Michael C. Farnworth (born July 23, 1959) is a New Democratic Party (NDP) politician from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. He has served as the MLA for the riding of Port Coquitlam and its predecessors for all but one term since 1991. He is the 15th deputy premier of British Columbia, the minister of Public Safety, solicitor general of British Columbia and Government House leader.[2]
Mike Farnworth | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 15th Deputy Premier of British Columbia | |
| Assumed office October 28, 2021 | |
| Premier | John Horgan |
| Preceded by | Carole James[a] |
| Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General of British Columbia | |
| Assumed office July 18, 2017 | |
| Premier | John Horgan |
| Preceded by | Mike Morris |
| Minister of Social Development and Economic Security of British Columbia | |
| In office November 1, 2000 – June 5, 2001 | |
| Premier | Ujjal Dosanjh |
| Preceded by | Jan Pullinger |
| Succeeded by | position abolished |
| Minister of Health & Minister Responsible for Seniors of British Columbia | |
| In office February 29, 2000 – November 1, 2000 | |
| Premier | Ujjal Dosanjh |
| Preceded by | Penny Priddy |
| Succeeded by | Corky Evans |
| Minister of Employment and Investment & Minister Responsible for Housing of British Columbia | |
| In office February 18, 1998 – February 24, 2000 | |
| Premier | Glen Clark Dan Miller |
| Preceded by | Dan Miller |
| Succeeded by | Gordon Wilson |
| Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of British Columbia | |
| In office January 6, 1997 – February 18, 1998 | |
| Premier | Glen Clark |
| Preceded by | Dan Miller |
| Succeeded by | Jenny Kwan |
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Port Coquitlam | |
| Assumed office May 12, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Riding Established |
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Port Coquitlam-Burke Mountain | |
| In office October 17, 1991 – May 16, 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Riding Established |
| Succeeded by | Karn Manhas |
| In office May 17, 2005 – May 12, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Karn Manhas |
| Succeeded by | Riding Abolished |
| Dean of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia | |
| Assumed office October 24, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Linda Reid |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 23, 1959 Bebington, England[1] |
| Political party | NDP |
| Residence | Port Coquitlam, British Columbia |
Political career
Farnworth was originally elected in 1991 for Port Coquitlam, after serving three terms on Port Coquitlam City Council.[2] He was re-elected in 1996 in the redistributed riding of Port Coquitlam-Burke Mountain, but lost in the party's province-wide wipeout of 2001. Between 1997 and 2001, He served as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (1997–98), Minister of Employment and Investment and Minister Responsible for Housing (1998–2000), Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Seniors (2000), and Minister of Social Development and Economic Security (2000–01).[citation needed]
In 2005 B.C. general election, Farnworth sought to take back his old seat. He won the riding with 11,844 votes (48.14% of valid votes). In 2009, Farnworth was re-elected to his fourth term in the recreated riding of Port Coquitlam with 54.64% of valid votes. Farnworth won again in the 2013 B.C. general election by a large margin, and again in the 2017 B.C. general election with his largest ever margin of victory.[citation needed]
Prior to entering elected office, Farnworth worked at CP Rail and Mt. Isa Mining.[citation needed]
In 2011, Farnworth ran in the NDP leadership election to replace retiring leader Carole James. He was narrowly defeated by Adrian Dix.[3]
On October 28, 2021, Farnworth was appointed Deputy Premier of British Columbia by premier John Horgan, in the wake of an announcement that Horgan was to undergo throat surgery on October 29.[4]
Personal life
Farnworth has publicly acknowledged that he is gay. He has had a relationship with his partner, Doug, for over twenty five years.[5]
Electoral record
| 2020 British Columbia general election: Port Coquitlam | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Mike Farnworth | 15,370 | 64.14 | +8.35 | $9,774.62 | |||
| Liberal | Mehran Zargham | 5,009 | 20.90 | −9.15 | $4,583.11 | |||
| Green | Erik Minty | 3,023 | 12.61 | −0.22 | $2,051.19 | |||
| Libertarian | Lewis Clarke Dahlby | 563 | 2.35 | +1.37 | $0.00 | |||
| Total valid votes | 23,965 | 100.00 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | ||||||||
| Turnout | ||||||||
| Registered voters | ||||||||
| Source: Elections BC[6][7] | ||||||||
| 2017 British Columbia general election: Port Coquitlam | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Mike Farnworth | 14,079 | 55.79 | +2.85 | $52,164 | |||
| Liberal | Susan Chambers | 7,582 | 30.05 | −6.52 | $26,734 | |||
| Green | Jason Hanley | 3,237 | 12.83 | – | $1,177 | |||
| Libertarian | Lewis Clarke Dahlby | 248 | 0.98 | −0.63 | $89 | |||
| Cascadia | Billy Gibbons | 88 | 0.35 | – | $1,973 | |||
| Total valid votes | 25,234 | 100.00 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 131 | 0.52 | −0.20 | |||||
| Turnout | 25,365 | 62.44 | +5.18 | |||||
| Registered voters | 40,621 | |||||||
| Source: Elections BC[8][9] | ||||||||
| 2013 British Columbia general election: Port Coquitlam | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Mike Farnworth | 11,755 | 52.94 | −1.77 | $86,221 | |||
| Liberal | Barbara Lu | 8,120 | 36.57 | −2.28 | $23,507 | |||
| Conservative | Ryan Hague | 1,525 | 6.87 | – | $3,928 | |||
| Your Political Party | Brent Williams | 447 | 2.01 | +1.34 | $610 | |||
| Libertarian | Jogender Dahiya | 358 | 1.61 | +0.73 | $872 | |||
| Total valid votes | 22,205 | 100.00 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 160 | 0.72 | +0.20 | |||||
| Turnout | 22,365 | 57.26 | +2.05 | |||||
| Registered voters | 39,059 | |||||||
| Source: Elections BC[10] | ||||||||
Notes
- ^ This position was vacant from November 2020, until October 2021.
References
- ^ P.G. Normandin (1996). The Canadian Parliamentary Guide. p. 619.
- ^ a b "MLA: Mike Farnworth". Member Biography. Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved May 11, 2010.
- ^ "Farnworth jumps into the ring". CKNW. January 13, 2011. Archived from the original on January 16, 2011.
- ^ Judd, Amy (October 28, 2021). "B.C. Premier John Horgan to undergo surgery to remove growth in throat". Global News. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
- ^ "NDP Leadership hopeful comes out of the closet as he announces his candidacy". CTV News. January 13, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
- ^ "2020 Provincial General Election Final Voting Results". electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
- ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- ^ "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
- ^ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 17 May 2017.