Jeremy Dalton
Encyclopedia
Jeremy Dalton BA
(September 22, 1942 – May 28, 2005) was a Canadian politician and lawyer. He was a member of the British Columbia Liberal Party
and later an independent
. He served as MLA for the riding of West Vancouver-Capilano
for two terms after the 1991
and 1996 elections
.
, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts
and a law degree. He also ran a private law practice and taught at Langara College
. He was married to Leah Dalton and had three children.
for the district of West Vancouver-Capilano
, winning a majority of votes, every poll
, and the second-highest margin in the province.
While in opposition, Dalton was critic for labour and consumer services early on. He was education critic after that, In the rumblings leading up to the Gordon Wilson
-Judi Tyabji
scandal, he replaced Gary Farrell-Collins
as opposition whip
. After Tyabji's sacking as opposition house leader, he was appointed to that position by Liberal Leader Gordon Wilson. Later in 1993 he became critic for attorney-general. While justice critic, Dalton (and most of the Liberal opposition) took the unusual step of supporting NDP attorney-general Colin Gabelmann after the latter admitted to including incorrect information in a court affidavit
so as to not have to appear in court. The day after Dalton and the rest of the Liberals reversed their position.
, Dalton may have had a harder-than-usual nomination. He eventually became the candidate and was re-elected. His 71.3% of votes was the highest in any riding that election. After that election, he again became labour critic.
under development near a ranch that his wife and father-in-law were part owners of. Liberal leader Gordon Campbell asked the province's conflict of interest commissioner to investigate shortly thereafter after it surfaced that he had written as many as four letters about the same issue, including two to different government cabinet ministers. Dalton later became deputy environment critic after a shadow cabinet shuffle. The commissioner eventually concluded that although it was inappropriate, it was not a conflict of interest because he was acting as a private citizen, and that he should not have been using MLA stationary for personal matters.
, where two of his children were attending. At the time he was deputy education critic and was left a backbencher as a result. The third letter, again about the gravel pit and ranch, resulted in his suspension from caucus
for three months. His suspension lasted from April 5, 2000 to July 10, 2000. After returning to caucus, he publicly supported a tunnel being built as a third crossing of Burrard Inlet.
Dalton was permanently dismissed from Liberal caucus and sat as an independent
on January 11, 2001. This time it was because he publicly reprimanded two Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) officers at the scene of an accident. He sat as an independent for the remainder of the term and ran in the 2001 election
, but was defeated.
After minor continuing involvement in politics after the 2001 election, Dalton died on May 28, 2005 succumbing to complications following surgery.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(September 22, 1942 – May 28, 2005) was a Canadian politician and lawyer. He was a member of the British Columbia Liberal Party
British Columbia Liberal Party
The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
and later an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. He served as MLA for the riding of West Vancouver-Capilano
West Vancouver-Capilano
West Vancouver-Capilano is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada.For other current and historical North Shore and City of Vancouver ridings, please see Vancouver - Demographics :...
for two terms after the 1991
British Columbia general election, 1991
The British Columbia general election of 1991 was the 35th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on September 19, 1991, and held on October 17, 1991...
and 1996 elections
British Columbia general election, 1996
The British Columbia general election of 1996 was the thirty sixth provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 30, 1996, and held on May 28, 1996...
.
Personal life
Before entering politics, Dalton attended the University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and a law degree. He also ran a private law practice and taught at Langara College
Langara College
Langara College is a public degree-granting college in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada which serves approximately 20,000 students annually through its university, career, and continuing studies programs...
. He was married to Leah Dalton and had three children.
1991 election
He was first elected in the British Columbia general election, 1991British Columbia general election, 1991
The British Columbia general election of 1991 was the 35th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on September 19, 1991, and held on October 17, 1991...
for the district of West Vancouver-Capilano
West Vancouver-Capilano
West Vancouver-Capilano is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada.For other current and historical North Shore and City of Vancouver ridings, please see Vancouver - Demographics :...
, winning a majority of votes, every poll
Polling station
A polling place or polling station is where voters cast their ballots in elections.Since elections generally take place over a one- or two-day span on a periodic basis, often annual or longer, polling places are often located in facilities used for other purposes, such as schools, churches, sports...
, and the second-highest margin in the province.
While in opposition, Dalton was critic for labour and consumer services early on. He was education critic after that, In the rumblings leading up to the Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson (Canadian politician)
Gordon Wilson is a former provincial politician in British Columbia. He served as leader of the Liberal Party of BC from 1987–1993, leader and founder of the Progressive Democratic Alliance from 1993–1997, and in the provincial cabinet as Minister of Finance and Minister of Employment, Investment...
-Judi Tyabji
Judi Tyabji
Judeline Kim Mary "Judi" Tyabji is a former British Columbia politician and the wife of former provincial Leader of the Opposition Gordon Wilson...
scandal, he replaced Gary Farrell-Collins
Gary Farrell-Collins
Gary Collins, formerly referred to as Gary Farrell-Collins prior to 2001, is a former Canadian politician, who served as a BC Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1991 to 2004, representing the riding of Vancouver-Fairview...
as opposition whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
. After Tyabji's sacking as opposition house leader, he was appointed to that position by Liberal Leader Gordon Wilson. Later in 1993 he became critic for attorney-general. While justice critic, Dalton (and most of the Liberal opposition) took the unusual step of supporting NDP attorney-general Colin Gabelmann after the latter admitted to including incorrect information in a court affidavit
Affidavit
An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
so as to not have to appear in court. The day after Dalton and the rest of the Liberals reversed their position.
1996 election
In the lead-up to the 1996 electionBritish Columbia general election, 1996
The British Columbia general election of 1996 was the thirty sixth provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 30, 1996, and held on May 28, 1996...
, Dalton may have had a harder-than-usual nomination. He eventually became the candidate and was re-elected. His 71.3% of votes was the highest in any riding that election. After that election, he again became labour critic.
1997 conflict of interest case
On June 24, 1997, Dalton was forced to resign as labour critic after it was revealed that he wrote a letter to a government bureaucrat regarding an issue he had a financial stake in: a gravel pitGravel pit
Gravel pit is the term for an open cast working for extraction of gravel. Gravel pits often lie in river valleys where the water table is high, so they may fill naturally with water to form ponds or lakes. Old, abandoned gravel pits are normally used either as nature reserves, or as amenity areas...
under development near a ranch that his wife and father-in-law were part owners of. Liberal leader Gordon Campbell asked the province's conflict of interest commissioner to investigate shortly thereafter after it surfaced that he had written as many as four letters about the same issue, including two to different government cabinet ministers. Dalton later became deputy environment critic after a shadow cabinet shuffle. The commissioner eventually concluded that although it was inappropriate, it was not a conflict of interest because he was acting as a private citizen, and that he should not have been using MLA stationary for personal matters.
Later career and dismissal
Similar affairs would eventually lead to the end of Dalton's political career. The second time was when he used his MLA letterhead in a personal matter, this one involving Handsworth Secondary SchoolHandsworth Secondary School
Handsworth Secondary School is a public high school in North Vancouver, British Columbia and part of School District 44 North Vancouver. As of September 2009, the school reported 1419 students enrolled in Grades 8–12....
, where two of his children were attending. At the time he was deputy education critic and was left a backbencher as a result. The third letter, again about the gravel pit and ranch, resulted in his suspension from caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
for three months. His suspension lasted from April 5, 2000 to July 10, 2000. After returning to caucus, he publicly supported a tunnel being built as a third crossing of Burrard Inlet.
Dalton was permanently dismissed from Liberal caucus and sat as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
on January 11, 2001. This time it was because he publicly reprimanded two Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP) officers at the scene of an accident. He sat as an independent for the remainder of the term and ran in the 2001 election
British Columbia general election, 2001
The British Columbia general election of 2001 was the 37th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 18, 2001, and held on May 16, 2001...
, but was defeated.
After minor continuing involvement in politics after the 2001 election, Dalton died on May 28, 2005 succumbing to complications following surgery.