Don Phillips (Canadian politician)
Canadian politician (1929-2016)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Donald McGray Phillips (August 24, 1929 – October 5, 2016) was a Canadian politician who represented the constituency of South Peace River in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1966 to 1969 and from 1972 to 1986.[1] Part of the Social Credit Party caucus, he held various cabinet posts under Premier Bill Bennett.
Don Phillips | |
|---|---|
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for South Peace River | |
| In office August 30, 1972 – April 28, 1986 | |
| Preceded by | Donald Albert Marshall |
| Succeeded by | Jack Weisgerber |
| In office September 12, 1966 – July 21, 1969 | |
| Preceded by | Stanley Carnell |
| Succeeded by | Donald Albert Marshall |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 24, 1929 |
| Died | October 5, 2016 (aged 87) Benowa, Queensland, Australia |
| Party | Social Credit |
| Spouse |
Joan Robertson (m. 1981) |
| Children | Dale Phillips, John Phillips, Mark Phillips, Neal Phillips, Melanie Robertson-Ober |
| Occupation | car dealer |
Biography
Originally a car dealer in Dawson Creek,[2][3] Phillips ran as a Social Credit (Socred) candidate in the 1966 provincial election, and was elected member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for South Peace River.[4]: 298 He did not contest the 1969 election, and Donald Albert Marshall won the riding as a Socred. With Marshall switching to the Progressive Conservatives in 1972, Phillips returned as the riding's Socred candidate for that August's election, and defeated Marshall by 21 votes to re-enter the legislature.[4]: 316
After W. A. C. Bennett resigned as Socred leader in 1973, Phillips nominated Bennett's son Bill for the leadership election;[2][3] the younger Bennett won the race that November. The Socreds returned to power in the 1975 election, and the re-elected Phillips was named to Bill Bennett's cabinet that December as Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Economic Development,[4]: 326 before dropping the agriculture portfolio in October 1976.[5]
He kept his cabinet role following his re-election in 1979,[4]: 336 and additionally became Minister of Tourism and Small Business Development, replacing the defeated Elwood Veitch.[5] Both roles were consolidated to Minister of Industry, Tourism and Small Business Development in November 1979; the position was further amended to Minister of Industry and Small Business Development in January 1980, with tourism split off to a separate post.[5] During this time he was responsible for expanding trade with Pacific rim countries and establishing the Northeast Coal Development project, which saw the creation of the community of Tumbler Ridge.[2][3]
Phillips was re-elected in 1983,[4]: 345 and in February 1985 became Minister of International Trade and Investment; he was additionally given the duties but not the title of Minister of Forests in January 1986 after Thomas Waterland's resignation.[5] He was dropped from the cabinet in February 1986,[5] and resigned as MLA that April.[6][7] He then worked for a while as a lobbyist before retiring to Australia, the home country of his wife Joan.[2][3] He lived on the Gold Coast in his later years, and died on October 5, 2016, at the age of 87.[8]