Peter Van Loan
Peter Van Loan PC (born April 18, 1963) is a former Canadian politician who served as the Member of Parliament for the electoral district of York—Simcoe from 2004 to 2018. He was the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons from 2007 to 2008 and again from 2011 to 2015.
Peter Van Loan | |
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![]() Van Loan in 2014 | |
Official Opposition Critic for Canadian Heritage | |
In office 20 November 2015 – 7 September 2018 | |
Leader | Rona Ambrose |
Preceded by | Pierre Nantel |
Succeeded by | Steven Blaney |
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons | |
In office May 18, 2011 – November 4, 2015 | |
Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | John Baird |
Succeeded by | Dominic LeBlanc |
In office January 4, 2007 – October 30, 2008 | |
Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Rob Nicholson |
Succeeded by | Jay Hill |
Minister of International Trade | |
In office January 19, 2010 – May 18, 2011 | |
Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Stockwell Day |
Succeeded by | Ed Fast |
Minister of Public Safety | |
In office October 30, 2008 – January 19, 2010 | |
Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Stockwell Day |
Succeeded by | Vic Toews |
President of the Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs | |
In office November 27, 2006 – January 4, 2007 | |
Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Michael Chong |
Succeeded by | Josée Verner |
Member of the Canadian Parliament for York—Simcoe | |
In office June 28, 2004 – September 30, 2018 | |
Preceded by | Riding established |
Succeeded by | Scot Davidson |
Personal details | |
Born | Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada | April 18, 1963
Political party | Conservative |
Residence | Sutton, Ontario |
Profession | Lawyer |
Biography
Born in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Van Loan is of Estonian heritage on his maternal side. His mother and grandparents fled Estonia during World War II and immigrated to Canada.
Van Loan was educated at the University of Toronto and York University and holds a bachelor's degree, a Masters in International Relations and an additional master's degree in geography. Van Loan graduated from York University's Osgoode Hall Law School and was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1989.
Prior to his election to public office, Van Loan was a partner and Chair of the Planning and Development Law Group at the law firm of Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP in Toronto, Ontario. Van Loan was also an Adjunct Professor of Planning at the University of Toronto. He served as president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario during Mike Harris' term of office and then of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada for a brief period. He resigned from the latter post in 2000 after a series of disagreements with its leader, Joe Clark.
Van Loan was a key figure in the unsuccessful attempt to convince Premier of New Brunswick Bernard Lord to run for the leadership of the federal Progressive Conservatives in late 2002. He was a key organizer in the "Yes" Campaign, led by Tory Leader Peter MacKay, to ratify the merger of the Progressive Conservative Party and the Canadian Alliance into the Conservative Party of Canada. Van Loan then again attempted to recruit Lord to run for the leadership of the new party, and again was unsuccessful.
In an article from January 24, 2008, Van Loan was classified as one of "Harper's 12", the twelve most influential people in Ottawa, by Maclean's Magazine. Other cabinet ministers included were Jim Prentice, John Baird, and Jim Flaherty.
On October 30, 2008, Jay Hill replaced Van Loan as Government House Leader and Steven John Fletcher took over the Minister for Democratic Reform post. Van Loan became the Minister for Public Safety, as Stockwell Day became the Minister of International Trade. On these changes Don Martin wrote: "The House of Commons might become a slightly friendlier place now that Peter Van Loan has lost the job of Question Period cheap shot specialist to become Public Safety Minister, a good move that seems to back Harper’s pledge to play nice with others during the upcoming session." [1]
On January 19, 2010, Prime Minister Stephen Harper designated Van Loan as the next Minister of International Trade. It has been suggested that Harper removed the MP from his post as Public Safety Minister because of dissatisfaction with his leadership pertaining to the correctional system.[2]
On December 5, 2012, on the floor of the House of Commons Van Loan was involved in an altercation with NDP Leader Tom Mulcair. Van Loan crossed the aisle and used an inappropriate word during the confrontation. He was restrained by Defence Minister Peter MacKay.[3]
Van Loan was one of thirteen Canadians banned from travelling to Russia under retaliatory sanctions imposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in March 2014.[4] In response to the ban, Van Loan said that the ban was "not of serious consequence" and that he would "not be losing sleep over being on the list."[5]
On July 29, 2018, Van Loan announced that he would be retiring from politics. He retired from the House of Commons on September 30.[6] In the by-election, his seat was held for the Conservatives by candidate Scot Davidson.
Electoral record
2004 Canadian federal election | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||||
Conservative | Peter Van Loan | 21,343 | 45.2 | |||||
Liberal | Kate Wilson | 16,763 | 35.5 | |||||
New Democratic | Sylvia Gerl | 5,314 | 11.2 | |||||
Green | Bob Burrows | 2,576 | 5.5 | |||||
Progressive Canadian | Stephen Sircelj | 670 | 1.4 | |||||
Christian Heritage | Vicki Gunn | 588 | 1.2 | |||||
Total valid votes | 47,254 | 100.0 |
2006 Canadian federal election | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
Conservative | Peter Van Loan | 25,685 | 47.9 | +2.7 | ||||
Liberal | Kate Wilson | 16,456 | 30.7 | -4.8 | ||||
New Democratic | Sylvia Gerl | 7,139 | 13.3 | +2.1 | ||||
Green | John Dewar | 3,719 | 6.9 | +1.5 | ||||
Christian Heritage | Vicki Gunn | 595 | 1.1 | -0.1 | ||||
Total valid votes | 53,594 | 100.0 |
2008 Canadian federal election | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
Conservative | Peter Van Loan | 27,412 | 56.7 | +8.8 | $89,302 | |||
Liberal | Judith Moses | 9,044 | 18.7 | -12.0 | $63,431 | |||
New Democratic | Sylvia Gerl | 5,882 | 12.2 | -1.1 | $7,414 | |||
Green | John Dewar | 4,887 | 10.1 | +3.2 | $10,646 | |||
Progressive Canadian | Paul Pisani | 676 | 1.4 | – | $5,640 | |||
Christian Heritage | Vicki Gunn | 444 | 0.9 | -0.2 | $7,287 | |||
Total valid votes/Expense limit | 48,345 | 100.0 | $89,500 |
2011 Canadian federal election | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
Conservative | Peter Van Loan | 33,614 | 63.6 | +6.9 | ||||
New Democratic | Sylvia Gerl | 10,190 | 19.3 | +7.1 | ||||
Liberal | Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux | 5,702 | 10.8 | -7.9 | ||||
Green | John Dewar | 2,851 | 5.4 | -4.7 | ||||
Christian Heritage | Vicki Gunn | 352 | 0.7 | -0.2 | ||||
United | Paul Pisani | 157 | 0.3 | – | ||||
Total valid votes/Expense limit | 52,866 | 100.0 | ||||||
Total rejected ballots | 201 | 0.4 | – | |||||
Turnout | 53,067 | 58.6 | – | |||||
Eligible voters | 90,552 | – | – |
2015 Canadian federal election | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
Conservative | Peter Van Loan | 24,058 | 50.25 | ![]() | $138,801.13 | |||
Liberal | Shaun Tanaka | 18,083 | 37.77 | ![]() | $62,296.23 | |||
New Democratic | Sylvia Gerl | 4,255 | 8.89 | ![]() | $12,736.48 | |||
Green | Mark Viitala | 1,483 | 3.1 | ![]() | – | |||
Total valid votes/Expense limit | 47,879 | 100.0 | $208,120.39 | |||||
Total rejected ballots | 232 | 0.48 | ![]() | |||||
Turnout | 48,111 | 63.66 | ![]() | |||||
Eligible voters | 75,570 | |||||||
Source: Elections Canada[7][8] |
References
- Martin, Don (October 30, 2008). "Harper keeps everyone occupied with supersized cabinet". National Post.
- Noé, Markus (January 19, 2010). "Peter Van Loan out as Minister of Public Safety". Cornwall Free News.
- Press, Canadian (December 6, 2012). "Peter Van Loan: Fight Comments Were Inappropriate (VIDEO)". The Canadian Press.
- Susana Mas (March 24, 2013). "Russian sanctions against Canadians a 'badge of honour'". CBC News. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
- "Putin bans Van Loan from Russia as Ukraine crisis grows". Innisfil Journal. March 24, 2014.
- "Former House leader under Stephen Harper, Peter Van Loan, retiring from Commons". CTV News. Canadian Press. 29 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for York—Simcoe, 30 September 2015
- Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Peter Van Loan. |
- Official website
- Profile at Parliament of Canada
- Peter Van Loan – Parliament of Canada biography
- Speeches, votes and activity at OpenParliament.ca
- Peter Van Loan on how Ottawa can help businesses abroad
- Van Loan 'erred' in prison transfer requests
- Come to Canada!: Van Loan
28th Ministry – Cabinet of Stephen Harper | ||
Cabinet posts (5) | ||
---|---|---|
Predecessor | Office | Successor |
Stockwell Day | Minister of International Trade 2010–2011 styled as Minister of International Trade |
Edward Fast |
Stockwell Day | Minister of Public Safety 2008–2010 styled as Minister of Public Safety |
Vic Toews |
Rob Nicholson | Minister of State 2007–2008 styled as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons |
Jay Hill |
Michael Chong | President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada 2006–2007 |
Rona Ambrose |
Michael Chong | Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs 2006–2007 |
Rona Ambrose |
Special Cabinet Responsibilities | ||
Predecessor | Title | Successor |
Rob Nicholson | Minister responsible for Democratic Reform 2007–2008 |
Steven John Fletcher |
Michael Chong | Minister for Sport 2006–2007 |
Helena Guergis as Secretary of State for Sport |
Special Parliamentary Responsibilities | ||
Predecessor | Title | Successor |
John Baird | Leader of the Government in the House of Commons 2007–2008, 2011–2015 |
Dominic LeBlanc |
Parliament of Canada | ||
Preceded by Riding created in 2004 |
Member of Parliament for York-Simcoe 2004–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |