Joe Peschisolido
Joe Peschisolido | |
---|---|
Member of Parliament for Steveston—Richmond East | |
In office October 19, 2015 – September 11, 2019 | |
Preceded by | new district |
Succeeded by | Kenny Chiu |
Member of Parliament for Richmond | |
In office November 27, 2000 – June 28, 2004 | |
Preceded by | Raymond Chan |
Succeeded by | Raymond Chan |
Personal details | |
Born | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | April 27, 1963
Political party | Liberal (Before 1993; 2002–present) |
Other political affiliations | Reform (1993-2000) Canadian Alliance (2000-2002) |
Residence | Richmond, British Columbia |
Profession | Lawyer |
Joe Peschisolido (born April 27, 1963) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the riding of Richmond from 2000 to 2004 and as the MP for Steveston—Richmond East from 2015 to 2019. He was first elected as a member of the Canadian Alliance, but crossed the floor to the Liberal Party in 2002.
Background[]
Peschisolido has a Bachelor of Arts (honours) degree in political science from Trinity College at the University of Toronto and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Peschisolido is a fourth degree knight of the Knights of Columbus in Richmond, a member of the Rotary Club of Richmond Sunset and a member of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce.He is an active parishioner of Canadian Martyrs Catholic Church and is a vegan, who believes in making healthy and sustainable food choices.[1]
Political career[]
For decades, Peschisolido was a member of the Liberal Party, where he had worked as a youth co-ordinator for Jean Chrétien's 1990 leadership campaign. In 1993, he joined the Reform Party of Canada (later the Canadian Alliance), running as their candidate in Etobicoke North in the 1993 general election and a subsequent 1996 by-election. He placed second both times.
First term (2000 to 2004)[]
Peschisolido relocated to British Columbia, where he was elected as Member of Parliament for Richmond in the 2000 general election, defeating Liberal incumbent, Raymond Chan.
In 2002, Peschisolido left the Canadian Alliance and crossed the floor to the Liberal Party without consulting with his constituents. This was due to the "process of political realignment" which eliminated both the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party, and instead creating the Conservative Party of Canada.
While serving in office, Peschisolido fought to protect the rights of taxpayers by introducing the "Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights" in the 37th Parliament's first, second, and third sessions.[2]
In 2002, Peschisolido helped broker the original Garden City land deal, which saw the transfer of said lands from the Canadian federal government to the City of Richmond. This deal would have seen the City of Richmond receive 75 to 80 percent of the land, with the rest of the property set aside for a trade and exhibition center, as well as commercial development.[3]
In 2003, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.[4] He was also Vice-Chair for the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.[5]
2011 election[]
In 2011, Peschisolido won the Liberal nomination for Member of Parliament for Richmond in the 2011 Canadian federal election. However, he was defeated by Alice Wong by more than 17,000 votes.
Second term (2015 to 2019)[]
On August 11, 2015, Peschisolido again won the Liberal nomination for Member of Parliament in the new riding of Steveston—Richmond East for the 2015 Canadian federal election.[6]
On October 19, 2015, as a Liberal majority government was formed,[7] Peschisolido was returned to Parliament.[8]
In July 2019, Global News reported the Royal Canadian Mounted Police opened an investigation into Peschisolido "after confidential police informants alleged the veteran politician had been knowingly associating with Chinese organized crime figures through his former real estate law practice in Richmond, B.C." Peschisolido's law firm allegedly received money via illicit channels from China as part of an attempt by the firm's clients to circumvent the legal immigration process.[9] No charges have been laid against Peschisolido or lawyers at his firm.[10][11][12][13][14]
On February 5, 2020 the Ethics Commissioner of Canada released an investigative report on Peschisolido. The Commissioner found Peschisolido contravened subsections 21(3) and 20(1) of the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons for failing to file a statement of material change and by failing to file a full statement of the private interests of the members of his family, including his spouse.[citation needed]
He was defeated in the 2019 Canadian federal election.[citation needed]
Electoral record[]
hide2019 Canadian federal election: Steveston—Richmond East | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
Conservative | Kenny Chiu | 17,478 | 41.66 | +3.19 | $98,603.15 | |||
Liberal | Joe Peschisolido | 14,731 | 35.11 | -9.97 | none listed | |||
New Democratic | Jaeden Dela Torre | 6,321 | 15.07 | +2.93 | $2,143.97 | |||
Green | Nicole Iaci | 2,972 | 7.08 | +3.41 | none listed | |||
Independent | Ping Chan | 449 | 1.07 | – | none listed | |||
Total valid votes/Expense limit | 41,951 | 98.98 | – | 105,107.07 | ||||
Total rejected ballots | 431 | 1.02 | – | |||||
Turnout | 42,382 | 56.94 | – | |||||
Eligible voters | 74,428 | |||||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.58 | ||||||
Source: Elections Canada[15][16][17] |
hide2015 Canadian federal election: Steveston—Richmond East | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
Liberal | Joe Peschisolido | 19,486 | 45.08 | +26.48 | $76,684.16 | |||
Conservative | Kenny Chiu | 16,630 | 38.47 | -15.44 | $152,116.66 | |||
New Democratic | Scott Stewart | 5,248 | 12.14 | -10.68 | $12,292.51 | |||
Green | Laura-Leah Shaw | 1,587 | 3.67 | -0.46 | $1,891.69 | |||
Libertarian | Matthew Swanston | 274 | 0.63 | – | – | |||
Total valid votes/Expense limit | 43,225 | 99.34 | $204,726.35 | |||||
Total rejected ballots | 287 | 0.66 | – | |||||
Turnout | 43,512 | 60.25 | – | |||||
Eligible voters | 72,225 | |||||||
Liberal notional gain from Conservative | Swing | +20.96 | ||||||
Source: Elections Canada[18][19] |
hide2011 Canadian federal election: Richmond | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
Conservative | Alice Wong | 25,109 | 58.36 | +8.59 | $89,330.05 | |||
Liberal | Joe Peschisolido | 8,027 | 18.66 | -12.19 | $54,757.85 | |||
New Democratic | Dale Jackaman | 7,860 | 18.27 | +6.46 | $9,038.79 | |||
Green | Michael Wolfe | 2,032 | 4.72 | -1.71 | $2,933.09 | |||
Total valid votes/Expense limit | 43,028 | 100.0 | $91,788.64 | |||||
Total rejected ballots | 220 | 0.51 | +0.06 | |||||
Turnout | 43,248 | 50.97 | +1 | |||||
Eligible voters | 84,855 | |||||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +10.39 |
hide2000 Canadian federal election: Richmond | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
Alliance | Joe Peschisolido | 21,064 | 44.40 | +8.44 | $58,128 | |||
Liberal | Raymond Chan | 19,940 | 42.04 | -1.77 | $63,896 | |||
New Democratic | Gail Paquette | 2,695 | 5.68 | -3.88 | $10,941 | |||
Progressive Conservative | Frank Peter Tofin | 2,578 | 5.43 | -2.85 | $4,329 | |||
Green | Kevan Hudson | 897 | 1.89 | +0.53 | $61 | |||
Natural Law | Kathy McClement | 164 | 0.34 | -0.05 | ||||
Marxist–Leninist | Edith Petersen | 93 | 0.19 | -0.02 | $10 | |||
Total valid votes | 47,431 | 100.0 | ||||||
Total rejected ballots | 218 | 0.47 | -0.03 | |||||
Turnout | 47,649 | 61.70 | -3.19 | |||||
Alliance gain from Liberal | Swing | +5.10 |
By-election on March 25, 1996 | ||||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Roy Cullen | 12,290 | 46.3 | -9.3 | ||
Reform | Joe Peschisolido | 9,563 | 36.0 | +17.2 | ||
Progressive Conservative | Mario Annecchini | 2,812 | 10.6 | -8.2 | ||
New Democratic | Maxine Caron | 1,400 | 5.3 | +1.6 | ||
Christian Heritage | Ron Gray | 284 | 1.1 | |||
Abolitionist | John Turmel | 104 | 0.4 | |||
Independent | Sylvie Charbin | 96 | 0.4 | |||
Total valid votes | 26,549 | 100.0 |
hide1993 Canadian federal election: Etobicoke North | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
Liberal | Roy MacLaren | 28,015 | 55.6 | +10.3 | ||||
Reform | Joe Peschisolido | 9,470 | 18.8 | |||||
Progressive Conservative | Jane MacLaren | 9,470 | 18.8 | -15.8 | ||||
New Democratic | Carmela Sasso | 1,839 | 3.7 | -13.7 | ||||
National | Emanuele Danelon | 661 | 1.3 | |||||
Libertarian | Daniel Hunt | 363 | 0.7 | -0.2 | ||||
Natural Law | Marilyn Pepper | 353 | 0.7 | |||||
Independent | Antonio De Felice | 105 | 0.2 | |||||
Marxist–Leninist | David Greig | 104 | 0.2 | +0.1 | ||||
Total valid votes | 50,380 | 100.0 |
References[]
- ^ "ELECTION 2019: Steveston-Richmond East riding profile and candidates". Richmond News. Archived from the original on 2019-10-22. Retrieved 2020-02-11.
- ^ "Bills Sponsored by Joe Peschisolido". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
- ^ "Joe Peschisolido Begins Political Comeback". Archived from the original on 2015-09-24.
- ^ "Peschisolido as Parliamentary Secretary". Archived from the original on 2015-03-27. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
- ^ "Peschisolido as Vice Chair". Archived from the original on 2015-03-27. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
- ^ "Joe Peschisolido Accepts Steveston—Richmond East Liberal Party Nomination for Fall 2015 Election". 2001-11-24. Archived from the original on 2016-09-27. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
- ^ "Justin Trudeau and the Liberals Have a Majority Government". 2015-10-20. Archived from the original on 2015-10-20. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
- ^ "Liberal Joe Peschisolido Elected Member of Parliament Representing Steveston-Richmond East". Archived from the original on 2015-10-21. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
- ^ Cooper, Sam (September 13, 2019). "Richmond MP aims to distance himself from 'money-laundering scheme' court case". Global News. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ^ Cooper, Sam (2019-07-11). "Sources say RCMP opened file on Liberal MP whose firm facilitated real estate deals in B.C." Global News. Archived from the original on 2019-07-11. Retrieved 2019-07-13.
- ^ Wood, Graeme (June 18, 2019). "Richmond MP denies representing alleged Chinese cartel member". North Shore News. Archived from the original on July 13, 2019. Retrieved 2019-07-13.
- ^ Cooper, Sam (2019-06-17). "Liberal MP involved in second bare trust deal with client named in 'transnational money laundering' probe". Global News. Archived from the original on 2019-07-13. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
- ^ Cooper, Sam; Hill, Brian (2019-06-11). "Alleged gang kingpin may have used Liberal MP's law firm to launder money through B.C. condo deal". Global News. Archived from the original on 2019-07-14. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
- ^ Smith, Joanna (August 8, 2019). "Richmond MP Joe Peschisolido under investigation by federal ethics watchdog". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on August 10, 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
- ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
- ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
- ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
- ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Steveston—Richmond East, 30 September 2015
- ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
External links[]
- 1963 births
- Living people
- Canadian Alliance MPs
- Canadian people of Italian descent
- Liberal Party of Canada MPs
- Members of the House of Commons of Canada from British Columbia
- People from Richmond, British Columbia
- Politicians from Toronto
- Trinity College (Canada) alumni
- University of Toronto alumni
- Osgoode Hall Law School alumni
- Lawyers in British Columbia
- Lawyers in Ontario
- 21st-century Canadian politicians