Jim Hewitt

Last updated

Sheila Hewitt
​
(div. 1980)​

Dorothy Merle Barber
​
​
(m. 1980;died 2021)​
Jim Hewitt
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Boundary-Similkameen
In office
December 11, 1975 –December 10, 1987
Servingwith Ivan Messmer (1986-1987)
Residence(s) Penticton, British Columbia, Canada

James J. Hewitt (born January 28, 1933) is a retired Canadian politician who represented the riding of Boundary-Similkameen in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1975 to 1987. [1] A member of the Social Credit Party, he held several ministerial roles in the Executive Council of British Columbia under premiers Bill Bennett and Bill Vander Zalm.

Biography

Hewitt was born and raised in Toronto, then moved to Vancouver in 1962 where he attained his accounting designation. [2] He settled in the Okanagan in 1967, and worked as a manager at the Penticton and District Credit Union; he was elected Penticton alderman in 1969. [2]

He ran as a Social Credit candidate in the 1975 provincial election, and was elected member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Boundary-Similkameen. [3] : 323  Initially without a cabinet post, he was named Minister of Agriculture in October 1976 by Premier Bill Bennett, then served as Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources from December 1978 to November 1979. [4] After winning re-election in May 1979, [3] : 333  he regained the agriculture portfolio, which was re-titled to Minister of Agriculture and Food in August 1980. [4] He was re-assigned as Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs in August 1982, and kept that post following his re-election in 1983 before becoming Minister of Education in February 1986. [3] : 341  [4]

Hewitt was named Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries after Bill Vander Zalm became premier in August 1986. [5] Boundary-Similkameen became a two-member district in that October's election; Hewitt was re-elected there alongside Ivan Messmer. [6] He was not given a cabinet position, [5] and resigned as MLA in December 1987 over disagreements with Vander Zalm; [6] [7] he subsequently served seven years as chairman of the Farm Credit Corporation. [2] Although retired from elected politics, Hewitt actively campaigned against the province's 2009 electoral reform referendum. [8]

He met Dorothy Barber when she worked on his campaign in 1979; [2] they were married in 1980. [9] He has four children with his first wife Sheila. [9] [10]

References

  1. ↑ Parker, Charles Whately; Greene, Barnet M. (1977). "Who's who in Canada: An Illustrated Biographical Record of Men and Women of the Time".
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Former MLA and wife give back to community". Summerland Review. February 6, 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Electoral History of British Columbia, 1871-1986" (PDF). Elections BC. pp. 323, 333, 341. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 Bennett, Judith Antonik; Verspoor, Frederike (1989). "British Columbia Executive Council Appointments: 1871-1986" (PDF). British Columbia Legislative Library. p. 69. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Vander Zalm Cabinet: 33rd-34th Parliament 1986–1991" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  6. 1 2 McMartin, Will (April 4, 2005). "The Okanagan, a Liberal Stronghold". The Tyee . Retrieved October 27, 2025.
  7. ↑ "A checklist of members of the Legislature of British Columbia" (PDF). Legislative Library of British Columbia. May 16, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 27, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  8. ↑ Kidd, Steve (April 21, 2009). "A political shock to the system". Penticton Western News. Archived from the original on May 13, 2009.
  9. 1 2 "Dorothy Merle Hewitt Obituary" . Retrieved October 27, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Agricultural minister loses family because of politics". Regina Leader-Post . Canadian Press. February 1, 1980. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
Political offices
Preceded by
himself
 Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries of British Columbia
August 14, 1986 – November 6, 1986		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Agriculture and Food of British Columbia
August 7, 1986 – August 14, 1986		Succeeded by
himself
Preceded by Minister of Education of British Columbia
February 11, 1986 – August 14, 1986		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs of British Columbia
August 10, 1982 – February 11, 1986		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Agriculture and Food of British Columbia
Minister of Agriculture (1979-1980)
June 5, 1979 – August 10, 1982		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Bill Bennett (Energy)
James Chabot (Mines and Petroleum Resources)
 Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources of British Columbia
December 5, 1978 – November 24, 1979		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Agriculture of British Columbia
October 29, 1976 – December 5, 1978		Succeeded by
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