Ed Fast

Edward D. "Ed" Fast PC QC MP (born June 18, 1955) is a Canadian Conservative politician, currently the Member of Parliament for Abbotsford. He was formerly the Minister for International Trade and as Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway under Stephen Harper.

The Honourable

Ed Fast

PC MP QC
Fast at UFV in 2016
Official Opposition Critic for the Environment
Assumed office
20 November 2015
LeaderRona Ambrose
Andrew Scheer
Preceded byMegan Leslie
Minister of International Trade
In office
May 18, 2011 – November 4, 2015
Prime MinisterStephen Harper
Preceded byPeter Van Loan
Succeeded byChrystia Freeland
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Acting
In office
February 3, 2015 – February 9, 2015
Preceded byJohn Baird
Succeeded byRob Nicholson
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Abbotsford
Assumed office
January 23, 2006
Preceded byRandy White
Personal details
Born (1955-06-18) June 18, 1955
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Political partyConservative
Spouse(s)Annette Fast
ResidenceAbbotsford, British Columbia[1]
Alma materUniversity of British Columbia

Early life and career

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Ed Fast grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. After graduating from law school at the University of British Columbia in 1982, Fast co-founded the law firm currently known as Linley Welwood. He was elected in 1985 and served two terms as an Abbotsford School Board Trustee. He was elected to Abbotsford City Council in 1996 and served for three 3-year terms. During that time, he served as Deputy Mayor and as Chair of the Parks Recreation & Culture Commission.

Federal politics

Fast was in the 2006 federal election with 63.27% of the vote as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Abbotsford on January 23, 2006. During his first term, Fast was appointed to the Standing Committee of Canadian Heritage and the Standing Committee for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. Fast was also the Vice-Chair of the B.C. Conservative caucus.

In 2006, Fast introduced Private Member's Bill C-277 which doubles from 5 to 10 years in prison the maximum sentence for luring a child over the internet for sexual purposes. The Bill received royal assent on June 22, 2007. Only 2% of private member's bills are ever passed into law.[2]

In the 2008 federal election, Fast received 30,853 votes, 63.3% of the total in Abbotsford.[3] He served as the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights and as a member of the Copyright Modernization Committee.[4] In May 2009, Fast introduced a motion in the House of Commons to rename the Huntingdon border crossing to "Abbotsford-Huntingdon Port of Entry". The official renaming took place on May 28, 2010, preserving the historical significance of the "Huntingdon" name while at the same time more accurately reflecting the location of the border crossing within the Fraser Valley.[5]

From 2009–2011, Fast was the Chair of the Standing Committee on Justice & Human Rights.[6]

Minister of International Trade

Fast was re-elected in the 2011 federal election with 32,493 votes, representing 65% of the popular vote. On May 18, 2011, Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed Ed Fast to Cabinet to serve as Canada's Minister of International Trade.[7] Fast oversaw the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a free trade agreement with Europe.[8] Fast also announced the Canada-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA), Canada's first free trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific region.[9] As Minister, Fast assumed responsibility of the Government of Canada's Global Markets Action Plan – a plan focusing on Canada's core strengths in priority markets through bold trade policy and vigorous trade promotion.[10] He also released Canada's first International Education Strategy, a part of the Global Markets Action Plan to try and attract international talent.[11]

On April 9, 2014, rising on a point of order, MP Dan Harris accused Fast of making a gun gesture and saying "boom" in the direction of Nicki Ashton during Question Period.[12] Fast initially denied the claim in the House of Commons as completely false.[13] Video from the House of Commons shows Fast making a pointing gesture.[14] After the video circulated, Minister Fast admitted that he had made a pointing gesture with his hand, but said that his hand gesture was misinterpreted as shaped as a gun and aimed at a member of Parliament.[15]

Personal life

Ed and his wife Annette have lived in Abbotsford for over 37 years and have four married adult daughters and eight grandchildren.[16] In December 2016, Fast suffered a stroke, but recovered.[17]

Electoral record
2019 Canadian federal election: Abbotsford
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeEd Fast25,16251.4+3.13
LiberalSeamus Heffernan10,56021.6-11.46
New DemocraticMadeleine Sauve8,25716.9-3.29
GreenStephen Fowler3,7027.6+3.32
People'sLocke Duncan9852.0–
Christian HeritageAeriol Alderking2700.6–
Total valid votes/Expense limit 48,936100.0
Total rejected ballots 403
Turnout 49,33965.9
Eligible voters 74,814
Conservative hold Swing +7.29
Source: Elections Canada[18][19]
2015 Canadian federal election: Abbotsford
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeEd Fast23,22948.27-18.61$76,055.10
LiberalPeter Njenga15,77732.78+24.08$14,078.53
New DemocraticJen Martel6,59313.70-5.54$11,592.31
GreenStephen Fowler2,4165.02+0.37$2,578.52
Marxist–LeninistDavid MacKay1090.23-0.30–
Total valid votes/Expense limit 48,124100.00 $202,055.26
Total rejected ballots 2020.42–
Turnout 48,32669.74–
Eligible voters 69,299
Conservative hold Swing -21.35
Source: Elections Canada[20][21][22]
2011 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeEd Fast32,49365.02+1.70
New DemocraticDavid Murray10,08920.19+6.97
LiberalMadeleine Hardin4,9689.94-6.34
GreenDaniel Bryce2,1384.28-2.17
Marxist–LeninistDavid MacKay2860.57–
Total valid votes/Expense limit 49,974100.00
Total rejected ballots 2250.45-0.07
Turnout 50,19959.67+0.67
Conservative hold Swing -2.6%
2008 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeEd Fast30,85363.32+0.05$79,097
LiberalLionel Traverse7,93316.28+3.61$63,013
New DemocraticBonnie Rai6,44413.22-3.75$4,907
GreenKaren Durant3,1416.45+0.64$833
MarijuanaTim Felger3580.73+0.03–
Total valid votes/Expense limit 48,729100.00$86,855
Total rejected ballots 2560.52
Turnout 48,98559.00-1.69
Conservative hold Swing +1.9
2006 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeEd Fast29,82563.27+1.90$68,269
New DemocraticJeffrey Hansen-Carlson8,00416.97+3.34$6,955
LiberalDavid Oliver*5,97612.67-7.27$22,258
GreenStephanie Ashley-Pryce2,7405.81+2.93
MarijuanaTim Felger3340.70-0.13
Canadian ActionRichard Gebert1730.36–$80
Marxist–LeninistDavid S. MacKay860.18+0.08
Total valid votes 47,138100.00
Total rejected ballots 1830.39
Turnout 47,32160.69
Conservative hold Swing -0.72

References
  1. "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  2. "LEGISinfo 39th Parliament - 1st Session". .parl.gc.ca. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
  3. "Ed Fast, Conservative MP for Abbotsford". openparliament.ca. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
  4. "Member of Parliament Profile". webinfo.parl.gc.ca. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
  5. "Canada Border Services Agency". cbsa-asfc.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2010-11-02. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
  6. https://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/JUST?parl=40&session=2
  7. "The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade", www.international.gc.ca, Retrieved 2014-08-11
  8. "Opening New Markets in Europe" (PDF). actionplan.gc.ca. October 18, 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  9. https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/agr-acc/korea-coree/quotes-citations.aspx?lang=eng
  10. "The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade", www.international.gc.ca, Retrieved 2014-08-11
  11. "Canada's International Education Strategy", international.gc.ca, Retrieved 2014-08-11
  12. "Tory Minister Ed Fast Accused Of Making 'Gun' Gesture At NDP MP". huffingtonpost.ca. Retrieved 2014-04-12.
  13. "Tory Minister Ed Fast accused of threatening NDP MP after making 'gun' gesture in House of Commons". nationalpost.ca. Retrieved 2014-04-12.
  14. "Trade Minister Ed Fast accused of making 'gun' gesture at NDP MP Niki Ashton". cbc.ca. Retrieved 2014-04-12.
  15. "The House of Commons the Smoking Gun Video". youtube.com. Retrieved 2014-04-12.
  16. "Ed Fast, Member of Parliament for Abbotsford". edfast.ca. Archived from the original on 2010-04-08. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
  17. "MP Ed Fast suffers stroke, expected to make full recovery". CTVNews. December 13, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  18. "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  19. "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  20. Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Abbotsford, 30 September 2015
  21. Official Voting Results - Abbotsford
  22. "Elections Canada Online - Final Candidates Election Expenses Limits". elections.ca. Archived from the original on August 15, 2015.
Parliament of Canada
Preceded by
Randy White		 Member of Parliament
for Abbotsford
2006–present		 Incumbent
28th Ministry – Cabinet of Stephen Harper
Cabinet posts (2)
Predecessor Office Successor
John Baird Minister of Foreign Affairs
2015
Acting		 Rob Nicholson
Peter Van Loan Minister of International Trade
2011–2015		 Chrystia Freeland
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