Jim Nielsen (Canadian politician)

James Arthur Nielsen
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Richmond
In office
December 11, 1975 – October 22, 1986
Preceded byHarold Steves
Succeeded byNick Loenen
Bill Vander Zalm
Personal details
Born(1938-08-06)August 6, 1938
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada
DiedApril 4, 2018(2018-04-04) (aged 79)
New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada[1]
PartyBC Social Credit
Other political
affiliations		Progressive Conservative (federal)
SpouseJean Nielsen
OccupationBroadcaster

James Arthur Nielsen (August 6, 1938 – April 4, 2018) was a Canadian politician and broadcaster. He served in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1975 to 1986 as a Social Credit (Socred) member for the constituency of Richmond,[2] and was a cabinet minister under premiers Bill Bennett and Bill Vander Zalm.

Early life and career

Born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Nielsen moved to Richmond, British Columbia as a high school student.[1] He began his broadcasting career in 1959 as an announcer at Victoria's CJVI, then joined Vancouver's CJOR in 1960 as morning news presenter, and subsequently served as news director and morning news host at CFUN Vancouver and CFAX Victoria.[3]

He and his wife Jean had eight children together.[1][4]

Politics

He first ran for public office in the 1974 federal election as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the riding of Burnaby—Seymour, but lost to Liberal Marke Raines.[5] He then contested the 1975 British Columbia general election as a Social Credit candidate, and defeated the incumbent New Democrat Harold Steves to be elected member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Richmond.[6]: 326  Nielsen and Steves faced each other again in the 1979 and 1983 provincial elections, with Nielsen winning each time to stay on as Richmond MLA.[6]: 335, 344 

Nielsen was named to Premier Bill Bennett's cabinet in December 1975 as the province's first Minister of Environment,[1] then swapped portfolios with Rafe Mair in December 1978 to become Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs.[7] He was re-assigned as Minister of Health in January 1981, then became Minister of Human Resources in February 1986;[8] he additionally regained the health portfolio in April 1986 following the resignation of Stephen Rogers.[7]

With Bennett departing as Socred leader, Nielsen announced in June 1986 that he would join the leadership race.[9] At the July leadership convention, he finished in last place with 30 votes after the second ballot.[10] After Bill Vander Zalm took over as premier that August, Nielsen initially stayed on as both ministers of health and human resources, then lost the latter portfolio a few days later upon its abolition.[11][12] He announced in September 1986 that he would not contest the upcoming provincial election, and encouraged Vander Zalm (who did not have a seat in the legislature at the time) to run for one of the two seats in his Richmond riding.[13]

Later life and death

After leaving office he chaired the Workers Compensation Board of British Columbia from 1987 to 1989.[14] He also served as political commentator on CBC Radio One's The Early Edition, and wrote columns for various publications.[1][15] He was a municipal councillor in Peachland from 1999 to 2002,[16] and from 2005 to 2008.[17]

He died at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster on April 4, 2018, at the age of 79.[1][3][15]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Britten, Liam (April 5, 2018). "B.C.'s first environment minister, Jim Nielsen, dead at 79". CBC News. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  2. ^ "Hon. James Arthur Nielsen". Guide Parlementaire Canadien. Gale Canada. 1980.
  3. ^ a b "Broadcasters We Lost In 2018". Broadcast Dialogue. January 3, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  4. ^ Barrett, Tom (April 24, 2013). "The Labour Minister Whose Visa Card Was X-Rated". The Tyee. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  5. ^ "Profile - Burnaby--Seymour, British Columbia (1968-04-23 - 1979-03-25)". Library of Parliament of Canada. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Electoral History of British Columbia, 1871-1986" (PDF). Elections BC. pp. 326, 335, 344. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Bennett, Judith Antonik; Verspoor, Frederike (1989). "British Columbia Executive Council Appointments: 1871-1986" (PDF). British Columbia Legislative Library. p. 69. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  8. ^ "Bennett shuffles B.C.'s cabinet". The Gazette. Montreal. Canadian Press. February 12, 1986. p. A2. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  9. ^ "Minister in race". The Gazette. Montreal. Canadian Press. June 5, 1986. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  10. ^ Power, Brian (June 5, 1986). "Vander Zalm reading the current". Vancouver Sun. p. A8. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  11. ^ "Vander Zalm Cabinet: 33rd-34th Parliament 1986–1991" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  12. ^ Farquharson, Duart (August 15, 1986). "Vander Zalm rewards backers with cabinet posts". The Gazette. Montreal. Southam News. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  13. ^ "B.C. minister leaving politics". Calgary Herald. Canadian Press. September 7, 1986. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  14. ^ "Order in Council 138/1989". Province of British Columbia. February 2, 1989. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  15. ^ a b Smith, Charlie (April 5, 2018). "Former Social Credit cabinet minister and broadcaster Jim Nielsen dies". Georgia Straight. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  16. ^ "1999 Local Government Election Results" (PDF). Union of British Columbia Municipalities. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  17. ^ "ELECTION RESULTS". The British Columbia Gazette. November 24, 2005. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Nielsen_(Canadian_politician)