Robin Richardson

For the Canadian poet, see Robin Richardson (writer).

• Conservative (federal)
• Vancouver Island Party (provincial, until 2020)

Robin Richardson
Leader of the Vancouver Island Party
In office June 16, 2016 –November 15, 2019
Other political affiliations	Progressive Conservative (until 2000) Alliance (2000–2003)
Profession	Economist

Robin Mark Richardson (born June 26, 1942) is a Canadian former politician who was a Progressive Conservative member of the House of Commons of Canada. He represented the riding of Beaches from 1979 to 1980. He was the founder and leader of the Vancouver Island Party.

Career

Richardson is an economist by profession and once worked with the Fraser Institute. ^[1] At one time, he was a minister for a Christian church in Esquimalt. ^[2]

Richardson represented Ontario's Beaches electoral district which he won in the 1979 federal election. ^[3] After serving his only term, the 31st Canadian Parliament, he was defeated in the 1980 federal election by Neil Young of the New Democratic Party. ^[4]

In September 2000, he unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca Member of Parliament Keith Martin for the Canadian Alliance nomination in that riding. Richardson was particularly critical of Martin's pro-choice position on abortion, while Martin had finished in fourth place during the Canadian Alliance leadership campaign earlier that year. ^[2] Richardson managed Stockwell Day's successful leadership campaign within Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca. ^[5]

In June 2016, he founded the Vancouver Island Party with the goal of advocating Vancouver Island provincehood in the BC Legislative Assembly. ^[6] The party was disbanded in 2020.

Electoral record

1979 Canadian federal election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive Conservative	Robin Richardson	12,840	34.5
	New Democratic	Neil Young	12,322	33.1
	Liberal	Brian Fullerton	11,232	30.2
	Libertarian	David Anderson	388	1.0
	Independent	Donald A. Daley	129	0.3
	Rhinoceros	Judi Skuce	111	0.3
	Marxist–Leninist	Jim McKibbin	91	0.2
	Independent	Jim McMillan	69	0.2
Turnout			37,182	100.0
Parliament of Canada: [7]

1980 Canadian federal election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	New Democratic	Neil Young	12,675	35.6
	Liberal	Terry O'Reilly	11,179	31.4
	Progressive Conservative	Robin Richardson	11,179	31.4
	Libertarian	Dennis Corrigan	272	0.8
	Rhinoceros	David Reid	214	0.6
	Marxist–Leninist	Jim McKibbin	60	0.2
	Independent	Vince Corriero	45	0.1
Turnout			35,624	100.0
Parliament of Canada: [7]

v t e British Columbia provincial by-election, January 30, 2019: Nanaimo
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	New Democratic	Sheila Malcolmson	12,114	49.92	+3.38	$50,194
	Liberal	Tony Harris	9,691	39.93	+7.39	$57,212
	Green	Michele Ney	1,783	7.35	−12.56	$41,039
	Conservative	Justin Greenwood	491	2.02	–	$1,432
	Vancouver Island Party	Robin Mark Richardson	112	0.46	–	$4,208
	Libertarian	Bill Walker	76	0.32	−0.69	$246
Total valid votes			24,267	100.00	–
Total rejected ballots			33	0.14	−0.36
Turnout			24,300	52.59	−8.68
Registered voters			46,210
	New Democratic hold		Swing		−2.01
Source: Elections BC [8]

References

1. Leyne, Les (September 9, 2000). "Richardson facing tough battle against Martin". Times Colonist . Victoria, British Columbia. p. A18. Retrieved March 17, 2024– via newspapers.com.
2. Harnett, Cindy E. (September 17, 2000). "Martin trounces Richardson". and "Martin: Feels energized". Times Colonist . Victoria, British Columbia. pp. D1 –D2. Retrieved March 17, 2024– via newspapers.com.
3. "Counting the votes: The Liberals watch from their Quebec fortress...as Conservatives sweep most of the West". The Globe and Mail. May 24, 1979. pp. 10–11.
4. "Federal general election results listed riding-by-riding". The Ottawa Citizen. February 19, 1987. pp. 29–30.
5. McNulty, Jim (August 27, 2000). "Sure win for Day masks cracks in Alliance". The Province . Vancouver, British Columbia. p. A28. Retrieved March 17, 2024– via newspapers.com.
6. "Home". vanisleparty.com.
7. "History of Federal Ridings since 1867:Beaches, Ontario (1976–1987)". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
8. "2019 Nanaimo By-election Final Voting Results by Voting Area" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved May 7, 2019.

External links

• Robin Richardson – Parliament of Canada biography