Summary
Charles Puchmayr (born 1953 or 1954) is a retired Canadian politician who served as Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for New Westminster in British Columbia from 2005 to 2009, as part of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) caucus.
Chuck Puchmayr | |
|---|---|
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for New Westminster | |
| In office May 17, 2005 – May 12, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Joyce Murray |
| Succeeded by | Dawn Black |
| New Westminster City Councillor | |
| In office 1996–2005 | |
| In office 2011–2022 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1953 or 1954 (age 69–70)[1] |
| Political party | New Democrat |
| Residence(s) | New Westminster, British Columbia |
Biography edit
Prior to his election to the legislature, Puchmayr was a city councillor in New Westminster from 1996 to 2005.[2] He was involved in the founding of the New Westminster Food Bank and the Unemployment Action Centre,[3] and served as director for the Westminster Legal Services Society.[4]
At the 2005 provincial election, Puchmayr ran as the BC NDP candidate in the riding of New Westminster, and defeated incumbent BC Liberal candidate Joyce Murray.[5] He served as the NDP's labour critic in the 38th Parliament.[3][4][6] He disclosed his liver cancer diagnosis in January 2009, and announced that he would not run in that May's provincial election.[3][7] He received a liver transplant in the same month,[8] and served out the remainder of his term as MLA.
Puchmayr returned to New Westminster City Council in 2011 following a successful run for councillor, and was re-elected in 2014 and 2018.[9] He ran for mayor of the city in 2022, but came in third place behind winner Patrick Johnstone and runner-up Ken Armstrong; he subsequently announced his retirement from politics.[10]
Electoral record edit
Provincial election edit
| 2005 British Columbia general election: New Westminster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Chuck Puchmayr | 13,226 | 51.32 | +20.30 | $61,892 | |||
| Liberal | Joyce Murray | 9,645 | 37.42 | −11.78 | $135,015 | |||
| Green | Robert Broughton | 2,416 | 9.37 | −3.90 | $1,417 | |||
| Marijuana | Christina Racki | 293 | 1.14 | −2.68 | $100 | |||
| Democratic Reform | John Robinson Warren | 152 | 0.59 | – | $410 | |||
| Platinum | Greg Calcutta | 42 | 0.16 | – | $100 | |||
| Total valid votes | 25,774 | 100.00 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 166 | 0.64 | +0.14 | |||||
| Turnout | 25,940 | 63.91 | −6.5 | |||||
| New Democratic gain from Liberal | Swing | +16.04 | ||||||
References edit
- ^ Putting back the 'New' in New Westminster Series: Civic Election 2002: [Final Edition] Ward, Doug. The Vancouver Sun [Vancouver, B.C.] 28 Oct 2002: B1 / FRONT.
- ^ "Puchmayr, Chuck". City of New Westminster. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ a b c "New Westminster MLA says he has liver cancer". Canadian Press, via CBC News. January 18, 2009. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ a b "38th Parliament Members at dissolution on April 14, 2009: MLA: Chuck Puchmayr". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ "NDP make gains across Lower Mainland". CBC News. May 18, 2005. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ "Dead man's father campaigns for gas attendant safety". CBC News. May 10, 2006. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ "MLA Puchmayr stepping down to battle cancer". CTV News. June 18, 2009. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
- ^ "New Democrat MLA Chuck Puchmayr recovering from liver transplant". Canadian Press, via CBC News. January 28, 2009. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ McManus, Theresa (November 6, 2018). "New Westminster inaugurates its new council". New Westminster Record. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ McManus, Theresa (October 16, 2022). "Longtime New West politician Chuck Puchmayr to retire after defeat in mayor's race". New Westminster Record. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
External links edit
- Profile at the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia