John Weston (politician)

For other politicians of this name, see John Weston (disambiguation).
John Weston
MP
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country
In office
2008–2015
Preceded by Blair Wilson
Succeeded by Pamela Goldsmith-Jones
Personal details
Born (1958-04-19) April 19, 1958
Vancouver, British Columbia
Political party Conservative
Residence West Vancouver, British Columbia
Profession Lawyer
Religion Christian

John D. Weston, MP (born April 19, 1958) is a former Canadian politician, who was a Member of Parliament from 2008 to 2015, representing the electoral district of West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country.[1][2] He is a member of the Conservative Party.

Weston studied International Relations at Harvard University and law at Osgoode Hall Law School and is able to speak Mandarin as well as French and English.[3] He then worked as a lawyer in Canada and in Taiwan. He is a founder of Pan Pacific Law Corporation and Access Law Group, as well as the Canadian Constitution Foundation.[4]

Weston ran in the 2006 Canadian federal election but was defeated, by Blair Wilson.[5] Weston lost by 1.5%, or 976 votes.

During the 40th Parliament, he served as a member of the Aboriginal Affairs, Fisheries, and Library of Parliament Standing Committees, and as the Government Liaison to the Persian and Iranian Community, and as the Vice Chair of the Conservative Community Relations Committee.

Since being re-elected in the 2011 Canadian federal election, Weston has served on the Citizenship and Immigration Committee and as a member of the Official Languages Committee.[6]

Weston introduced bill C-475, which amended the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to make it illegal to possess, produce, sell or import chemicals with the knowledge they will be used to create street drugs, though it was later tabled.[7]

Weston created a National Health and Fitness Day bill, saying “On a personal level I just saw when I reached Ottawa how unhealthy was the lifestyle that MPs lead — so much time on airplanes and in committees and sitting in Parliament. I just resolved that if I was going to remain productive and useful to the people who voted me in, I needed to work at staying healthy.”[8]

In his column in The Tyee, political commentator Rafe Mair has been extremely critical of Weston's approach to environmental issues and his role as a Member of Parliament.[9] Mair has repeatedly accused Weston of blindly adhering to Conservative Party policy on all issues.[10] In an article dated January 19, 2015, Mair alleged that in Weston's time as an MP he had "never uttered a single word of criticism of any statement or action by the [Conservative] government".[11] Weston and Mair are former colleagues from Mair's time as a BC MLA, and his role as minister responsible for constitutional reform during that period.[12] Weston has responded to Mair by claiming that he carefully considers his position on environmental issues and comes to his own decision.[12] In a responding letter to the editor, Weston also stated that Mair's critique had ignored the role of the democratic process and denigrated MPs' role in it.[13]

In the 2015 federal election, he was defeated by Liberal candidate Pamela Goldsmith-Jones.

Electoral record

Canadian federal election, 2015
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
LiberalPamela Goldsmith-Jones 36,300 54.62 +30.81 –
ConservativeJohn Weston 17,411 26.20 -19.59 –
New DemocraticLarry Koopman 6,554 9.86 -11.61 –
GreenKen Melamed 5,907 8.89 +1.26 –
MarijuanaRobin Kehler 180 0.27 – –
Marxist–LeninistCarol-Lee Chapman 106 0.16 – –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 66,458100.00 $237,680.75
Total rejected ballots 1730.26–
Turnout 66,63174.48–
Eligible voters 89,459
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +25.20
Source: Elections Canada[14][15][16]
Canadian federal election, 2011
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
ConservativeJohn Weston* 28,614 45.53 +0.96
New DemocraticTerry Platt 14,828 23.59 +9.16
LiberalDaniel Veniez 14,123 22.47 -4.10
GreenBrennan Wauters 4,436 7.06 -7.37
Progressive CanadianRoger Lagassé 293 0.47 –
LibertarianTunya Audain 250 0.40 –
Western BlockAllan Holt 156 0.25 –
Marxist–LeninistCarol Lee Chapman 87 0.14 –
Canadian ActionDoug Hartt 64 0.10 –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 62,851100.00
Total rejected ballots 221 0.35+0.01
Turnout 63,072 64.17-0.28
Eligible voters 98,293 ––
Canadian federal election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
ConservativeJohn Weston 26,949 44.57 +8.60 $94,785
LiberalIan Sutherland 16,069 26.57 -10.93 $74,135
New DemocraticBill Forst 8,728 14.43 -5.63 $18,762
GreenBlair Wilson* 8,723 14.43 +8.20 $95,067
Total valid votes/Expense limit 60,469 100.00$100,350
Total rejected ballots 2080.34 +0.12
Turnout 60,67764.45-4.1
Conservative gain from Green Swing +9.8
Canadian federal election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
     Liberal Blair Wilson 23,867 37.50 +4.99 $82,304
ConservativeJohn Weston 22,881 35.97 +0.68 $86,639
     New Democratic Party Judith Wilson 12,766 20.06 -1.66 $50,621
GreenSilvaine Zimmermann 3,966 6.23 -3.49 $3,532
Marxist–LeninistAnne Jamieson 155 0.22 +0.02 $0
Total valid votes 63,635 100.00
Total rejected ballots 144 0.23 0.0
Turnout 63,635 68.6 +2.6
     Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +2.2

References

  1. ↑ West Vancouver - Sunshine Coast - Sea to Sky Country: 2008 Results
  2. ↑ Conservatives make gains in B.C.
  3. ↑ Aaron Wherry (April 1, 2009). "The Crimson in their midst". Beyond the Commons. Macleans.ca. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  4. ↑ New MP profile: West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea-to-Sky's John Weston
  5. ↑ Parliament of Canada. "Member of Parliament Profile - Elections". House of Commons. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  6. ↑ Parliament of Canada. "Member of Parliament Profile - Committees". House of Commons. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  7. ↑ Weldon, James. "The North Shore News - Weston tables bill for [http://www.nationalhealthandfitnessday.com national health and fitness day]". The North Shore News. The North Shore News. Retrieved October 1, 2012. External link in |title= (help)
  8. ↑ Ingram, Ben. "The Coast Reporter -". The Coast Reporter. The Coast Reporter.
  9. ↑ Mair, Rafe (9 June 2014). "Help Rafe Mair Lift His Gloom Today". The Tyee.
  10. ↑ Mair, Rafe (15 September 2014). "Mulroney Knocks Harper? Oh This Is Rich!". The Tyee.
  11. ↑ Mair, Rafe (19 January 2015). "Mair Predicts: Greens Will Hold Balance of Power". The Tyee.
  12. 1 2 Weston, John (23 June 2014). "Dear Rafe Mair: I'm Not Giving Up". The Tyee.
  13. ↑ Weston, John (1 October 2014). "'The Environment Is the Economy': MP Weston". The Tyee.
  14. ↑ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, 30 September 2015
  15. ↑ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
  16. ↑
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