George Abbott (politician)

George Abbott
Born	(1952-11-17) November 17, 1952 Enderby, British Columbia, Canada
Occupation(s)	Politician, educator, farmer
Years active	1996–2013
Known for	Member of the Legislative Assembly for Shuswap (1996–2013); cabinet minister in British Columbia

George Abbott (born November 17, 1952) is a retired Canadian politician who served as a cabinet minister in British Columbia. He represented the Shuswap electoral district in the Legislative Assembly from 1996 until 2013. As a member of the British Columbia Liberal Party, Abbott occupied several cabinet roles under premiers Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark, and was also a contender in the 2011 leadership contest of the BC Liberals.

Early life and career

Abbott was born in Enderby and raised in the Shuswap area, specifically in Sicamous. He began his post-secondary education at the Okanagan College campus in Salmon Arm before transferring to the University of British Columbia, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree. Subsequently, he pursued graduate studies at the University of Victoria (UVic), completing an internship at the provincial legislature and earning a Master of Arts in political science in 1978.

Following his academic pursuits, Abbott returned to Sicamous to assist with managing his family's berry farm. In 1980, he was elected to the board of the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, where he served as chair. Additionally, he taught political science at Okanagan College’s Salmon Arm campus.

Abbott and his wife Lesley are parents to three children. He also contributed to his community by coaching minor hockey teams.

Opposition and Campbell ministry

Abbott entered provincial politics as a BC Liberal candidate in the 1996 provincial election, winning the seat for Shuswap with less than 35% of the vote. While serving in opposition, he took on responsibilities as critic for municipal affairs and forests, as well as deputy house leader.

After securing re-election in 2001, Abbott was named Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services that June. In this role, he worked closely with the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) to enact the Community Charter, an accomplishment that earned him lifetime membership with UBCM.

On January 26, 2004, Abbott assumed the position of Minister of Sustainable Resource Management, collaborating with industry stakeholders, environmental organizations, and First Nations to finalize the agreement concerning the Great Bear Rainforest, promoting ecosystem-based management practices. Notably, he was the sole BC Liberal candidate endorsed by Conservation Voters of BC during the 2005 election.

Following the 2005 election, Abbott was appointed Minister of Health, where he partnered with the BC Medical Association to implement Electronic Health Records. He incorporated principles from the Canada Health Act and sustainability measures into provincial legislation and launched a $100-million Health Innovation Fund aimed at decreasing wait times for emergency care and elective procedures.

After winning re-election in 2009, Abbott became Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation as well as government deputy house leader. In this capacity, he collaborated with First Nations leaders on initiatives including designations for the Salish Sea and Haida Gwaii, and finalized an agreement with the Yale First Nation. Abbott maintained these responsibilities until October 25, 2010, when he was appointed Minister of Education.

Leadership Bid for the Liberal Party

On November 25, 2010, George Abbott declared his intention to run for the leadership of the BC Liberal Party, aiming to replace Gordon Campbell, and consequently stepped down from his cabinet position. Throughout his campaign, Abbott committed to rescheduling the harmonized sales tax referendum from its original date of September 24, 2011, to a new deadline no later than June 24. He also advocated for raising the minimum wage. Additionally, Abbott urged a reassessment of the $6 million disbursed for expenses linked to convicted Liberal aides Robert Virk and David Basi during the BC Rail trial but refrained from calling for a comprehensive public inquiry into bribery allegations involving party members. Ultimately, Abbott secured third place in the leadership contest, which Christy Clark won.

Ministerial Role under Clark

Abbott was appointed as Minister of Education in Christy Clark’s first cabinet on March 14, 2011. On August 30, 2012, he announced his decision not to seek re-election in 2013 but continued serving as education minister until September 5, 2012.

Activities Following Political Career

In 2013, Abbott returned to the University of Victoria to pursue a thesis focusing on federal and provincial jurisdiction concerning aboriginal policy. Later that year, he began instructing a course on British Columbia’s political economy at UVic and completed his PhD in 2019.

In 2015, Premier Clark’s cabinet blocked Abbott’s proposed appointment as Chief Treaty Commissioner of the BC Treaty Commission amid ongoing treaty process reforms—a move that drew criticism from First Nations groups. That same year, Abbott allowed his membership in the Liberal Party to lapse, citing multiple reasons for dissatisfaction and identifying himself as non-partisan.

Election Outcomes

|-

|NDP |Steve Gunner |align="right"|7,051 |align="right"|30.54% |align="right"| |align="right"|$41,011

| Conservative | Beryl Ludwig |align="right"|2,374 |align="right"|10.28% |align="right"| |align="right"|$9,378

|}

|NDP |Wayne Fowler |align="right"|3,788 |align="right"|16.46% |align="right"|$12,950

|No Affiliation |Jeanette (N.O.) McLennan |align="right"|119 |align="right"|0.52% |align="right"|$100

|}

|-

|NDP |Calvin White |align="right"|7,869 |align="right"|31.63% | |align="right"|$37,552 |-

|No Affiliation |Gordon Campbell |align="right"|810 |align="right"|3.26% | |

|Independent |Merv Ritchie |align="right"|204 |align="right"|0.82% | |align="right"|$505

External links

• Official Biography, Legislative Assembly of British Columbia