Elwood Neal Veitch (July 21, 1929[1] – September 18, 1993[2]) was a financial administrator and political figure in British Columbia, Canada. He represented Burnaby-Willingdon in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1975 to 1979 and from 1983 to 1991 as a Social Credit (Socred) member, and served in the provincial cabinet under premiers Bill Bennett, Bill Vander Zalm and Rita Johnston.
Elwood Veitch | |
|---|---|
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Burnaby-Willingdon | |
| In office May 5, 1983 – October 17, 1991 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Lorimer |
| Succeeded by | Joan Sawicki |
| In office December 11, 1975 – May 10, 1979 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Lorimer |
| Succeeded by | Jim Lorimer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 21, 1929 |
| Died | September 18, 1993 (aged 64) |
| Party | Social Credit |
| Spouse |
Sheila Boyce (m. 1953) |
| Education | University of British Columbia Columbia Pacific University |
| Occupation | Financial administrator |
Biography
editVeitch was born in Monck Township, Ontario, the son of Wellington Veitch and Alice Alma Brott.[1] He was educated in Bracebridge and Ajax, and earned a business diploma from the University of British Columbia; he went on to receive a master's degree in business administration by correspondence from Columbia Pacific University.[3] He married Sheila Gertrude Boyce in 1953.[1]
He ran as a Social Credit candidate in the 1975 provincial election, and defeated the incumbent New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Jim Lorimer to become the member of the Legislative Assembly for Burnaby-Willingdon.[4]: 323 Initially a backbencher, he chaired the legislative committee on crown corporations before being named to Premier Bill Bennett's cabinet in December 1978, serving as Minister of Tourism and Small Business Development.[5][6]
He lost to Lorimer in the 1979 election,[4]: 333 [7] then took the seat back from Lorimer in 1983,[4]: 341 and served as parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Education in the 33rd Parliament.[8] He re-entered Bennett's cabinet in February 1986 as Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs,[6][9] and retained the role after Bill Vander Zalm took over as premier that August.[10]
Veitch defeated NDP candidate Joan Sawicki in the October 1986 election,[4]: 351 and was named Provincial Secretary and Minister of Government Services that November,[11] before becoming Minister of Regional Development in July 1988;[12] he additionally served as Minister of State for the Mainland/Southwest Region beginning in October 1987.[10] He was also named acting Attorney General in June 1988 following Brian Smith's resignation, although this appointment was not confirmed by an Order in Council.[10]
He was re-assigned as Minister of International Business and Immigration in November 1989,[10] and additionally became Minister of Finance and Corporate Relations in March 1991 following Mel Couvelier's resignation.[13] Rita Johnston replaced Vander Zalm as premier in April 1991, and assigned Veitch as Provincial Secretary and Minister responsible for Multiculturalism and Immigration.[14] He ran for re-election that October, but lost to Sawicki as part of the Socreds' electoral collapse.[15]
He died in 1993 at the age of 64.[2]
References
edit- 1 2 3 Normandin, P G (1985). Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1985.
- 1 2 Leyton-Brown, David (1999). Canadian annual review of politics and public affairs. University of Toronto Press. p. 272. ISBN 0-8020-4701-7. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ↑ Fitterman, Lisa (November 26, 1986). "Veitch claims ignorance in matter of degree". Vancouver Sun. p. A8. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "Electoral History of British Columbia, 1871-1986" (PDF). Elections BC. pp. 323, 333, 341, 351. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ Leiren, Hall (December 6, 1978). "Two new faces dealt into reshuffled cabinet". The Vancouver Express. p. 5. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- 1 2 Bennett, Judith Antonik; Verspoor, Frederike (1989). "British Columbia Executive Council Appointments: 1871-1986" (PDF). British Columbia Legislative Library. p. 70. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ↑ "Only two sides to politics in B.C." The Gazette. Montreal. Canadian Press. June 6, 1979. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ↑ "B.C. property owners face tax hike". Star-Phoenix. Saskatoon. Canadian Press. March 2, 1985. p. A12. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ↑ "B.C. shuffle affects 11 ministries". Ottawa Citizen. Canadian Press. February 12, 1986. p. A14. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "Vander Zalm Cabinet: 33rd-34th Parliament 1986–1991" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
- ↑ "New faces added to leaner B.C. cabinet". Star-Phoenix. Saskatoon. Canadian Press. November 7, 1986. p. 48. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ↑ "B.C. legislators spared non-stop bagpipe tunes". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. Associated Press. May 21, 1989. p. 30. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ↑ "Executive Council". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. 1990. Archived from the original on January 28, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ↑ "Rita Johnston Cabinet: 34th Parliament 1991" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
- ↑ "1991 British Columbia Election". Canadian Elections Database. Retrieved November 10, 2025.