Margaret MacDiarmid

Margaret MacDiarmid is a Canadian politician, former provincial Minister of Health, and also served as Minister of Labour, Citizens' Services and Open Government. She was elected as a Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2009 provincial election, representing the riding of Vancouver-Fairview. She previously served as Minister of Education, Minister of Tourism, Trade and Investment and Minister Responsible for the Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat.

Margaret MacDiarmid
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Vancouver-Fairview
In office
May 12, 2009 – May 14, 2013
Preceded byJenn McGinn
Succeeded byGeorge Heyman
Minister of Education and Minister Responsible for Early Learning and Literacy of British Columbia
In office
June 10, 2009 – October 25, 2010
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byShirley Bond
Succeeded byGeorge Abbott
Minister of Tourism, Trade and Investment and Minister Responsible for the Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat of British Columbia
In office
October 25, 2010 – March 14, 2011
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byKevin Krueger
Minister of Education
of British Columbia
In office
November 25, 2010 – March 14, 2011
PremierGordon Campbell
Preceded byGeorge Abbott
Succeeded byGeorge Abbott
Minister of Labour, Citizens' Services and Open Government
of British Columbia
In office
September 26, 2011 – September 5, 2012
PremierChristy Clark
Preceded byStephanie Cadieux
Minister of Health
of British Columbia
In office
September 5, 2012 – June 2013
PremierChristy Clark
Preceded byMichael de Jong
Succeeded byTerry Lake
Personal details
Political partyBC Liberal
Residence(s)Vancouver, British Columbia
OccupationPhysician

In 2009, then Minister of Education Margaret MacDiarmid was rushed to Peace Arch Hospital for emergency treatment and transferred to Royal Columbian Hospital for intensive care for pneumococcal meningitis.[1] MacDiarmid recovered and was later appointed Minister of Health in 2012 by Premier Christy Clark.

In 2012, Mike de Jong's Ministry of Health fired seven health ministry workers without cause, Margaret MacDiarmid as his freshly appointed replacement falsely claimed that the RCMP were investigating what she referred to as their misconduct.[2]

Later, after one worker committed suicide, others sued, none were charged, some got cash settlements and their jobs back, and the premier apologized, it came to light that the RCMP, for lack of evidence, had never launched any investigation.[3] The matter, in its entirety was referred to the Ombudsperson of British Columbia, who, in 2017, issued a report titled "MISFIRE: The 2012 Ministry Of Health Employment Terminations and Related Matters". The Ombudsperson recommended that by May 31, 2017, government of British Columbia "make a public statement that acknowledges and apologizes for the harm caused by the Ministry of Health investigations and the decisions".[4]

She was defeated in the 2013 provincial election by New Democrat candidate George Heyman.[5]

In 2013, she was appointed to the board of directors for Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. Her appointment lasted until 2017[6]

Electoral results
2013 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Fairview
Party Candidate Votes%
New DemocraticGeorge Heyman12,64947.32
LiberalMargaret MacDiarmid11,29842.26
GreenMatthew Pedley2,78510.42
Total valid votes 26,732100.00
Total rejected ballots 2200.82
Turnout 26,95258.98
Source: Elections BC[7]
2009 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Fairview
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
LiberalMargaret MacDiarmid11,03447.09$144,364
New DemocraticJenn McGinn9,88142.17$106,859
GreenVanessa Violini2,2329.52$749
IndependentGraham Clark1650.70$250
ReformNorris Matthew Barens850.36$250
RefederationAlex Frei370.16$260
Source:
By-election, October 29, 2008: Vancouver-Fairview
Party Candidate Votes  % ± Expenditures
  NDP Jenn McGinn 5,752 46.98 $70,030
LiberalMargaret MacDiarmid4,93640.32$92,092
GreenJane Sterk9007.35–$7,773
ConservativeWilf Hanni4893.99$6,886
MarijuanaJodie Emery1661.36$430
Total valid votes 12,243 100%
Total rejected ballots 29 0.24%
Turnout 12,272 26.93%

References
  1. Fowlie, Johnathan (Nov 4, 2009). "Margaret MacDiarmid recovers from catastrophic illness". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  2. Shaw, Rob. "B.C. government was wrong to fire health researchers, says ombudsperson".Vancouver Sun, April 7, 2017.
  3. By David Beers; Tom Barrett. "98 BC Liberal Falsehoods, Boondoggles and Scandals: The Clark Era 53". The Tyee, April 4, 2017.
  4. Chalke, Jaye. "The Ombudsperson of British Columbia" (PDF). bcombudsperson.ca. The Office of the Ombudsperson of BC. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  5. "Riding results: New Democrat George Heyman wins a narrow victory in Vancouver Fairview". Vancouver Sun, May 14, 2013.
  6. MacDiarmid, Margaret (10 Oct 2022). "Dr". Self reporting by author of the page. Linkdn. Linkdn. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  7. "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
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