The Honourable
George Heyman
MLA
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy of British Columbia
Assumed office
July 18, 2017
PremierJohn Horgan
David Eby
Preceded byJordan Sturdy (Minister of Environment)
Minister responsible for TransLink
In office
November 24, 2020 – December 7, 2022
PremierJohn Horgan
David Eby
Preceded byposition established
Succeeded byposition abolished
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Vancouver-Fairview
Assumed office
May 14, 2013
Preceded byMargaret MacDiarmid
Personal details
BornVancouver
Political partyNew Democratic Party
Professionunion leader
environmentalist

George Heyman is a Canadian politician and former social, environmental and labour activist. He has represented the district of Vancouver-Fairview in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia since 2013 as a member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP). He currently serves as Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy of British Columbia.

Background

He was born in Vancouver to Stefan and Marta Heyman, a Polish-Jewish couple who escaped occupied Poland during the Second World War by way of Japan with the help of Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese Empire vice-consul at Kaunas, Lithuania.[1] The Heymans were sponsored by relatives in Canada, settling in Vancouver where Stefan worked as a machinist while getting his engineering credentials recognized.[2]

Heyman briefly worked as a logger before becoming a log scaler with the British Columbia Ministry of Forests in 1978.[3] He became involved in the labour movement, eventually serving as president of the British Columbia Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) from 1999 to 2008.[4] As a representative of BCGEU, he was a federal government appointee as a governor of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety from 1998 to 2000.[5][6] He also served on the governing panel of administrators of the B.C. Workers’ Compensation Board (now WorkSafeBC) from 1997 to 2001,[7][8] and chaired the WCB’s audit committee.

From April 2009 to December 2012 Heyman served as executive director of the Sierra Club BC.[9] He oversaw the financial and administrative health of the organization as well as being Sierra Club’s primary public spokesperson on issues regarding energy, mining, conservation of species and habitat, climate change, environmental assessment, forest management and sustainable economic alternatives. Effective January 1, 2013, he took a leave of absence to run in the provincial election.

Politics

Heyman faced high-profile Vancouver city councillor Geoff Meggs in the nomination contest to become the BC NDP candidate for Vancouver-Fairview in the 2013 provincial election. The contest was described by Norman Ruff, professor emeritus at the University of Victoria, as a "clash of titans." While both candidates were considered potential cabinet material, The Globe and Mail reported that Heyman had "the right stuff to be a power player" in an NDP government.[10] On October 21, 2012, Heyman defeated Meggs by winning 58% of the votes, becoming the party's candidate Vancouver-Fairview.[11]

Heyman won the seat on election day, defeating incumbent BC Liberal cabinet minister Margaret MacDiarmid.[12] With the NDP once again forming the official opposition, Heyman at one point considered running in the 2014 leadership election to replace Adrian Dix before deciding against it.[13][14] In the 40th Parliament of British Columbia he served as critic for the environment, green economy and technology.[15] Until February 2016 he also held responsibility for film, television and TransLink.

After winning re-election in the 2017 provincial election,[16] Heyman was appointed the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy in the newly formed NDP minority government on July 18, 2017.[4]

Heyman defeated Liberal candidate and former Vancouver city councillor George Affleck at the 2020 provincial election,[17] as the NDP achieved a majority government. Following the election, on November 24, 2020 he was given the additional role of Minister responsible for TransLink in the second cabinet of Premier John Horgan.[18] In the new cabinet announced by Premier David Eby on December 7, 2022, he retained the post of Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, while the separate TransLink portfolio was abolished.[19]

Electoral record

2020 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Fairview
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticGeorge Heyman15,53856.07+1.95$42,472.54
LiberalGeorge Affleck7,57027.32−4.53$52,688.01
GreenIan Goldman4,36815.76+2.23$1,481.40
LibertarianSandra Filosof-Schipper2340.84–$0.00
Total valid votes 27,710100.00–
Total rejected ballots 3181.13+0.45
Turnout 28,02861.08−4.71
Registered voters 45,991
New Democratic hold Swing +3.24
Source: Elections BC[20][21]
2017 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Fairview
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticGeorge Heyman16,03554.12+6.80$67,813
LiberalGabe Garfinkel9,43631.85-10.41$66,722
GreenLouise Boutin4,00713.53+3.11$437
Your Political PartyJoey Doyle1490.50–$344
Total valid votes 29,627100.00–
Total rejected ballots 2040.68-0.14
Turnout 29,83165.79+6.81
Registered voters 45,343
Source: Elections BC[22][23]
2013 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Fairview
Party Candidate Votes%
New DemocraticGeorge Heyman12,64947.32
LiberalMargaret MacDiarmid11,29842.26
GreenMatthew Pedley2,78510.42
Total valid votes 26,732100.00
Total rejected ballots 2200.82
Turnout 26,95258.98
Source: Elections BC[24]

References

  1. ↑ "Learning his family's history". The Jewish Independent. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  2. ↑ "MLA seeks out positive solutions". The Jewish Independent. 7 April 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  3. ↑ Pynn, Larry (26 July 2017). "Near-death logging experience part of George Heyman's practical background on forest, environmental issues". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  4. 1 2 Pynn, Larry (19 July 2017). "Environmentalists rejoice as George Heyman becomes minister of environment and climate change". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  5. ↑ "Annual Report of the Council 1998/99" (PDF). Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  6. ↑ "Report of the Council April 1, 2000 to March 31, 2001" (PDF). Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  7. ↑ "Order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council 735/1997". Province of British Columbia. 26 June 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  8. ↑ "Order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council 885/2001". Province of British Columbia. 28 September 2001. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  9. ↑ "Analysis: Anticipated B.C. announcement would begin process of creating national park". Osoyoos Times. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  10. ↑ "George Heyman has right stuff to be power player for NDP if elected". The Globe and Mail, October 23, 2012.
  11. ↑ Smith, Charlie (21 October 2012). "George Heyman wins NDP nomination over Geoff Meggs in Vancouver-Fairview". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  12. ↑ Young, Leslie (15 May 2013). "Vancouver-Fairview results: NDP candidate Heyman defeats Liberal minister MacDiarmid". Global News. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  13. ↑ MacLeod, Andrew (19 September 2013). "Actively considering NDP leadership bid, Heyman outlines vision". The Tyee. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  14. ↑ Pablo, Carlito (7 February 2014). "NDP MLA George Heyman staying out of leadership contest". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  15. ↑ "40th Parliament Members at dissolution on April 11, 2017: George Heyman". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  16. ↑ Zeidler, Maryse (10 May 2017). "NDP win new seat in City of Vancouver but lose tight race in False Creek". CBC News. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  17. ↑ Zussman, Richard; Little, Simon (25 October 2020). "B.C. election 2020: Vancouver-Fairview results". Global News. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  18. ↑ Zussman, Richard (26 November 2020). "B.C.'s new cabinet: Rob Fleming out as education minister, Selina Robinson heads finance". Global News. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  19. ↑ "B.C. Premier David Eby unveils new cabinet with Niki Sharma, Katrine Conroy and Ravi Kahlon in top posts". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  20. ↑ "Statement of Votes — 42nd Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  21. ↑ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  22. ↑ "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  23. ↑ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  24. ↑ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
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