Glen Pearson
Encyclopedia
Glen Douglas Pearson is a politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He is a former Member of Parliament
for London North Centre
, and is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada
.
, Alberta
. He is a professional firefighter
in London, Ontario
, Canada
, well known for his charitable and humanitarian activities. He has recently retired as a captain in the London Fire Department, where he has worked for the past 29 years, but he is perhaps better known as the co-founder and volunteer executive director of the London Food Bank for the past 20 years. He has also previously been involved in the Ontario Association of Food Banks
as a Board member, serving one term as Chairperson.
In 1998, along with his wife, Jane Roy, Pearson worked on human rights and development projects in Sudan
. This work included building schools and infrastructure, general community development and campaigning against slavery
.
On August 15, 2007, Pearson reunited his Sudanese born adoptive daughter, Abuk Roy, with her twin sister, Achan and brother Ater, who were previously thought to be dead.
in the general election
of January 23, 2006, losing to Irene Mathyssen
of the New Democratic Party
.
Following the resignation of Joe Fontana
in London North Centre
, he was elected in the resulting by-election on November 27, 2006. His closest competition was Green Party of Canada
leader Elizabeth May
, who received 26% of the vote.
His campaign emphasized environmental, health care and accountability issues.
A father of seven and grandfather of three, Pearson lives with his wife and their adopted children, Abuk, Achan and Ater in London, Ontario.
He supported Stéphane Dion
in the Liberal leadership election, and introduced him on the night of the candidate speeches.
|Glen Pearson
|align="right"|13,287
|align="right"|34.85%
|align="right"|-5.27%
|-
|Elizabeth May
|align="right"|9,864
|align="right"|25.87%
|align="right"|+20.38%
|-
|Dianne Haskett
|align="right"|9,309
|align="right"|24.42%
|align="right"|-5.48%
|-
|Megan Walker
|align="right"|5,388
|align="right"|14.13%
|align="right"|-9.62%
|-
| Steven Hunter
|align="right"|145
|align="right"|0.38%
|align="right"|-0.09%
|-
| Robert Ede
|align="right"|77
|align="right"|0.20%
|align="right"|-
|-
|Will Arlow
|align="right"|53
|align="right"|0.14%
|align="right"|-
|- bgcolor="white"
|align="left" colspan=3|Total
|align="right"|38,123
|align="right"|100.00%
|align="right"|
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He is a former Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for London North Centre
London North Centre
London North Centre is an electoral district in the province of Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997....
, and is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
.
Life and career
Pearson was born in CalgaryCalgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. He is a professional firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, well known for his charitable and humanitarian activities. He has recently retired as a captain in the London Fire Department, where he has worked for the past 29 years, but he is perhaps better known as the co-founder and volunteer executive director of the London Food Bank for the past 20 years. He has also previously been involved in the Ontario Association of Food Banks
Ontario Association of Food Banks
The Ontario Association of Food Banks is a food bank network in the Canadian province of Ontario. Founded in 1992, OAFB represents 123 food banks across the province, "from Ottawa to Windsor, and Niagara Falls to Thunder Bay." Its mission is to "end hunger across the province." In 2007, the...
as a Board member, serving one term as Chairperson.
In 1998, along with his wife, Jane Roy, Pearson worked on human rights and development projects in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. This work included building schools and infrastructure, general community development and campaigning against slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
.
On August 15, 2007, Pearson reunited his Sudanese born adoptive daughter, Abuk Roy, with her twin sister, Achan and brother Ater, who were previously thought to be dead.
Politics
Pearson originally stood as the Liberal candidate in London—FanshaweLondon—Fanshawe
London—Fanshawe is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997.-Geography:The district consists of the southeast part of the City of London....
in the general election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
of January 23, 2006, losing to Irene Mathyssen
Irene Mathyssen
Irene R. Mathyssen is a Canadian politician and a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons...
of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
.
Following the resignation of Joe Fontana
Joe Fontana
Joseph Frank "Joe" Fontana, PC is the current mayor of London, Ontario. He was previously a Liberal member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding of London North Centre....
in London North Centre
London North Centre
London North Centre is an electoral district in the province of Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997....
, he was elected in the resulting by-election on November 27, 2006. His closest competition was Green Party of Canada
Green Party of Canada
The Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1983 with 10,000–12,000 registered members as of October 2008. The Greens advance a broad multi-issue political platform that reflects its core values of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and...
leader Elizabeth May
Elizabeth May
Elizabeth Evans May, OC, MP is an American-born Canadian Member of Parliament, environmentalist, writer, activist, lawyer, and the leader of the Green Party of Canada. She was the executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada from 1989 to 2006. She became a Canadian citizen in 1978.May's...
, who received 26% of the vote.
His campaign emphasized environmental, health care and accountability issues.
A father of seven and grandfather of three, Pearson lives with his wife and their adopted children, Abuk, Achan and Ater in London, Ontario.
He supported Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
in the Liberal leadership election, and introduced him on the night of the candidate speeches.
Electoral record
|-|Glen Pearson
|align="right"|13,287
|align="right"|34.85%
|align="right"|-5.27%
|-
|Elizabeth May
Elizabeth May
Elizabeth Evans May, OC, MP is an American-born Canadian Member of Parliament, environmentalist, writer, activist, lawyer, and the leader of the Green Party of Canada. She was the executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada from 1989 to 2006. She became a Canadian citizen in 1978.May's...
|align="right"|9,864
|align="right"|25.87%
|align="right"|+20.38%
|-
|Dianne Haskett
Dianne Haskett
Dianne Louise Haskett was mayor of London, Ontario, Canada, from 1994 to 2000. She served two, three-year mayoral terms, making a priority of downtown revitalization, heritage preservation, economic development, neighbourhood protection, protecting the environment, international relations, trade...
|align="right"|9,309
|align="right"|24.42%
|align="right"|-5.48%
|-
|Megan Walker
Megan Walker
Megan Walker is the executive director of the London Abused Women's Centre in London, Ontario, Canada, a community activist, a former AM radio co-host and also a former member of London City Council from 1994-2000, representing Ward 6....
|align="right"|5,388
|align="right"|14.13%
|align="right"|-9.62%
|-
| Steven Hunter
|align="right"|145
|align="right"|0.38%
|align="right"|-0.09%
|-
| Robert Ede
|align="right"|77
|align="right"|0.20%
|align="right"|-
|-
|Will Arlow
|align="right"|53
|align="right"|0.14%
|align="right"|-
|- bgcolor="white"
|align="left" colspan=3|Total
|align="right"|38,123
|align="right"|100.00%
|align="right"|