Ed Fast
Encyclopedia
Edward D. "Ed" Fast, is a Canadian politician, currently the Member of Parliament
for Abbotsford
, and serving as the Minister for International Trade and as Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway.
, Manitoba
, Ed Fast grew up in Vancouver
, British Columbia
. After graduating from law school at the University of British Columbia
in 1982, Fast co-founded the law firm currently known as Linley Welwood. He was elected in 1985 and served two terms as an Abbotsford School Trustee. He was elected to Abbotsford City Council in 1996 and served for three 3-year terms. During that time, he served variously as Deputy Mayor and as Chair of the Parks Recreation & Culture Commission.
Fast was elected as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Abbotsford on January 23, 2006. During his first term, Fast was appointed to the Standing Committee of Canadian Heritage and the Standing Committee for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. Fast was also the Vice-Chair of the B.C. Conservative caucus. On October 14, 2008, Fast was re-elected to his second term where he served as the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights and as a member of the Copyright Modernization Committee. On May 2, 2011, Fast successfully defended his seat in Parliament with 65% of the vote. He was appointed Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway on May 18, 2011. In this position, Fast will continue to advance free trade agreements with countries such as the European Union, India and South Korea and promote and support Canadian businesses wishing to do business in foreign markets.
Fast and his wife Annette have lived in Abbotsford for 28 years and have four adult daughters.
, Fast received 30,853 votes, 63.3% of the total in Abbotsford
. Fast was re-elected in the 2011 federal election with 32,493 votes, representing 65% of the popular vote.
Mission Bridge, and development of the Matsqui and Discovery Trail systems.
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Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
for Abbotsford
Abbotsford
Abbotsford may refer to a place in:Australia* Abbotsford, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia* Abbotsford, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne, AustraliaCanada* Abbotsford, British Columbia, a city in Canada...
, and serving as the Minister for International Trade and as Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway.
Biography
Born in WinnipegWinnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Ed Fast grew up in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. After graduating from law school at the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
in 1982, Fast co-founded the law firm currently known as Linley Welwood. He was elected in 1985 and served two terms as an Abbotsford School Trustee. He was elected to Abbotsford City Council in 1996 and served for three 3-year terms. During that time, he served variously as Deputy Mayor and as Chair of the Parks Recreation & Culture Commission.
Fast was elected as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Abbotsford on January 23, 2006. During his first term, Fast was appointed to the Standing Committee of Canadian Heritage and the Standing Committee for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. Fast was also the Vice-Chair of the B.C. Conservative caucus. On October 14, 2008, Fast was re-elected to his second term where he served as the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights and as a member of the Copyright Modernization Committee. On May 2, 2011, Fast successfully defended his seat in Parliament with 65% of the vote. He was appointed Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway on May 18, 2011. In this position, Fast will continue to advance free trade agreements with countries such as the European Union, India and South Korea and promote and support Canadian businesses wishing to do business in foreign markets.
Fast and his wife Annette have lived in Abbotsford for 28 years and have four adult daughters.
2006, 2008 and 2011 election results
In the 2006 Canadian Federal election Fast was elected with 63.27% of the vote. In the 2008 federal electionCanadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
, Fast received 30,853 votes, 63.3% of the total in Abbotsford
Abbotsford (electoral district)
Abbotsford is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004.-Demographics:...
. Fast was re-elected in the 2011 federal election with 32,493 votes, representing 65% of the popular vote.
Bill C-277
In 2006, Fast introduced Private Member's Bill C-277 which doubles from 5 to 10 years in prison the maximum sentence for luring a child over the internet for sexual purposes. The Bill received royal assent on June 22, 2007. Only 2% of private member’s bills are ever passed into law.Abbotsford-Huntington border crossing
In May 2009, Fast introduced a motion in the House of Commons to rename the Huntingdon border crossing to “Abbotsford-Huntingdon Port of Entry”. The official renaming took place on May 28, 2010, preserving the historical significance of the “Huntingdon” name while at the same time more accurately reflecting the location of the border crossing within the Fraser Valley. The name change represents a “coming of age” for Abbotsford.Federal infrastructure investments
In 2009, Fast was successful in securing for Abbotsford an unprecedented $35 million in federal infrastructure investments. The projects funded by the federal government as part of its stimulus funding include reconstruction of the McCallum Rd. and Clearbrook Rd. interchanges, improvements to the Abbotsford International Airport, improvements to the Abbotsford-Huntingdon Port of Entry, construction of a new Mill Lake Spray Park, safety improvements to theMission Bridge, and development of the Matsqui and Discovery Trail systems.
Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights
In his role as Chair of the Standing Committee on Justice & Human Rights, Fast has worked with committee members to issue a significant report on impaired driving. In addition to reviewing numerous criminal justice bills tabled by the Conservative government, the committee is also completing a comprehensive study on organized crime in Canada.Electoral record
|align="left" colspan=2|ConservativeConservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
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External links
- Ed Fast official site
- History of Federal Ridings since 1867