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Mel Couvelier

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Mel Couvelier
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Saanich and the Islands
In office
October 22, 1986 – October 17, 1991
Serving with Terry Huberts
Preceded byHugh Austin Curtis
Succeeded byRiding Abolished
Personal details
Born(1931-01-20)January 20, 1931
Vancouver, British Columbia
DiedMay 30, 2011(2011-05-30) (aged 80)
Saanich, British Columbia
Political partySocial Credit
SpouseMilly Quakenbush
OccupationBusinessman

Melville Bertram Couvelier (January 20, 1931[1] – May 30, 2011[2]) was a businessman and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Saanich and the Islands from 1986 to 1991 in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as a Social Credit member.

He was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 1948, Couvelier married Milly Quakenbush. He was employed by Crown Zellerbach, a paper manufacturing company, then went on to operate a general store in Coal Harbour. In 1960, the family moved to Victoria. There, he became the owner of Maplewood Poultry Processors and later established Couvelier's Fine Apparel.[1] He ran unsuccessfully in the 1969 and 1972 provincial elections. He was mayor of Saanich from 1977 to 1986.

In 1986, he ran for the leadership of the Social Credit Party; he placed 11th out of 12 candidates on the first ballot, and withdrew, endorsing eventual winner Bill Vander Zalm.[3] Couvelier then ran in the 1986 election for the riding of Saanich and the Islands, and was elected.[4] He was subsequently named to Vander Zalm's cabinet as minister of finance.[5] He remained in the post until March 6, 1991, when he quit because he "couldn't sit beside" Vander Zalm while the latter was under investigation for conflict-of-interest.[6]

After Vander Zalm's resignation later that year, Couvelier ran in the subsequent leadership election. Placing a distant third behind frontrunners Rita Johnston and Grace McCarthy, Couvelier became a "queenmaker". Despite previous animosity with Johnston, he backed her over McCarthy, leading to Johnston's victory.[7]

Following Johnston's inauguration as premier, he was re-appointed minister of finance on April 8, 1991.[8] One month later, on May 7, Couvelier was removed from cabinet. He was alleged to have breached the confidentially provisions of the Financial Institutions Act, leading Johnston to request his resignation. Couvelier complied, but was publicly defiant: denying the allegations, requesting Johnston release the review that persuaded her to fire him, and challenging her to "lay a charge, so I can defend myself in court." Couvelier had obtained his own legal advice that argued his innocence, and said he had a "suspicion of what drives this", which reporters took as a reference to leadership ambitions.[9][10]

In 2008, Couvelier was unsuccessful in a bid to become mayor of Sidney, British Columbia.[11] He died in Saanich at the age of 80.[1][12]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Melville Bertram (Mel) Couvelier". McCall Bros. Funeral Homes. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  2. ^ North, Natalie (February 1, 2011). "With death of Mel Couvelier, community loses veteran leader". Saanich News. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  3. ^ Shaw, Gillian (1986-07-31). "They also ran: The others". Vancouver Sun. pp. B3.
  4. ^ Leyne, Les; Nathan, Holly; Smith, Bill (1986-10-23). "It's Couvelier and Huberts after see-saw Saanich race". Times Colonist.
  5. ^ Mason, Gary; Fitterman, Lisa; Baldrey, Keith (1986-11-06). "Vander Zalm picks seven new faces". Vancouver Sun. pp. A1.
  6. ^ Baldrey, Keith; Hunter, Justine (1991-03-07). "Couldn't sit with premier in house, Couvelier says". Vancouver Sun. pp. A1, 3.
  7. ^ "Queenmaker for a day". The Province. 1991-07-20. p. 5.
  8. ^ Hunter, Justine (April 9, 1991). "Couvelier predicting deficit in new budget". Vancouver Sun. pp. A1–A2.
  9. ^ Austin, Ian; Hauka, Don; McLintock, Barbara (1991-05-08). "Angry Couvelier wants to defend himself in court". The Province. pp. A1.
  10. ^ Hauka, Don (1991-05-08). "Couvelier wants an explanation for ouster". The Province. pp. C5.
  11. ^ "Mel Couvelier balanced B.C.'s budget". Vancouver Sun. June 4, 2011. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  12. ^ "Former B.C. finance minister Mel Couvelier dies at 78". Vancouver Sun. June 1, 2011. Archived from the original on 2018-12-15. Retrieved 2012-02-21.


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