Bob Skelly: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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{{Short description|Canadian politician (1943–2022)}}

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{{Infobox person▼

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}

| name = Bob Skelly▼

▲{{Infobox personoffice holder

| image = ▼

| captionname = Bob Skelly

| birth_dateimage = {{Birth date and age|1943|04|14}} = Bob Skelly, 1985.jpg

| honorific_suffix = [[Parliament of Canada|MP]]

| birth_name = Robert Skelly

| office1 = [[Leader of the Opposition (British Columbia)|Leader of the Opposition of British Columbia]]

| alias = ▼

| birth_placepremier1 = [[New Westminster]], [[British Columbia]],= [[CanadaBill Bennett]]

| death_dateterm_start1 = 20 May 1984

| death_placeterm_end1 = 12 April 1987

| death_causepredecessor1 = [[Dave Barrett]]

| successor1 = [[Michael Harcourt]]

| body_discovered =

| office2 = Leader of the [[British Columbia New Democratic Party]]

| education = ▼

| occupationterm_start2 = Former20 politicianMay 1984

| spouseterm_end2 = 12 =April 1987

| partnerpredecessor2 = [[Dave = Barrett]]

| known_forsuccessor2 = [[Michael Harcourt]]

| constituency_MP3 = [[Comox—Alberni]]

| parliament3 = Canadian

| term_start3 = 12 December 1988

| term_end3 = 8 September 1993

| predecessor3 = ''Riding created''

| successor3 after= [[Bill Gilmour (politician)|Bill Gilmour]] ▼

| assembly4 = British Columbia Legislative

| constituency_AM4 = [[Alberni (electoral district)|Alberni]]

| term_start4 = 15 September 1972

| term_end4 = 10 May 1988

| predecessor4 = [[Howard McDiarmid]]

| successor4 = [[Gerard Janssen]]

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1943|04|14|df=y}}

| birth_place = [[New Westminster]], British Columbia, Canada

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2022|08|06|1943|04|14}}

| death_place = [[Colwood, British Columbia|Colwood]], British Columbia, Canada

| party = [[New Democratic Party of Canada|New Democratic Party]]

| otherparty = [[British Columbia New Democratic Party]] (provincial)

▲| alias education =

| occupation = Politician

▲| name spouse = BobSonia Alex Skelly

▲| image partner =

▲| educationknown_for =

| alma_mater = [[University of British Columbia]]

}}

'''Robert Skelly''' (born April 14, 1943) is a [[Canadian]] former [[politician]] from [[British Columbia]]. He was born April 14, 1943 at [[New Westminster]], British Columbia, and worked as a teacher.

'''Robert Evan Skelly'''<ref>[https://www.mccallgardens.com/obituaries/robert-evan-skelly Robert Evan Skelly] obituary</ref> (14 April 1943 – 6 August 2022)<ref>{{Cite tweet|number=1557781436673183744|user=NDP|title=New Democrats are saddened to hear of the passing of Bob Skelly, former leader of the BC NDP and former Federal MP for Comox—Alberni. |date=11 August 2022}}</ref> was a Canadian politician from [[British Columbia]].

Skelly, the son of Robert Daniel Skelly and Dorothy Graham, was educated at the [[University of British Columbia]]. In 1965, he married Sonia Alexandra Shewchuk.<ref name="normandin">{{cite book |title=Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1985 |last=Normandin |first=P G |year=1985}}</ref> He has a daughter, Susan Kathleen Skelly, born 1973; and a son, Robert Mark William Skelly, born 1975. Susan married Michael Ramsay, and they have three children: Rebecca Ruth, born 2001; Sarah-Grace Victoria, born 2002; and Maria Anne Heather, born 2010.▼

▲Skelly was born 14 April 1943, theat [[New Westminster]], British Columbia. The son of Robert Daniel Skelly and Dorothy Graham, he was educated at the [[University of British Columbia]]. In 1965, he married Sonia Alexandra Shewchuk.<ref name="normandin">{{cite book |title=Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1985 |last=Normandin |first=P G |year=1985}}</ref> He hashad a daughter, Susan Kathleen Skelly, born 1973; and a son, Robert Mark William Skelly, born 1975. Susan married Michael Ramsay, and they have three children: Rebecca Ruth, born 2001; Sarah-Grace Victoria, born 2002; and Maria Anne Heather, born 2010.

He served in the BC Legislature from 1972 to 1987. The longest-serving member for Alberni constituency in history, he was elected five times. He was elected leader of the [[British Columbia New Democratic Party]] in 1984 and was Opposition Leader in the BC Legislature until 1987. He resigned as MLA in early 1988 and was elected to the [[House of Commons of Canada]] representing the Federal riding of [[Comox—Alberni]] from 1988 to 1993.

He served in the BC Legislature from 1972 to 1987. The longest-serving member for Alberni constituency in history, he was elected five times.

During his campaign in the [[1986 British Columbia general election|1986 election]] he showed such great gains against then Premier [[Bill Bennett]] that the Social Credit Party became alarmed, convinced Bennett to resign, and replaced him with [[Bill Vander Zalm]]. The Social Credit Party went on to win the election. The NDP failed to gain any seats under Bob Skelly's leadership, but it list none (Social Credit won 47 seats to the NDP's 22 in the newly-enlarged BC Legislative Assembly). The NDP had dropped in popular vote from the previous election, but scored a higher percentage than in the elections than in 1972, 1991 and 1996. The NDP vote fell in each election after 1979 until the 2005 election.

Skelly began his career as MLA by making his maiden speech in the Legislature on recognizing aboriginal rights in British Columbia. He became environment critic for the NDP. He was opposed to uranium mining and worked with the Skagit Valley committee against using nuclear power in Canada. He opposed the river dam at Site C on the Peace River, and the diversion of the Fraser watershed into the Arctic Sea. After visiting Bernie Sanders in Vermont, he proposed the construction of a number of 50 megawatt wood fired electric generators. He also campaigned to have the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway continue its operation as promised by the Dominion government of 1871.

He was elected leader of the [[British Columbia New Democratic Party]] in 1984 and was Opposition Leader in the BC Legislature until 1987.

After the election, the distribution of electoral districts in the province was declared to be biased in favour of Social Credit, which suggests that Skelly would have won otherwise. The courts then ordered a fair redistribution. In 1986, Skelly resigned as NDP leader, and the following year, a party convention acclaimed [[Michael Harcourt]] as his successor.

During his campaign as leader of the NDP leading up to the 1986 election he made such gains that the Social Credit Party convinced Bennet to resign and replaced him with Bill Vander Zalm. The Social Credit Party went on to win 47 seats to the NDP's 22. The NDP had dropped in popular vote from the previous election, but scored a higher percentage than in the elections in 1972, 1991 and 1996. After the election, the distribution of electoral districts in the province was declared to be biased in favour of Social Credit. The courts then ordered a fair redistribution. In 1986, Skelly resigned as NDP leader, and the following year, a party convention acclaimed [[Michael Harcourt]] as his successor.{{fact|date=August 2023}}

In late 1988 Skelly was elected to the [[House of Commons of Canada]] representing the Federal riding of [[Comox—Alberni]] from 1988 to 1993.{{fact|date=August 2023}}

Skelly went on to federal politics and was elected Member of Parliament for the federal riding of [[Comox—Alberni]] in the [[1988 Canadian federal election|1988]] federal election under the banner of the [[New Democratic Party (Canada)|New Democratic Party]]. He ran for a second term but was defeated in the [[1993 Canadian federal election|1993]] general election in which the New Democratic Party collapsed to nine seats.▼

▲SkellyHe wentbecame onAboriginal to federalAffairs politicscritic and was electedpresent Member of Parliament forduring the federalOka riding of [[Comox—Alberni]] in the [[1988 Canadian federal election|1988]] federal election under the banner of the [[New Democratic Party (Canada)|New Democratic Party]]crisis. He ran for a second term, but was defeated in the [[1993 Canadian federal election|1993]] general election in which the New Democratic Party collapsed to nine seats.{{fact|date=August 2023}}

Skelly served in Parliament at the same time as his brother [[Ray Skelly]].▼

▲Skelly served in Parliament at the same time as his brother [[Ray Skelly]].{{fact|date=August 2023}}

== References ==▼

* {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=10863}}▼

{{reflist|30em}}

Skelly died of [[Parkinson's disease]] on 6 August 2022, in [[Colwood, British Columbia]]. He was 79.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bob-skelly-bc-ndp-obit-1.6548980|title=Former B.C. New Democrat leader Bob Skelly dead at 79|publisher=[[CBC.ca]]|first=Bernice|last=Chan|date=11 August 2022|access-date=11 August 2022}}</ref>

{{BC NDP Leaders}}▼

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==External links==

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▲* {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=10863}}

title=Members of Parliament from [[Comox—Alberni]]|▼

years=1988–1993|▼

▲ after=[[Bill Gilmour (politician)|Bill Gilmour]]

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| after=[[Bill Gilmour (politician)|Bill Gilmour]]

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[[Category:1943 births]]

[[Category:Living2022 peopledeaths]]▼

[[Category:20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada]]

[[Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia]]

[[Category:Leaders of the British Columbia CCF/NDP]]

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[[Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from British Columbia]]

[[Category:New Democratic Party MPs]]

[[Category:Politicians from New Westminster]]