Greg Thompson
Encyclopedia
Gregory Francis Thompson, PC
, MP
(born March 28, 1947 in St. Stephen, New Brunswick
) is a Canadian
politician who served six terms as an MP.
Thompson, a businessman and financial planner was first elected into the Canadian House of Commons
in the Canadian federal election, 1988
as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
. He was elected in the riding of Carleton—Charlotte
. His bid for re-election in the Canadian federal election, 1993
was unsuccessful and he was defeated by Harold Culbert
of the Liberal Party of Canada
by fewer than 1,000 votes.
Thompson however ran again in the next election
and was re-elected in the riding of Charlotte, where he defeated Culbert. Thompson was re-elected in the Canadian federal election, 2000
in the riding of New Brunswick Southwest
and again the Canadian federal election, 2004
in the riding of St. Croix—Belleisle. Shortly before the 2004 election, he joined the new Conservative Party of Canada
. He was re-elected in the 2006 federal election
. In the 2008 federal election
he was elected for a sixth term in the riding of New Brunswick Southwest
by garnering over 58% of the vote.
During his time in parliament, he has served as the critic of Human Resources Development, the Treasury Board, Regional Development, Health, and Public Accounts, as well as critic of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. On February 6, 2006, he was appointed Minister of Veterans Affairs
in Stephen Harper
's Cabinet
. In April 2007, he and Harper told the press in Kitchener, Ontario
that a Veterans' Bill of Rights
would come into effect soon and there would be a new ombudsman
for veterans along with it.
He was formerly a high school history teacher at Fundy High School from 1975-1980.
He resigned from his position in Cabinet on January 16, 2010, because years of travel had worn him down and he wasn't looking forward to making a trip to New Zealand due to the length and time he had to invest in the trip. He also announced he would not run in the 2011 federal election.
uncovered evidence that widespread privacy abuses had been occurring at Veterans Affairs Canada
.
Among the cases where privacy issues were investigated is that in which highly personal information of an outspoken critic of Veterans Affairs, including confidential medical and financial information , was included in briefing notes prepared for then-minister Greg Thompson.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, MP
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
(born March 28, 1947 in St. Stephen, New Brunswick
St. Stephen, New Brunswick
St. Stephen is a Canadian town in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, situated on the east bank of the St. Croix River at .-Climate:...
) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician who served six terms as an MP.
Thompson, a businessman and financial planner was first elected into the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the Canadian federal election, 1988
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
. He was elected in the riding of Carleton—Charlotte
Carleton—Charlotte
Carleton–Charlotte was a federal electoral district in New Brunswick, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1997....
. His bid for re-election in the Canadian federal election, 1993
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
was unsuccessful and he was defeated by Harold Culbert
Harold Culbert
Harold William Culbert was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 1997. By career, he was a Chartered Accountant and a businessman, including work in insurance sales....
of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
by fewer than 1,000 votes.
Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
and was re-elected in the riding of Charlotte, where he defeated Culbert. Thompson was re-elected in the Canadian federal election, 2000
Canadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
in the riding of New Brunswick Southwest
New Brunswick Southwest
Charlotte redirects here, for the provincial electoral district, see Charlotte New Brunswick Southwest is a federal electoral district in New Brunswick, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004...
and again the Canadian federal election, 2004
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
in the riding of St. Croix—Belleisle. Shortly before the 2004 election, he joined the new Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
. He was re-elected in the 2006 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
. In the 2008 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
he was elected for a sixth term in the riding of New Brunswick Southwest
New Brunswick Southwest
Charlotte redirects here, for the provincial electoral district, see Charlotte New Brunswick Southwest is a federal electoral district in New Brunswick, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004...
by garnering over 58% of the vote.
During his time in parliament, he has served as the critic of Human Resources Development, the Treasury Board, Regional Development, Health, and Public Accounts, as well as critic of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. On February 6, 2006, he was appointed Minister of Veterans Affairs
Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Veterans Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet whose position was created in 1944. The Department of Veterans Affairs Canada was split from the Department of Pensions and National Health and was given the responsibility of administering benefits and pensions...
in Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
's Cabinet
Cabinet of Canada
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
. In April 2007, he and Harper told the press in Kitchener, Ontario
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
that a Veterans' Bill of Rights
Veterans' Bill of Rights
The Veterans' Bill of Rights is a bill of rights in Canada for veterans of the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It was enacted by the federal government in 2007...
would come into effect soon and there would be a new ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
for veterans along with it.
He was formerly a high school history teacher at Fundy High School from 1975-1980.
He resigned from his position in Cabinet on January 16, 2010, because years of travel had worn him down and he wasn't looking forward to making a trip to New Zealand due to the length and time he had to invest in the trip. He also announced he would not run in the 2011 federal election.
Electoral record
Veterans Affairs privacy issues
In October 2010, Canada’s Privacy Commissioner Jennifer StoddartJennifer Stoddart
Jennifer Stoddart is the current Privacy Commissioner of Canada.Stoddart received a licence in civil law from McGill University as well as a Master of Arts in history from the Université du Québec à Montréal. On December 1, 2003, Stoddart was appointed Canada's Privacy Commissioner by the Governor...
uncovered evidence that widespread privacy abuses had been occurring at Veterans Affairs Canada
Veterans Affairs Canada
The Department of Veterans Affairs , also referred to as Veterans Affairs Canada , is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for pensions/benefits and services for war veterans, retired personnel of the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, their families,...
.
Among the cases where privacy issues were investigated is that in which highly personal information of an outspoken critic of Veterans Affairs, including confidential medical and financial information , was included in briefing notes prepared for then-minister Greg Thompson.