Blake Richards

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Blake Richards

MP
Blake Richards MP.jpg
Chief Opposition Whip
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 2, 2020
LeaderErin O'Toole
Preceded byMark Strahl
Official Opposition Critic for Tourism
In office
November 20, 2015 – August 23, 2020
LeaderRona Ambrose
Andrew Scheer
ShadowingBardish Chagger
Mélanie Joly
Preceded byBrian Masse
Succeeded byTony Baldinelli
Chair of the Standing Committee on
Aboriginal Affairs
In office
February 19, 2015 – February 4, 2016
Preceded byChris Warkentin
Succeeded byAndy Fillmore
Member of Parliament
for Banff—Airdrie
Wild Rose (2008-2015)
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 14, 2008
Preceded byMyron Thompson
Personal details
Born (1974-11-08) November 8, 1974 (age 46)
Olds, Alberta, Canada
Political partyConservative
ResidenceAirdrie, Alberta, Canada
EducationRed Deer College, University of Calgary
ProfessionReal Estate Agent
Firefighter

Blake Richards MP (born November 8, 1974) is a Canadian politician, who was re-elected for a fourth term in the riding of Banff—Airdrie on October 21, 2019. He was previously elected in the electoral district of Wild Rose in the 2008 Canadian federal election and the 2011 election, and is a member of the Conservative Party in the House of Commons of Canada.

Early life and career[]

Richards was born in Olds, Alberta. Prior to starting his real estate business, Richards worked in the oil field and agriculture-related industries, and attended Red Deer College and the University of Calgary, where he earned a degree in political science.

He served his community as a volunteer firefighter and minor hockey coach before being elected to the House of Commons in 2008.

Federal politics[]

Richards is the Chief Opposition Whip. He previously served as Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Small Business, Export Promotion and Tourism. In the 41st Parliament, Richards was Chair of the Parliamentary Tourism Caucus and served as Chair of the House of Commons' Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development and the Special Committee on Co-operatives. He has also been a member of the committees on Finance; International Trade; Public Safety and National Security; Procedure and House Affairs; Canadian Heritage; Agriculture; and Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.

Through the Rocky Mountain Hockey Challenge, Richards has raised $360,000 for regional victims of crime assistance groups.

In 2010, Richards spearheaded a national petition that called for changes to the national pardons system after it was revealed that convicted sex offender Graham James had received a pardon in 2007 for his offences. The petition attracted thousands of supporters from across Canada and in June 2010 Bill C-23A, a new law to limit pardons for serious crimes, received Royal Assent.[1][2]

In October 2011, Richards introduced Private Member's Bill C-309 in the House of Commons, and guided it through the House of Commons and Senate, allowing it to receive Royal Assent in June 2013. As a result, it is now a Criminal Code offence to wear a mask or to otherwise conceal one's identity during a riot or an unlawful assembly.

On November 30, 2017, House of Commons Speaker Geoff Regan ordered that Richards be removed from the house for "excessive heckling" following three repeated warnings.[3]

In June 2018, he accomplished the rare feat of having a Motion passed as an Opposition member receiving unanimous support in the House of Commons for Motion 110 to show better support and compassion for parents who have suffered a pregnancy or infant loss.

Richards has three times been recognized as the Hardest Working and Best Constituency MP in The Hill Times' Annual Politically Savvy Survey and has been recognized with a Canadian Tourism Award for his work in Parliament on behalf of the tourism industry.

Electoral record[]

hide
2019 Canadian federal election: Banff—Airdrie
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Blake Richards 55,504 71.09 +7.71 $82,810.16
Liberal Gwyneth Midgley 8,425 10.79 -15.28 none listed
New Democratic Anne Wilson 8,185 10.48 -3.70 $7,710.51
Green Austin Mullins 3,315 4.25 +0.48 $824.70
People's Nadine Wellwood 2,651 3.40 New none listed
Total valid votes/Expense limit 78,080 100.0
Total rejected ballots 393
Turnout 78,473 73.1
Eligible voters 107,281
Conservative hold Swing +7.05
Source: Elections Canada[4][5][6]
hide2015 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Blake Richards 42,228 63.37 –7.36 $86,619.91
Liberal Marlo Raynolds 17,380 26.08 +18.02 $72,801.97
New Democratic Joanne Boissonneault 4,521 6.78 –6.29 $17,953.20
Green Mike MacDonald 2,509 3.77 –3.98 $3,011.33
Total valid votes/Expense limit 66,638 100.00   $243,369.66
Total rejected ballots 179 0.27 –
Turnout 66,817 73.25 –
Eligible voters 91,222
Conservative hold Swing –12.69
This riding was created from parts of Wild Rose and Macleod, both of which elected Conservative candidates in the 2011 election. Blake Richards was the incumbent from Wild Rose. Changes are based on redistributed results.
Source: Elections Canada[7][8]
hide2011 Canadian federal election: Wild Rose
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Blake Richards 43,669 74.7 +1.8 $49,673
New Democratic Jeff Horvath 6,595 11.3 +3.1 $3,784
Green Michael MacDonald 4,071 7.0 -5.6 $5,270
Liberal John Reilly 3,908 6.7 +1.0 $43,616
Christian Heritage Randy VandenBroek 181 0.3 – –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 58,424 100.0
Total rejected ballots 128 0.2 0.0
Turnout 58,552 61.7 +6.0
Eligible voters 94,970 – –
Conservative hold Swing +3.7
hide2008 Canadian federal election: Wild Rose
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Blake Richards 36,869 72.9 +0.4 $50,972
Green Lisa Fox 6,390 12.6 +1.8 $14,559
New Democratic Jeff Horvath 4,169 8.2 +0.9 $5,001
Liberal Jenn Turcott 2,890 5.7 -4.0 $6,555
Libertarian Krista Zoobkoff 246 0.5 –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 50,564 100.0 $101,401
Total rejected ballots 107 0.2 0.0
Turnout 50,671 56 -9.0
Conservative hold Swing +2.2

References[]

  1. ^ Snow, Stacie (March 14, 2012). "Airdrie-born bill becomes law". Airdrie City View. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  2. ^ Wilson, Sara (December 2, 2013). "Wild Rose MP Blake Richards brings drunk driving petition to House of Commons". Cochrane Eagle. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  3. ^ Harris, Kathleen (November 30, 2017). "Speaker gives Tory MP the boot from House for heckling". CBC News. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  4. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  5. ^ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  6. ^ "Candidate Campaign Returns". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  7. ^ "October 19, 2015 Election Results — Banff—Airdrie (Validated results)". Elections Canada. October 21, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  8. ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived 2015-08-15 at the Wayback Machine

External links[]

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