Harry Bloy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theBritish Columbia Legislative Assembly forBurnaby-Lougheed Burquitlam (2001-2009) | |
| In office May 16, 2001 – May 14, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Riding Established |
| Succeeded by | Jane Shin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1946-04-19)April 19, 1946 (age 78) Sudbury,Ontario |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Alma mater | Ryerson Polytechnic University |
James Henry "Harry" Bloy (born April 19, 1946) is a retired Canadian politician fromBritish Columbia. He was aBC Liberal member of theLegislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2001 to 2013, representingBurquitlam (2001-2009) and laterBurnaby Lougheed (2009-2013). Bloy was notably the only BC Liberal MLA to supportChristy Clark's successful candidacy for party leadership in2011. He did not run for reelection in2013.[1]
Bloy was born on April 19, 1946 inSudbury,Ontario.[2] He received a marketing diploma fromRyerson Polytechnic University.[3]
Bloy was an unsuccessful candidate for theProgressive Conservative Party in the1983 provincial election in the riding ofBurnaby North. He was first elected to theLegislative Assembly of British Columbia in the2001 election forBurquitlam.[4] He was reelected by a margin of 325 votes in2005.[5] In2009, he was elected to represent the newly-createdBurnaby-Loughseed riding, defeating NDP candidate by Jaynie Clark by 696 votes, a margin of 48 to 45%.[6]
In2011, Bloy was the only member of the Liberal caucus to endorseChristy Clark's successful candidacy for leader of the BC Liberals.[7] When Clark became premier in March 2011, Bloy was appointed to his first cabinet position as Minister of Social Development.[8] Bloy received scrutiny in this role over his relationship with the press, as well as criticism fromBC New Democratic Party politicians over disability assistance funding.[9] Criticism of Bloy as Minister of Social Development centered on a controversy surrounding the closure of group homes for developmentally disabled adults.[10]
Bloy was demoted 6 months later by Clark to the position of Minister of State for Multiculturalism, a more junior position in the provincial government.[9] During this appointment, Liberal party members and public servants began work on what resulted in the 2013Quick Wins ethnic outreach scandal. Bloy announced his resignation from cabinet in March 2012 after admitting he leaked, to a private company, an email the government had received from a newspaper.[11] It was subsequently revealed that Bloy would not run for re-election in the2013 provincial election.[1]
She said Bloy, first elected in 2001, told her prior to his resignation that he would not be seeking re-election in the May 2013 provincial election.