James Lunney
Encyclopedia
James D. Lunney is a Canadian
politician. He is the current Conservative
Member of Parliament
for the riding of Nanaimo—Alberni
.
Born in Winnipeg
, Manitoba
he received a Bachelor of Science
degree from the University of Manitoba
in 1972 and a Doctor of Chiropractic from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College
in Toronto
in 1976. He was first elected in 2000
as a Canadian Alliance
candidate. He was re-elected in 2004
, 2006
and 2008
under the banner of the Conservative Party
.
After practicing chiropractic health care in Kitchener
, Ontario
for approximately 15 years, the Lunneys relocated to Vancouver Island
where James established West Coast Chiropractic in Parksville
and practiced for another 9 years. In addition to serving thousands of Island residents professionally, Lunney has contributed community service through the Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce
, North Vancouver Island Chiropractic Society and the local church.
for the Canadian Alliance Party
. He garnered 50.45 percent of the vote, beating his Liberal
opponent, Hira Chopra by more than 15639 votes. In the 2004 general election
, Lunney won with 39.06 percent of the vote over NDP
candidate Scott Fraser. Lunney won again in 2006 with 41 percent of the vote against NDP representative Manjeet Uppal. In 2008, Lunney beat Zeni Maartman by 15 percent of the vote.
Lunney said in the House of Commons: “Bill C-420 is about releasing the tremendous amount of information that supports the judicious use of natural health products, and it’s about greater freedom of choice in personal health care. With a minority government, we have the opportunity to advance effectiveness and cost effectiveness in health care”.
C-420 Died in the House in 2004 with the General election and was reintroduced (with the same name) by Conservative MP Colin Carrie
. On November 22, 2005, the Health Committee voted to not proceed with the second Bill voting 7-4 to kill it.
to tighten controls on “over-prescribed” proton pump inhibitors which suppress stomach acids but have been shown to increase the likelihood of Clostridium difficile
- an intestinal disease with flu like symptoms. Lunney said "It has proven difficult to eradicate but much of its spread and related death toll could be prevented, if patients were made aware of the risks when doctors prescribe PPI medication"
In April 2009, Lunney made a statement in Parliament proclaiming his belief in creationism
and attacking theory of evolution.
In May 2010, it was documented in the Times Colonist that: "Lunney spent $169,935 just on travelling between Nanaimo-Alberni and Ottawa in the one-year.
He said it's a long trip but he comes back to the riding "every chance I get" to attend events and meet with his constituents to discuss their concerns.
Lunney said he regularly flies business class because he works en-route and he needs the extra space to allow him to work on sometimes confidential material on his laptop computer.
"I sometimes also encourage my wife to come along on these trips because I wouldn't have much of a chance to see her if she didn't, but it's allowed according to the rules on spending and she travels in economy class," he said." This caused controversy due to the on-going debate regarding MP expenses.
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...
politician. He is the current Conservative
Conservative 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...
Member of Parliament
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 the riding of Nanaimo—Alberni
Nanaimo—Alberni
Nanaimo—Alberni is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 1988...
.
Born in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
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...
he received a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
in 1972 and a Doctor of Chiropractic from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College
Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College
The Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College is a fully accredited academic institution recognized as one of the most rigourous and innovative chiropractic programs in North America. With graduates now practising in 43 countries around the world, CMCC’s focus is the delivery of world class...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1976. He was first elected in 2000
Canadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
as a Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
candidate. He was re-elected in 2004
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
, 2006
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:...
and 2008
Canadian 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...
under the banner of the Conservative Party
Conservative 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...
.
After practicing chiropractic health care in Kitchener
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
, Ontario
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....
for approximately 15 years, the Lunneys relocated to Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
where James established West Coast Chiropractic in Parksville
Parksville, British Columbia
-Demographics:Parksville had a population of 10,993 people in 2006, which was an increase of 6.5% from the 2001 census count. The median household income in 2006 for Parksville was $55,524, which is below the British Columbia provincial average of $62,346....
and practiced for another 9 years. In addition to serving thousands of Island residents professionally, Lunney has contributed community service through the Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, North Vancouver Island Chiropractic Society and the local church.
Political Career
Lunney joined the Canadian Alliance Party shortly before his bid to run in Nanaimo – Alberni in the 2000 federal electionCanadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
for the Canadian Alliance Party
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
. He garnered 50.45 percent of the vote, beating his Liberal
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...
opponent, Hira Chopra by more than 15639 votes. In the 2004 general election
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
, Lunney won with 39.06 percent of the vote over NDP
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...
candidate Scott Fraser. Lunney won again in 2006 with 41 percent of the vote against NDP representative Manjeet Uppal. In 2008, Lunney beat Zeni Maartman by 15 percent of the vote.
“Dr” Lunney
In 2006 Lunney was sued by Robert Pound for the use of the term “Dr” on all campaign signs and promotional materials. Pound stated that “The Chiropractors Act states that chiropractors "may display or make use of the title 'doctor' or the abbreviation 'Dr.', but only as 'Doctor of Chiropractic', 'Dr. of Chiropractic', 'Chiropractic Doctor' or 'Chiropractic Dr.'" Pound had previously filed a grievance with the B.C. Chiropractic College. who quickly dismissed the complaint in January 2007. The case went to the BC Supreme Court where the presiding judge, Justice Douglas Halfyard exonerated Lunney ruling that the use of the title “Dr.” did not “infringe any legal or equitable right” of the petitioner, Robert Pound. The judge also called the timing of Mr. Pound’s complaint “suspicious to say the least” –referring to the timing of the petition close to the federal election. Pound was ordered to pay Lunney’s legal expenses.Bill C-420
On March 20, 2003, Mr. Lunney introduced Private Members’ Bill C-420, “An act to amend the Food and Drugs Act”, in the House of Commons. The Bill, would’ve re-classified all natural health products as foods and lift restrictions on health claims that manufacturers can make about their products. C-420 was originally recommended by a team of seventeen experts appointed by the government in 2000 to bring in new rules for Natural Health Products.Lunney said in the House of Commons: “Bill C-420 is about releasing the tremendous amount of information that supports the judicious use of natural health products, and it’s about greater freedom of choice in personal health care. With a minority government, we have the opportunity to advance effectiveness and cost effectiveness in health care”.
C-420 Died in the House in 2004 with the General election and was reintroduced (with the same name) by Conservative MP Colin Carrie
Colin Carrie
Colin Carrie is a Canadian politician. He is a current member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Oshawa in the province of Ontario for the Conservative Party of Canada.-Personal life:...
. On November 22, 2005, the Health Committee voted to not proceed with the second Bill voting 7-4 to kill it.
Proton Pump Inhibitors and C-Difficile
On June 29, 2010 Lunney called upon Health CanadaHealth Canada
Health Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for national public health.The current Minister of Health is Leona Aglukkaq, a Conservative Member of Parliament appointed to the position by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.-Branches, regions and agencies:Health Canada...
to tighten controls on “over-prescribed” proton pump inhibitors which suppress stomach acids but have been shown to increase the likelihood of Clostridium difficile
Clostridium difficile
Clostridium difficile , also known as "CDF/cdf", or "C...
- an intestinal disease with flu like symptoms. Lunney said "It has proven difficult to eradicate but much of its spread and related death toll could be prevented, if patients were made aware of the risks when doctors prescribe PPI medication"
In April 2009, Lunney made a statement in Parliament proclaiming his belief in creationism
Creationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
and attacking theory of evolution.
In May 2010, it was documented in the Times Colonist that: "Lunney spent $169,935 just on travelling between Nanaimo-Alberni and Ottawa in the one-year.
He said it's a long trip but he comes back to the riding "every chance I get" to attend events and meet with his constituents to discuss their concerns.
Lunney said he regularly flies business class because he works en-route and he needs the extra space to allow him to work on sometimes confidential material on his laptop computer.
"I sometimes also encourage my wife to come along on these trips because I wouldn't have much of a chance to see her if she didn't, but it's allowed according to the rules on spending and she travels in economy class," he said." This caused controversy due to the on-going debate regarding MP expenses.