Katrine Conroy (née Thor-Larsen; born 1957) is a Canadian politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2005 provincial election and served until 2024. She represented the electoral district of Kootenay West as a member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP). She served in the cabinet of British Columbia from 2017 until 2024, most recently as Minister of Finance.[4]
Katrine Conroy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister of Finance of British Columbia | |
| Assumed office December 7, 2022 | |
| Premier | David Eby |
| Preceded by | Selina Robinson |
| Minister of Forests of British Columbia | |
| In office November 26, 2020 – December 7, 2022 | |
| Premier | John Horgan David Eby |
| Preceded by | Doug Donaldson |
| Succeeded by | Bruce Ralston |
| Minister of Children and Family Development of British Columbia | |
| In office July 18, 2017 – November 26, 2020 | |
| Premier | John Horgan |
| Preceded by | Stephanie Cadieux |
| Succeeded by | Mitzi Dean |
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Kootenay West West Kootenay-Boundary (2005-2009) | |
| In office May 17, 2005 – September 21, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Sandy Santori |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Katrine Thor-Larsen[1] 1957 or 1958 (age 66–67)[2] Powell River, British Columbia[3] |
| Political party | New Democrat |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence(s) | Pass Creek, British Columbia, Canada |
| Occupation | rancher |
Background
editConroy was born to Ben and Ingeborg Thor-Larsen, who were Danish immigrants to Canada.[5] The family settled in the West Kootenay in 1962, with Katrine graduating from Castlegar's Stanley Humphries Secondary School in 1975, before finding work as a power engineer at the local pulp mill.[5][6] She completed the early childhood education program at Selkirk College, then worked at local daycares before eventually becoming executive director of the Kootenay Columbia Childcare Society.[5][6] In 1997 she returned to Selkirk College as a part-time instructor.[5][7]
She was married to Ed Conroy, a former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the district of Rossland-Trail, from March 1981 until his death on June 26, 2020, at the age of 73.[1][8] She has 4 children.[9]
Political career
editConroy ran as the NDP candidate for the riding of West Kootenay-Boundary in the 2005 provincial election, winning the seat by 7,138 votes.[10] She was subsequently named caucus whip for the NDP in June 2005.[11] In the 2009 election she ran in the riding of Kootenay West, winning by a margin of 8,054 votes;[10] she was re-elected in that riding in the 2013, 2017 and 2020 elections. While the NDP was in opposition, Conroy served as critic in several portfolios, including Seniors, Interior Economic Development, and Labour.[7]
Following NDP leader Carole James's dismissal of MLA Bob Simpson from party caucus, Conroy resigned from her position as opposition caucus whip on November 19, 2010.[12][13]
With the NDP coming to power as a minority government following the 2017 election, Conroy was appointed Minister of Children and Family Development under Premier John Horgan.[14][15] Following her re-election in 2020, she was appointed Minister of Forests in the Horgan ministry.[16] On December 7, 2022 she was appointed Minister of Finance by Premier David Eby.[17] On May 10, 2024, she announced she would not be seeking reelection to the Legislature.
Electoral record
edit| 2020 British Columbia general election: Kootenay West | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Katrine Conroy | 10,822 | 61.15 | +1.51 | $28,778.63 | |||
| Green | Andrew Duncan | 3,040 | 17.18 | +1.19 | $681.94 | |||
| Liberal | Corbin Kelley | 1,975 | 11.16 | −13.21 | $1,167.21 | |||
| Conservative | Glen Byle | 1,447 | 8.18 | – | $1,516.50 | |||
| Independent | Ed Varney | 224 | 1.27 | – | $297.00 | |||
| Independent | Fletcher Quince | 189 | 1.07 | – | $0.00 | |||
| Total valid votes | 17,697 | 100.00 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | ||||||||
| Turnout | ||||||||
| Registered voters | ||||||||
| Source: Elections BC[18][19] | ||||||||
| 2017 British Columbia general election: Kootenay West | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Katrine Conroy | 11,297 | 59.64 | −3.37 | $37,247 | |||
| Liberal | Jim Postnikoff | 4,617 | 24.37 | +3.04 | $16,277 | |||
| Green | Sam Troy | 3,029 | 15.99 | – | ||||
| Total valid votes | 18,943 | 100.00 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 93 | 0.49 | ||||||
| Turnout | 19,036 | 60.78 | ||||||
| Source: Elections BC[20] | ||||||||
| 2013 British Columbia general election: Kootenay West | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Katrine Conroy | 11,349 | 63.01 | −3.66 | $75,493 | |||
| Liberal | Jim Postnikoff | 3,841 | 21.33 | −1.05 | $35,773 | |||
| Independent | Joseph Peter Hughes | 2,391 | 13.27 | – | $7,070 | |||
| Independent | Glen Curtis Byle | 431 | 2.39 | – | $920 | |||
| Total valid votes | 18,012 | 100.00 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 86 | 0.48 | ||||||
| Turnout | 18,098 | 56.92 | ||||||
| Source: Elections BC[21] | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ a b "OBIT: Honour local icon Ed Conroy by registering as an organ donour". The Castlegar Source. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ Wife of former MLA seeking nomination: [Final Edition] Skye, Kate. Trail Times; Trail, B.C. [Trail, B.C]05 Oct 2004: 1 / Front.
- ^ Conroy name back on the ballot: Katrine Conroy -- wife of former West Kootenay-Boundary MLA Ed Conroy -- will get nod for NDP: [Final Edition] Skye, Kate. Nelson Daily News [Nelson, B.C] 09 Feb 2005: 3.
- ^ "Katrine Conroy named B.C.'s Finance Minister, 8 new members of David Eby's cabinet | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
- ^ a b c d "An Intimate Knowledge of the Power of Post-Secondary". Selkirk College. 25 June 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ a b "The ECE who became a B.C. minister". Trail Times. 2019-04-14. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
- ^ a b "MLA: Hon. Katrine Conroy". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
- ^ "Ed Conroy, former B.C. cabinet minister, dies at 73". Global News. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
- ^ "Honourable Katrine Conroy". news.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Kootenay West". CBC News. 2013-04-29. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
- ^ "BC NDP Appoint Critics". Castanet. 2005-06-22. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
- ^ "B.C. NDP caucus whip Katrina Conroy resigns". CBC.ca. 19 November 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "Another blow to NDP leader, as caucus whip announces she's quitting her post". Winnipeg Free Press. 19 November 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ Zussman, Richard; McElroy, Justin (2017-07-18). "B.C.'s new NDP government sworn into office". CBC News. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
- ^ "Premier John Horgan announces new cabinet to build a better B.C." (Press release). Office of the Premier of British Columbia. 2017-07-18. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
- ^ Lindsay, Bethany (2020-11-26). "New faces join B.C.'s new cabinet, while stalwarts stay on in key roles". CBC News. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
- ^ "B.C. Premier David Eby unveils new cabinet with Niki Sharma, Katrine Conroy and Ravi Kahlon in top posts". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
- ^ "2020 Provincial General Election Final Voting Results". electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
- ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "Statement of Votes – 41st Provincial General Election – May 9, 2017" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
- ^ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 17 May 2017.