John Duncan (Canadian politician)

John Morris Duncan, PC, MP, (born December 19, 1948) is a Canadian politician. He served as a Member of the Parliament of Canada from 1993 to January 2006 and again from October 2008 until August 2015. On August 6, 2010, he was appointed to the Canadian Cabinet as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency until his resignation on February 15, 2013 over his inappropriate written communication to the Tax Court of Canada.[1] He later returned to Cabinet as Chief Government Whip, and served in that capacity until the 2015 election, which saw both Duncan's own defeat and the defeat of the government.

The Honourable

John Duncan

PC
Chief Government Whip
In office
July 15, 2013 – August 4, 2015
Prime MinisterStephen Harper
Preceded byGordon O'Connor
Succeeded byAndrew Leslie
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Vancouver Island North
In office
October 14, 2008 – August 4, 2015
Preceded byCatherine J. Bell
Succeeded byRachel Blaney
In office
June 2, 1997 – January 23, 2006
Preceded byRay Skelly
Succeeded byCatherine J. Bell
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for North Island—Powell River
In office
October 25, 1993 – June 2, 1997
Preceded byRay Skelly
Succeeded byRiding Abolished
Personal details
Born
John Morris Duncan

(1948-12-19) December 19, 1948
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Political partyConservative
ResidenceCourtenay, British Columbia
ProfessionForestry

Education

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and raised in British Columbia, Duncan attended the University of British Columbia and graduated with a B.Sc. F from their Faculty of Forestry in 1972. Duncan's first experience as an elected official was as an alderman in Ucluelet, British Columbia from 1982-83.[2]

Entrance to politics

In the 1993 election, Duncan was elected as a member of the Reform Party. He has served in all that party's incarnations up until the 2006 federal election, when he lost his seat to Catherine J. Bell of the New Democratic Party by 630 votes.

Duncan was the Conservative Party's Official Opposition Critic for Natural Resources. During that time he served on the Natural Resources Committee. He helped shape Conservative Party policy on west coast offshore oil and gas, softwood lumber trade and the pine beetle epidemic.

While in parliament, he was a member of the "Restaurant Caucus" in the House of Commons, a group of MPs who have interests in the restaurant industry.

Duncan's Private Member's Bill C - 259 passed the 38th Parliament to receive Royal Assent to eliminate the excise tax on jewelry. Duncan made parliamentary history as the first MP to have a Private Member's bill related to cutting taxation pass.

He won the Vancouver Island North Conservative Party nomination for the 2008 federal election and was elected with 45.78% of the vote.

On December 2, 2008, the New Democratic Party asked the RCMP to investigate John Duncan's alleged secret recording of a private NDP conference. He had apparently received the invitation to participate by mistake, in place of NDP MP Linda Duncan who had "a similar email address".[3][4] This happened within the context of the 2008–09 Canadian parliamentary dispute.

On August 6, 2010, in a minor cabinet shuffle, he joined cabinet as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.[5][6][7]

Under the Harper government, several key bills with a direct effect on aboriginal communities have stalled. As a result, First Nations across Canada have embarked on a widespread and prolonged series of demonstrations under the banner of "Idle No More." In addition, Attawapiskat chief Theresa Spence began a fast in December 2012 to demand a meeting with Harper and a Crown representative. In response, Duncan wrote to Spence requesting she give up her hunger strike and meet with him. "I didn’t ask for Minister Duncan," Spence replied. "And I have dealt with him before. When I observe him, he doesn't have a mind of his own because, before he would answer a question, he would always look at his people. He's not the Prime Minister."[8]

On February 15, 2013, he resigned from his cabinet position as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development after improperly advocating to a tax court on behalf of a constituent in June 2011,[9] and was replaced by James Moore.[10] He returned to cabinet in the more junior role as Minister of State and Chief Government Whip in July 2013.[11][12]

In the 2015 Canadian federal election, Duncan sought reelection in the newly created riding of Courtenay—Alberni, but was defeated by Gord Johns of the NDP.

Electoral record
2015 Canadian federal election: Courtenay—Alberni
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticGord Johns26,58238.06-2.66$124,072.44
ConservativeJohn Duncan19,71428.22-16.66$92,251.34
LiberalCarrie Powell-Davidson15,21221.78+15.06$32,002.88
GreenGlenn Sollitt8,20111.74+4.89$124,891.17
Marxist–LeninistBarbara Biley1400.20––
Total valid votes/Expense limit 69,849100.00 $231,958.67
Total rejected ballots 1850.26–
Turnout 70,03475.90–
Eligible voters 92,266
New Democratic notional gain from Conservative Swing -7.00
This riding was created from Nanaimo—Alberni and Vancouver Island North, both of which elected a Conservative candidate in the last election. John Duncan was the incumbent from Vancouver Island North.
Source: Elections Canada[13][14][15]
2011 Canadian federal election: Vancouver Island North
Party Candidate Votes%±%
ConservativeJohn Duncan27,20646.11+0.33
New DemocraticRonna-Rae Leonard25,37943.01+1.58
LiberalMike Holland3,0185.11+0.93
GreenSue Moen2,9955.08-2.90
IndependentJason Draper3040.52-0.11
Marxist–LeninistFrank Martin570.10–
Total valid votes/Expense limit 59,003100.0  
Total rejected ballots 1870.32
Turnout 59,19066.39
Eligible voters 89,150
Conservative hold Swing -0.62
2008 Canadian federal election: Vancouver Island North
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeJohn Duncan26,16645.78+5.17$76,173
New DemocraticCatherine J. Bell23,68141.43-0.29$80,622
GreenPhilip Stone4,5637.98+3.14$12,309
LiberalGeoff Fleischer2,3914.18-8.65$2,026
IndependentJason Draper3610.63–
Total valid votes/Expense limit 57,162100.0   $171,130
Conservative gain from New Democratic Swing +2.73
2006 Canadian federal election: Vancouver Island North
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticCatherine J. Bell23,56141.72+7.23$80,265
ConservativeJohn Duncan22,93140.61+5.20$91,651
LiberalJim Mitchell7,24312.83-8.62$28,226
GreenMichael Mascall2,7354.84-3.58$8,685
Total valid votes 56,470100.0  
New Democratic gain from Conservative Swing +1.02
2004 Canadian federal election: Vancouver Island North
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeJohn Duncan18,73335.41-15.62$47,274
New DemocraticCatherine J. Bell18,25034.49+22.78$43,372
LiberalNoor Ahmed11,35221.45-3.39$78,890
GreenPam Munroe4,4568.42+3.22$26,376
Marxist–LeninistJack East1110.20+0.02
Total valid votes 52,902100.0  
Total rejected ballots 1360.26+0.01
Turnout 53,03865.79+1.31
Conservative hold Swing -19.20
Change for the Conservatives is based on the combined total of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives.
2000 Canadian federal election: Vancouver Island North
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
AllianceJohn Duncan24,84451.03+3.49$42,203
LiberalDaniel P. Smith12,09224.84+3.92$52,728
New DemocraticAlex Turner5,70111.71-11.57$10,377
Progressive ConservativeDavid R. Tingley2,9976.15+2.71$33
GreenPam Munroe2,5325.20+1.95$6,295
IndependentJohn Krell2160.44–
Natural LawNancy More2050.42-0.03
Marxist–LeninistJack East920.18–$90
Total valid votes 48,679100.0  
Total rejected ballots 1310.27-0.07
Turnout 48,81064.48+0.12
Alliance hold Swing -0.22
Change for the Canadian Alliance is based on the 1997 results of the Reform Party.
1997 Canadian federal election: Vancouver Island North
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
ReformJohn Duncan22,76947.54$31,625
New DemocraticGilbert Popovich11,15223.28$60,126
LiberalDavid Durrant10,02420.92$14,397
Progressive ConservativeDave Tingley1,6503.44$3,659
GreenHazel Lennox1,5593.25
Christian HeritageJohn Krell5221.08$2,001
Natural LawNancy More2180.45
Total valid votes 47,894100.0  
Total rejected ballots 1610.34
Turnout 48,05564.36
This riding was created from Comox—Alberni and North Island—Powell River, both of which elected a Reform candidate in the previous election. John Duncan was the incumbent from North Island—Powell River.
1993 Canadian federal election: North Island—Powell River
Party Candidate Votes%±%
ReformJohn Duncan18,25539.31+37.63
LiberalAl Huddlestan11,87725.57+9.46
New DemocraticRaymond Skelly7,79416.78−35.24
Progressive ConservativeMark von Schellwitz3,6827.93−16.49
NationalMark A. Grenier3,4087.34–
GreenMichael Mascall1,0152.19+0.97
Natural LawWayne A. Melvin2540.55–
Canada PartyJames Peter Turner1590.34–
Total valid votes 46,444100.0  
Reform gain from New Democratic Swing +14.08
gollark: Am I just supposed to MANUALLY check the Maclaurin serieseseses of all the functions I use for this sort of thing?
gollark: Also, how can we prove that common special functions don't have this kind of backdoor?
gollark: See, this is what I'm worried about.
gollark: Those are probably contaminated.
gollark: I can't use them due to the Greek letter shortage.

References
  1. "Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan resigns from cabinet". CBC News. February 15, 2013. Retrieved 2015-06-29.
  2. "Canada Votes 2008 – Vancouver Island North". CBC News. Retrieved 2015-06-29.
  3. "North Vancouver Island MP John Duncan accused of taping NDP caucus call". CanWest News. December 2, 2008. Archived from the original on September 17, 2015. Retrieved 2015-06-29.
  4. Duncan accused by NDP. BCLocalNews. December 2, 2008. Archived December 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  5. "B.C.'s Duncan named Indian Affairs minister". CBC News. August 6, 2010. Retrieved 2015-06-29.
  6. "Indigenous leaders, activists raise concerns about John Duncan's track record".
  7. "John Baird says he'll be a 'pussycat' in new post". CTV News. August 6, 2010. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  8. "As protests swell, Attawapiskat chief stands firm on hunger strike". The Globe and Mail. December 26, 2012. Retrieved 2015-06-29.
  9. "John Duncan resigns as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs over 2011 reference letter". Global News. February 15, 2013. Retrieved 2015-06-29.
  10. "James Moore the right man for the job as aboriginal affairs minister, fellow MP says". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  11. "Stephen Harper's new cabinet features new blood, more women and maintains economic team". Ottawa Citizen. July 15, 2013. Retrieved 2015-06-29.
  12. "Harper adds 8 new faces in major cabinet shakeup". CBC News. July 15, 2013. Retrieved 2015-06-29.
  13. Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Courtenay—Alberni, 30 September 2015
  14. Official Voting Results - Courtenay—Alberni
  15. "Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates". Archived from the original on August 15, 2015.
28th Ministry – Cabinet of Stephen Harper
Cabinet posts (2)
Predecessor Office Successor
  Minister of State
2013–2015
(NB: no portfolio specified - while Chief Government Whip)		  
Chuck Strahl Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
2010–2013		 James Moore
Special Parliamentary Responsibilities
Predecessor Title Successor
Gordon O'Connor Chief Government Whip
2013–2015		 Andrew Leslie
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