Stephen Fuhr
Stephen Fuhr | |
---|---|
Chairman of the Standing Committee on National Defence | |
Assumed office February 18, 2016 | |
Preceded by | Peter Kent |
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Kelowna—Lake Country | |
Assumed office October 19, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Ron Cannan |
Personal details | |
Born | Edmonton, Alberta | May 27, 1969
Political party | Liberal |
Residence | Kelowna, British Columbia |
Alma mater | Trinity Western University |
Profession | Fighter pilot Entrepreneur |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Canada |
Branch/service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Years of service | 1989–2009 |
Rank | Major |
Stephen Fuhr MP (born May 27, 1969) is a Canadian Liberal politician, who was elected to represent the riding of Kelowna—Lake Country in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2015 federal election.[1][2]
Fuhr was born in Edmonton, and grew up in Kamloops. He attended Trinity Western University, earning a diploma in aviation technology, and subsequently joined what was then the Canadian Forces Air Command (now the Royal Canadian Air Force). As a pilot in the RCAF he served in several capacities to include flight training and standards. He also served as an operational fighter pilot and was involved in CF-18 fleet management. Fuhr was qualified as both a NORAD and NATO fighter operations evaluator and received a Commanders Commendation for his role as a Canadian NORAD Region (CANR) Fighter Officer (FO). He also received a Chief of the Air Staff Commendation for his part in regenerating Canada's tactical air control party (TACP) for the conflict in Afghanistan. In his final year in the RCAF Fuhr led the team that restructured the course delivery method of the Canadian Forces Instrument Check Pilot School (ICPS).
He retired from the RCAF in 2009, and from 2009 to 2012 worked as an executive at SkyTrac Systems.[3] Prior to his election, he was working as a private pilot[4] and was qualified as a captain on several different aircraft types.
Fuhr, who described himself as a "lifelong Conservative",[5] began to switch his affiliation in 2010 and later served on the board of directors of his local Liberal riding association.[2] Fuhr is the first Liberal MP to represent Kelowna since 1972, and his election was seen as an upset.[6] He is also the first Liberal to represent a riding in the British Columbia Interior since 1979.
Fuhr was elected to chair the Standing Committee on National Defence on February 18, 2016.
Electoral record[edit]
2015 Canadian federal election: Kelowna—Lake Country | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
Liberal | Stephen Fuhr | 29,614 | 46.16 | +34.69 | $127,002.68 | |||
Conservative | Ron Cannan | 25,502 | 39.75 | -18.63 | $70,942.48 | |||
New Democratic | Norah Mary Bowman | 9,039 | 14.09 | -7.28 | $33,945.86 | |||
Total valid votes/Expense limit | 64,155 | 100.00 | $228,718.18 | |||||
Total rejected ballots | 230 | 0.36 | – | |||||
Turnout | 64,385 | 70.65 | – | |||||
Eligible voters | 91,131 | |||||||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +26.66 | ||||||
Source: Elections Canada[7][8][9] |
References[edit]
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-11-01.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ^ a b https://www.straight.com/news/787466/stephen-fuhr-how-lifelong-conservative-supporter-ended-running-justin-trudeaus-liberals
- ^ "SkyTrac Systems Announces CEO". September 23, 2011.
- ^ Meet Stephen Fuhr, Liberal.ca.
- ^ "I'm a Lifelong Conservative But I'm Running for the Liberals". February 9, 2015.
- ^ Kevin Parnell, Lake Country expected to meet with new MP Stephen Fuhr, The Kelowna Capital News, October 26, 2015.
- ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Kelowna—Lake Country, 30 September 2015
- ^ Official Voting Results - Kelowna—Lake Country
- ^ "Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates". Archived from the original on August 15, 2015.
- 1969 births
- Liberal Party of Canada MPs
- Living people
- Members of the House of Commons of Canada from British Columbia
- People from Kelowna
- Politicians from Edmonton
- Royal Canadian Air Force officers
- Trinity Western University alumni
- Canadian aviators
- Members of the House of Commons of Canada with military service
- 21st-century Canadian politicians