the only BC Liberal Candidate endorsed by the Conservation Voters of BC in the 2005 election.[4]

After the 2005 election, Abbot was appointed Minister of Health. He partnered with the BC Medical Association to introduce Electronic Health Records to BC.[5] Abbott enshrined the five principles of the Canada Health Act, plus a sixth – the principle of sustainability – in provincial law.[6] Abbott also pushed for innovation in the health system and introduced the $100-million Health Innovation Fund, which funded pilot projects to reduce wait times in emergency rooms and for elective surgeries.[7]

On June 10, 2009, he became Minister of as Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation and government deputy house leader. As minister, Abbott worked with First Nations leaders to designate the Salish Sea[8] and Haida Gwaii and signed a final agreement with the Yale First Nation.[9] He served in these roles until October 25, 2010.

Campaign for Liberal leadership
Main article: 2011 British Columbia Liberal Party leadership election

On November 25, 2010, George Abbott announced he was running for the leadership of the BC Liberal Party to succeed Gordon Campbell.[10] During the campaign he stated he "would as premier move the referendum on the controversial tax to no later than June 24, 2011 rather than the September 24 date currently in place" and increase the minimum wage.[11] He called for a review or the $6 million payment made for expenses incurred by convicted Liberal aides Robert Virk and David Basi in association with the BC Rail trial, however, he refused to call for a full public inquiry in the alleged scandal involving allegations of bribes to Liberal party insiders.[12] He placed third in the leadership election, which was won by Christy Clark.

Christy Clark ministry

On March 14, 2011, Abbott was appointed minister of education, as a part of Clark's initial cabinet.[13]

On August 30, 2012, Abbott announced he would not be running in the 2013 election.[14] He remained education minister until September 5, 2012.[15]

Post-politics

In 2013, Abbott re-enrolled at the University of Victoria, where he began writing a thesis on the impact of the federal–provincial division of powers on aboriginal policy.[16] On November 22, 2013, it was announced that Abbott would teach a course on BC's political economy at the UVic.[17]

In 2015, Premier Clark and her cabinet vetoed the appointment of Abbott to be Chief Treaty Commissioner of BC Treaty Commission due to her government aiming to reform the treaty process. Abbott had been working on transition with the departing commission chief and his removal was criticized by First Nations.[18] In 2015, Abbott revealed that he had let his party membership lapse and considered himself non-partisan. He stressed that it was not a decision made by any "single thing", but several factors that lead him to be unhappy with the party.[19]

Personal life

Abbott received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia and his Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy[20] in political science from the University of Victoria.

Abbott was the chair of the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District. He was also involved in amateur sports as a minor hockey coach. George and Lesley Abbott live in Sicamous and have three children.[21]

Election results (partial)
2005 British Columbia general election: Shuswap
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
LiberalGeorge Abbott11,02446.96$89,183
New DemocraticCalvin Ross White8,28135.27$60,432
ConservativeBeryl Ludwig2,3309.92$5,715
GreenBarbara Westerman1,3945.94$1,788
MarijuanaChris Emery3561.52$100
BlocPaddy Roberts500.21$897
PatriotAndrew Nicholas Hokhold420.18$100
Total valid votes 23,477100.00
Total rejected ballots 930.40
Turnout 23,57064.34

References
  1. McCullough, J.J.: The Race For Premier: George Abbott Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine, Metro Vancouver, January 9, 2011. URL last accessed 2012-10-29.
  2. McMartin, W.: BC's Most Likely Next Premier? George Abbott, The Tyee, February 11, 2011. URL last accessed 2012-10-29.
  3. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-12-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "CONSERVATION VOTERS ENDORSEES WIN 4 OF 5 RACES — Conservation Voters of BC". Archived from the original on 2008-09-23. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-05. Retrieved 2010-12-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-05. Retrieved 2010-12-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-05. Retrieved 2010-12-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. Government Press Release
  9. Government News Release
  10. Austin, Ian (2010-11-25). "Abbott steps into leadership ring with support from several MLAs". The Province. Archived from the original on 2010-11-29. Retrieved 2010-12-11.
  11. "George Abbott vows to be collaborative' leader who would win back Liberal supporters". Archived from the original on 2010-11-29.
  12. "Abbott and de Jong trade barbs over B.C. Rail as Liberal campaign heats up". Archived from the original on 2011-01-08.
  13. "B.C. Premier Christy Clark sworn in, unveils cabinet". CTV News. March 14, 2011. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  14. Steffenhagen, Janet (August 30, 2012). "George Abbott will leave B.C. politics, but not education". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  15. Hunter, Justine (September 5, 2011). "Clark shuffles cabinet to 'set the foundation' ahead of 2013 election". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012.
  16. Bailey, Ian (October 17, 2012). "Veteran politician George Abbott hits the books". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  17. Hawk, Vanessa (November 22, 2013). "MLA George Abbott to teach course on B.C. political economy this spring". Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  18. Kines, Lindsay (2015-03-26). "Premier: George Abbott out because B.C. treaty process needs reform". Victoria Times-Colonist. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  19. Macleod, Andrew (2015-06-30). "George Abbott Quits Liberals He Sought to Lead". The Tyee. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  20. https://dspace.library.uvic.ca/bitstream/handle/1828/10749/Abbott_George_PhD_2019.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
  21. "George Abbott's Biography". georgeabbottmla.bc.ca. Retrieved 2010-12-11.
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