Mike Farnworth
Michael C. Farnworth MLA (born July 23, 1959) is a Canadian politician who has served as the 15th and current deputy premier of British Columbia since 2021, and the minister of public safety and solicitor general since 2017. A member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP), Farnworth represents the riding of Port Coquitlam in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, where he is the NDP's house leader, and the dean of the Legislative Assembly.
Mike Farnworth | |
|---|---|
| 15th Deputy Premier of British Columbia | |
| Assumed office October 28, 2021 | |
| Premier | John Horgan David Eby |
| Preceded by | Carole James[a] |
| Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General of British Columbia | |
| Assumed office July 18, 2017 | |
| Premier | John Horgan David Eby |
| Preceded by | Mike Morris |
| Minister of Social Development and Economic Security of British Columbia | |
| In office November 1, 2000 – June 5, 2001 | |
| Premier | Ujjal Dosanjh |
| Preceded by | Jan Pullinger |
| Succeeded by | position abolished |
| Minister of Health & Minister Responsible for Seniors of British Columbia | |
| In office February 29, 2000 – November 1, 2000 | |
| Premier | Ujjal Dosanjh |
| Preceded by | Penny Priddy |
| Succeeded by | Corky Evans |
| Minister of Employment and Investment & Minister Responsible for Housing of British Columbia | |
| In office February 18, 1998 – February 24, 2000 | |
| Premier | Glen Clark Dan Miller |
| Preceded by | Dan Miller |
| Succeeded by | Gordon Wilson |
| Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of British Columbia | |
| In office January 6, 1997 – February 18, 1998 | |
| Premier | Glen Clark |
| Preceded by | Dan Miller |
| Succeeded by | Jenny Kwan |
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Port Coquitlam | |
| Assumed office May 12, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Riding Re-established |
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Port Coquitlam-Burke Mountain | |
| In office May 17, 2005 – May 12, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Karn Manhas |
| Succeeded by | Riding Abolished |
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Port Coquitlam | |
| In office October 17, 1991 – May 16, 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Riding Established |
| Succeeded by | Karn Manhas |
| Dean of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia | |
| Assumed office October 24, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Linda Reid |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 23, 1959 Bebington, England[1] |
| Political party | BC NDP |
| Residence(s) | Port Coquitlam, British Columbia |
| Alma mater | Simon Fraser University |
Background
Born in Bebington, England,[1] Farnworth was raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia.[2] He attended Simon Fraser University, earning a bachelor's degree in geography.[2] Prior to entering elected office, Farnworth worked at CP Rail, Gulf Oil, and Mount Isa Mines.[3]
Farnworth has publicly acknowledged that he is gay. He has had a relationship with his partner, Doug, for over twenty five years.[4]
Political career
After serving three terms on Port Coquitlam City Council[5] and working for Port Moody—Coquitlam Member of Parliament Ian Waddell,[3] Farnworth ran for the BC NDP in the 1991 provincial election, in which he was first elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Port Coquitlam.[2]
He was re-elected in 1996,[6] and was appointed Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing by Premier Glen Clark in January 1997,[7] before becoming Minister of Employment and Investment and Minister Responsible for Housing in 1998.[8] Under Premier Ujjal Dosanjh, Farnworth was named Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Seniors in February 2000, before becoming Minister of Social Development and Economic Security in November that year.[8]
He ran in the redistributed riding of Port Coquitlam-Burke Mountain in 2001, but lost his seat amidst the party's province-wide wipeout.[9] Following the election, Farnworth worked in the Balkans and Iraq for the U.S.-based National Democratic Institute.[2][8]
In the 2005 B.C. general election, Farnworth sought to take back his old seat, winning the riding with 11,844 votes (48.14% of valid votes).[10] In 2009, he was re-elected to his fourth term in the recreated riding of Port Coquitlam with 54.71% of valid votes.[11] He then ran in the 2011 NDP leadership election to replace outgoing leader Carole James;[12] he lost to Adrian Dix after three rounds of voting.[13]
Farnworth was returned to the legislature in the 2013 B.C. general election with more than half of the riding's popular vote,[14] but the BC NDP lost the election despite favourable opinion polls leading up to the vote. Following Dix's resignation as party leader in September 2013,[15] both Farnworth and John Horgan formally announced their candidacies for the post in March 2014.[8] With a significant number of NDP MLAs backing Horgan[16] (including Dawn Black, Joe Trasolini and Fin Donnelly, all figures from Farnworth's own Tri-Cities area[17]), Farnworth withdrew from the leadership race in April, leaving Horgan the sole candidate.[18] After the deadline for nominations passed on May 1, Horgan was acclaimed leader of the BC NDP, and appointed Farnworth as opposition house leader.[19]
Farnworth was re-elected MLA in the 2017 B.C. general election with more than 55% of the vote.[20] In the subsequent NDP minority government, Farnworth was appointed Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.[21] He retained the same cabinet posts in the NDP majority government following his re-election in 2020.[22]
On October 28, 2021, Farnworth was appointed Deputy Premier of British Columbia by Premier John Horgan, in the wake of an announcement that Horgan was to undergo throat surgery on October 29.[23] When Horgan stepped down as premier and was succeeded by David Eby, Farnworth retained his portfolios in Eby's cabinet.[24]
Electoral record
| 2020 British Columbia general election: Port Coquitlam | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Mike Farnworth | 15,370 | 64.14 | +8.35 | $9,774.62 | |||
| Liberal | Mehran Zargham | 5,009 | 20.90 | −9.15 | $4,583.11 | |||
| Green | Erik Minty | 3,023 | 12.61 | −0.22 | $2,051.19 | |||
| Libertarian | Lewis Clarke Dahlby | 563 | 2.35 | +1.37 | $0.00 | |||
| Total valid votes | 23,965 | 100.00 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | ||||||||
| Turnout | ||||||||
| Registered voters | ||||||||
| Source: Elections BC[25][26] | ||||||||
| 2017 British Columbia general election: Port Coquitlam | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Mike Farnworth | 14,079 | 55.79 | +2.85 | $52,164 | |||
| Liberal | Susan Chambers | 7,582 | 30.05 | −6.52 | $26,734 | |||
| Green | Jason Hanley | 3,237 | 12.83 | – | $1,177 | |||
| Libertarian | Lewis Clarke Dahlby | 248 | 0.98 | −0.63 | $89 | |||
| Cascadia | Billy Gibbons | 88 | 0.35 | – | $1,973 | |||
| Total valid votes | 25,234 | 100.00 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 131 | 0.52 | −0.20 | |||||
| Turnout | 25,365 | 62.44 | +5.18 | |||||
| Registered voters | 40,621 | |||||||
| Source: Elections BC[27][28] | ||||||||
| 2013 British Columbia general election: Port Coquitlam | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Mike Farnworth | 11,755 | 52.94 | −1.77 | $86,221 | |||
| Liberal | Barbara Lu | 8,120 | 36.57 | −2.28 | $23,507 | |||
| Conservative | Ryan Hague | 1,525 | 6.87 | – | $3,928 | |||
| Your Political Party | Brent Williams | 447 | 2.01 | +1.34 | $610 | |||
| Libertarian | Jogender Dahiya | 358 | 1.61 | +0.73 | $872 | |||
| Total valid votes | 22,205 | 100.00 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 160 | 0.72 | +0.20 | |||||
| Turnout | 22,365 | 57.26 | +2.05 | |||||
| Registered voters | 39,059 | |||||||
| Source: Elections BC[29] | ||||||||
Notes
- ^ Office vacant from November 2020, until October 2021.
References
- ^ a b P.G. Normandin (1996). The Canadian Parliamentary Guide. p. 619.
- ^ a b c d "41st Parliament Members at dissolution on September 21, 2020: Hon. Mike Farnworth". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
- ^ a b "36th Parliament Members at dissolution on April 18, 2001: Hon. Michael Farnworth". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
- ^ "NDP Leadership hopeful comes out of the closet as he announces his candidacy". CTV News. January 13, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
- ^ "MLA: Mike Farnworth". Member Biography. Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved May 11, 2010.
- ^ "1996 Statement of Votes – 36th Provincial General Election – May 28, 1996" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
- ^ "Premier Clark Announces Cabinet Changes". Government of British Columbia. 1997-01-06. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
- ^ a b c d Smith, Charlie (2014-03-02). "Mike Farnworth enters B.C. NDP leadership race". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
- ^ "2001 Statement of Votes – 37th Provincial General Election – May 16, 2001" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
- ^ "2005 Statement of Votes – 38th Provincial General Election – May 17, 2005" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
- ^ "2009 Statement of Votes – 39th Provincial General Election – May 12, 2009" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
- ^ . CKNW. January 13, 2011. Archived from the original on January 16, 2011.
- ^ "Adrian Dix wins B.C. NDP leadership". CBC News. April 17, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- ^ "2013 Statement of Votes – 40th Provincial General Election – May 14, 2013" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
- ^ "Adrian Dix resigns as B.C. NDP Leader". Globe and Mail. September 18, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
- ^ Austin, Ian (March 24, 2014). "15 NDP MLAs back Horgan but won't discuss Kwan". The Province. Vancouver, BC. p. A3.
- ^ "Trio of Tri-City NDPers back Horgan, not Farnworth, for leader". The Tri City News. Coquitlam, BC. April 4, 2014. p. 1.
- ^ Hunter, Justine (April 9, 2014). "NDP's Horgan sole candidate for leadership as Farnworth drops out". The Globe and Mail. p. S1.
- ^ "Port Coquitlam MLA gets opposition house leader post". The Tri City News. Coquitlam, BC. June 24, 2014. p. 1.
- ^ "Statement of Votes – 41st Provincial General Election – May 9, 2017" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
- ^ "BC NDP takes power: The big issues and the people John Horgan has appointed to handle them". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
- ^ Lindsay, Bethany (November 26, 2020). "New faces join B.C.'s new cabinet, while stalwarts stay on in key roles". CBC News. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- ^ Judd, Amy (October 28, 2021). "B.C. Premier John Horgan to undergo surgery to remove growth in throat". Global News. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
- ^ "B.C. Premier David Eby unveils new cabinet of 23 ministers". CTV News. 2022-12-07. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
- ^ "2020 Provincial General Election Final Voting Results". electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
- ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- ^ "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
- ^ (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 17 May 2017.