Graeme Bowbrick KC is a Canadian lawyer, educator and former politician. A faculty member in the criminology department at Simon Fraser University, he previously represented the riding of New Westminster in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1996 to 2001. As part of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) caucus, he served as Minister of Advanced Education, Training and Technology as well as Minister responsible for Youth in 2000, and as Attorney General and Minister responsible for Human Rights from 2000 to 2001.[2][3]

Graeme T. Bowbrick
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for New Westminster
In office
May 28, 1996 – May 16, 2001
Preceded byAnita Hagen
Succeeded byJoyce Murray
Personal details
Born1965 or 1966 (age 57–58)[1]
Political partyNew Democrat
Alma materSimon Fraser University
University of Victoria Faculty of Law
Peter A. Allard School of Law
Profession
  • Lawyer
  • Educator

Biography edit

Bowbrick studied history and political science at Simon Fraser University, from which he received a Bachelor of Arts.[2] He then graduated from the University of Victoria with an LL.B.,[2][4] and was called to the Bar on May 14, 1993.[5] Prior to becoming a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), he worked at the Westminster Community Legal Services Society.[2] He received an LL.M. from the University of British Columbia in 2013.[6]

He first ran for office in the 1993 federal election, contesting the riding of North Vancouver as a New Democratic Party candidate and finishing fourth.[7][8] In the 1996 provincial election, he won the seat of New Westminster in the legislature as a BC NDP candidate,[8] succeeding outgoing MLA Anita Hagen. He served as parliamentary secretary to Premier Glen Clark until resigning in July 1999.[2][9]

After Ujjal Dosanjh took over as premier in February 2000, Bowbrick was named to the cabinet as Minister of Advanced Education, Training and Technology, and Minister responsible for Youth.[10][11] He then assumed the roles of Attorney General and Minister responsible for Human Rights in November that year from Andrew Petter, who was dropped from the cabinet for declining to run in the 2001 provincial election.[10][12] With the NDP trailing in the polls, Bowbrick lost his seat in that election to Liberal candidate Joyce Murray.[8] It was the first time since the 1949 provincial election that a non-NDP/CCF member had been elected in the New Westminster riding.

Bowbrick subsequently joined the Criminology and Legal Studies programs at Douglas College as an instructor. He also serves as chair of the college's Education Council and ex-officio member of the College Board as of 2023; he previously served as the board's faculty member.[4] He is also an adjunct professor at Simon Fraser University, teaching in the Criminology program.[13][14]

Electoral history edit

37th British Columbia election, 2001
Party Candidate Votes % ± Expenditures
Liberal Joyce Murray 11,059 49.20% $47,701
New Democratic Graeme Bowbrick 6,971 31.02% $26,704
Green Robert Broughton 2,982 13.27% $3,401
Marijuana Marlene P. Campbell 859 3.82% $394
Unity Howard Vernon Irving 604 2.69%
Total Valid Votes 22,475 100.00%
Total Rejected Ballots 113 0.50%
Turnout 22,588 71.07%
36th British Columbia election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes % ± Expenditures
New Democratic Graeme Bowbrick 10,418 46.69% $29,591
Liberal Helen Sparkes 8,591 38.50% $34,673
Reform Brian Stromgren 1,446 6.48%
Progressive Democrat Craig Sahlin 1,121 5.02%
Green Michael G. Horn 488 2.19% $145
Independent Arthur Crossman 142 0.64%
Natural Law George Bauch 107 0.48% $224
Total Valid Votes 22,313 100.00%
Total Rejected Ballots 133 0.59%
Turnout 22,446 70.41%


1993 Canadian federal election: North Vancouver
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Ted White 20,407 40.01 +31.09
Liberal Mobina Jaffer 15,951 31.27 +4.06
Progressive Conservative Will McMartin 7,900 15.49 -22.16
New Democratic Graeme Bowbrick 3,254 6.38 -17.48
National Dallas Collis 2,234 4.38
Green Arne B. Hansen 534 1.05 +0.11
Natural Law Bradford Cooke 447 0.88
Independent Clarke L. Ashley 144 0.28
Libertarian Anthony Jasich 116 0.23
Commonwealth of Canada Paul Fraleigh 22 0.04
Total valid votes 51,009 100.0  
Reform gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +13.52

References edit

  1. ^ Bowbrick knocked off his branch: [Final Edition] Middleton, Greg. The Province [Vancouver, B.C] 17 May 2001: A6.
  2. ^ a b c d e "36th Parliament Members at dissolution on April 18, 2001". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  3. ^ "BC Votes 2009 results". CBC.ca. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  4. ^ a b "Board Members' Biographies". Douglas College. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  5. ^ "Lawyer's Profile: Graeme Bowbrick, KC". The Law Society of British Columbia. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  6. ^ "Judicial compensation in Canada: an examination of the judicial compensation experience in selected Canadian jurisdictions 1990-2010". University of British Columbia. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  7. ^ "Profile - North Vancouver, British Columbia (1988-10-01 - )". Library of Parliament. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c "Candidates: Graeme Bowbrick". Canadian Elections Database. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  9. ^ "B.C. premier under pressure with 2nd cabinet resignation". CBC News. July 20, 1999. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Dosanjh Cabinet: 36th Parliament (3rd - 5th Session) 2000 - 2001" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  11. ^ "New B.C. cabinet". CBC News. February 29, 2000. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  12. ^ "NDP cabinet gets a major shake-up". CBC News. November 1, 2000. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  13. ^ "Senate Summary: Meeting of September 9, 2013". Simon Fraser University. September 9, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  14. ^ "Individuals with Medical and/or Law Degrees Qualified to Serve on REB: July 5th, 2013" (PDF). Simon Fraser University. July 5, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
British Columbia provincial government of Ujjal Dosanjh
Cabinet posts (4)
Predecessor Office Successor
Andrew Petter Attorney General of British Columbia
November 1, 2000–June 5, 2001
Geoff Plant
Andrew Petter Minister responsible for Human Rights
November 1, 2000–June 5, 2001
Ministry Abolished
Andrew Petter Minister responsible for Youth
February 29, 2000–November 1, 2000
Cathy McGregor
Andrew Petter Minister of Advanced Education, Training and Technology
February 29, 2000–November 1, 2000
Cathy McGregor