Greg Thompson

Gregory Francis Thompson, PC (March 28, 1947 – September 10, 2019[1]) was a Canadian politician who served six terms as a Member of Parliament (MP). He represented the district of Saint Croix in the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly from 2018 until 2019.

The Honourable Greg Thompson PC
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs of New Brunswick
In office November 9, 2018 – September 10, 2019
Premier	Blaine Higgs
Preceded by	Francine Landry
Succeeded by	Blaine Higgs
Member of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly for Saint Croix
In office September 24, 2018 – September 10, 2019
Preceded by	John Ames
Minister of Veterans Affairs
In office February 6, 2006 – January 16, 2010
Prime Minister	Stephen Harper
Preceded by	Albina Guarnieri
Succeeded by	Jean-Pierre Blackburn
Member of Parliament for New Brunswick Southwest
In office June 2, 1997 – May 2, 2011
Preceded by	District created
Succeeded by	John Williamson
Member of Parliament for Carleton—Charlotte
In office November 21, 1988 – October 25, 1993
Preceded by	Fred McCain
Succeeded by	Harold Culbert
Personal details
Born	March 28, 1947 St. Stephen, New Brunswick
Died	September 10, 2019 (aged 72) Saint John, New Brunswick
Political party	Progressive Conservative (2018 - 2019)
Other political affiliations	Progressive Conservative (before 2003) Conservative (2003-2011)
Spouse(s)	Linda Thompson

Political career

Thompson was formerly a high school history teacher at Fundy High School from 1975–1980.[2]

Thompson, a high school teacher, a businessman and financial planner was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1988 Canadian federal election as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. He was elected in the riding of Carleton—Charlotte. His bid for re-election in the 1993 Canadian federal election was unsuccessful and he was defeated by Harold Culbert of the Liberal Party of Canada by fewer than 1,000 votes.

Thompson however ran again in the next election and was re-elected in the riding of Charlotte, where he defeated Culbert. Thompson was re-elected in the 2000 Canadian federal election in the riding of New Brunswick Southwest and again the 2004 Canadian federal election in the riding of St. Croix—Belleisle. Shortly before the 2004 election, he joined the new Conservative Party of Canada. He was re-elected in the 2006 federal election. In the 2008 federal election he was elected for a sixth term in the riding of New Brunswick Southwest by garnering over 58% of the vote.

During his time in parliament, he has served as the critic of Human Resources Development, the Treasury Board, Regional Development, Health, and Public Accounts, as well as critic of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. On February 6, 2006, he was appointed Minister of Veterans Affairs in Stephen Harper's Cabinet. In April 2007, he and Harper told the press in Kitchener, Ontario that a Veterans' Bill of Rights would come into effect soon and there would be a new ombudsman for veterans along with it.[3]

Thompson resigned from his position in Cabinet on January 16, 2010, because years of travel had worn him down and he wasn't looking forward to making a trip to New Zealand due to the length and time he had to invest in the trip. He also announced he would not run in the 2011 federal election.[4][5]

Veterans Affairs privacy issues

Thompson speaking with veterans at the ceremony marking the 89th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge

In October 2010, Canada's Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart uncovered evidence that widespread privacy abuses had been occurring at Veterans Affairs Canada. Among the cases where privacy issues were investigated is that in which highly personal information of an outspoken critic of Veterans Affairs, including confidential medical and financial information, was included in briefing notes prepared for then-minister Greg Thompson.[6][7][8]

Provincial Politics

In 2018 Thompson ran provincially under the Progressive Conservatives in the riding of Saint Croix and won. He served as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs until his death in September 2019.[9]

Electoral record

2018 New Brunswick general election: Saint Croix
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Greg Thompson	3,249	39.21	+0.02
	Liberal	John Ames	2,436	29.40	-12.34
	People's Alliance	Joyce Wright	1,466	17.69	+11.74
	Green	Donna Linton	1,047	12.63	+6.27
	New Democratic	Jan Underhill	89	1.07	-5.69
Total valid votes			8,287	99.83
Total rejected ballots			14	0.17	-0.15
Turnout			8,301	66.19	+7.22
Eligible voters			12,176
	Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing		+6.18

2008 Canadian federal election: New Brunswick Southwest
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Greg Thompson	17,474	58.3	+3.5
	Liberal	Nancy MacIntosh	5,863	19.6	-7.2
	New Democratic	Andrew Graham	4,958	16.5	+0.9
	Green	Robert Wayne Boucher	1,667	5.6	+2.8
Total valid votes			29,962
Total rejected ballots			180
Total number of votes			30,142

2006 Canadian federal election: New Brunswick Southwest
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Greg Thompson	18,155	54.8	+1.7
	Liberal	Stan Smith	8,877	26.8	-4.7
	New Democratic	Andrew Graham	5,178	15.6	+3.9
	Green	Erik Millett	922	2.8	-0.3

2004 Canadian federal election: St. Croix—Belleisle
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Greg Thompson	16,339	53.1
	Liberal	James Dunlap	9,702	31.5	+4.0
	New Democratic	Patrick Webber	3,600	11.7	+7.9
	Green	Erik Millett	960	3.1
	Canadian Action	David Szemerda	194	0.6
Total valid votes			30,795

2000 Canadian federal election: New Brunswick Southwest
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Greg Thompson	14,489	47.2	+2.3
	Liberal	Winston Gamblin	8,442	27.5	+1.8
	Alliance	John Erbs	6,562	21.4
	New Democratic	Habib Kilisli	1,173	3.8	-3.6
Total valid votes			30,666

1997 Canadian federal election: Charlotte
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive Conservative	Greg Thompson	14,533	44.9
	Liberal	Harold Culbert	8,309	25.7
	Reform	Eric Banks	6,814	21.0
	New Democratic	Rob Rainer	2,397	7.4
	Natural Law	Thomas Mitchell	280	0.9
Total valid votes			32,333

1993 Canadian federal election: Carleton—Charlotte
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Harold Culbert	13,970	43.1	+1.5
	Progressive Conservative	Greg Thompson	12,157	40.6	-6.6
	Reform	Greg Wyborn	3,827	11.8
	New Democratic	Bill Barteau	1,016	3.1	-4.6
	National	Richard Shelley	431	1.3
Total valid votes			32,401

1988 Canadian federal election: Carleton—Charlotte
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Greg Thompson	16,026	47.2	-14.6
	Liberal	Harold Culbert	14,116	41.6	+17.6
	New Democratic	Ben Kilfoil	2,596	7.7	-6.5
	Confederation of Regions	Robert Storr	1,183	3.5
Total valid votes			33,921

See also

• Veterans Affairs Canada

References

1. Greg Thompson, longtime politician and Saint Croix MLA, dies at 72
2. "Canada Votes 2006: New Brunswick Southwest". CBC News. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
3. "Canada's veterans get bill of rights". CBC News. April 3, 2007. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
4. "Veterans Affairs minister Thompson resigns". CBC News. January 16, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
5. "Go to NZ? No way - I quit, says minister". The New Zealand Herald. January 18, 2010. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
6. "Veterans Affairs critic's confidential medical information given to minister". The Globe and Mail. September 21, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
7. "Privacy Commissioner finds evidence of systemic abuse at Veterans Affairs". The Globe and Mail. September 28, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
8. "Vet alleges government tried to hospitalize him". Toronto Sun. October 10, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
9. Jacques, Poitras (September 11, 2019). "Saint Croix MLA Greg Thompson remembered as gentleman of 'stubborn determination'". CBC. Retrieved September 14, 2019.

External links

• Greg Thompson – Parliament of Canada biography