Paul Reitsma
Encyclopedia
Paul Reitsma is a former member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
, Canada
, for the electoral district of Parksville-Qualicum
.
Reitsma served as the mayor of Port Alberni and Parksville
, prior to his move to provincial politics.
Reitsma was elected in the 1996 BC provincial election
for the BC Liberals
, defeating New Democratic Party of British Columbia
incumbent Leonard Krog
.
In early 1998, Reitsma was accused of writing letters to newspapers under assumed names
, praising himself and attacking his political opponents. A Parksville newspaper had asked a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police
handwriting expert to compare a sample of Reitsma's handwriting to that of letters to the editor submitted by a "Warren Betanko", and then ran a story entitled "MLA Reitsma is a liar and we can prove it".
Reitsma was ejected from the BC Liberal caucus although he chose to remain as a member of the BC Legislative Assembly. However, he resigned his legislative seat on June 23, 1998 when it appeared that a recall
petition led by proponent Mark Allan Robinson
had enough signatures from the electorate.
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
, 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...
, for the electoral district of Parksville-Qualicum
Parksville-Qualicum
Parksville-Qualicum was the name of a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It first appeared on the hustings in the general election of 1991. It also appeared was in the 1996 general election and a by-election in 1998. Following redistribution, the area...
.
Reitsma served as the mayor of Port Alberni and 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....
, prior to his move to provincial politics.
Reitsma was elected in the 1996 BC provincial election
British Columbia general election, 1996
The British Columbia general election of 1996 was the thirty sixth provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 30, 1996, and held on May 28, 1996...
for the BC Liberals
British Columbia Liberal Party
The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
, defeating New Democratic Party of British Columbia
New Democratic Party of British Columbia
The New Democratic Party of British Columbia is a social-democratic political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party currently forms the official opposition to the governing British Columbia Liberal Party following the 2009 provincial election in British Columbia.The BC NDP is the provincial...
incumbent Leonard Krog
Leonard Krog
Leonard Krog is a Canadian politician and lawyer in British Columbia. He was first elected in the 1991 general election representing the riding of Parksville-Qualicum in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and served as a backbencher in the Mike Harcourt NDP government. He ran for...
.
In early 1998, Reitsma was accused of writing letters to newspapers under assumed names
Astroturfing
Astroturfing is a form of advocacy in support of a political, organizational, or corporate agenda, designed to give the appearance of a "grassroots" movement. The goal of such campaigns is to disguise the efforts of a political and/or commercial entity as an independent public reaction to some...
, praising himself and attacking his political opponents. A Parksville newspaper had asked a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
handwriting expert to compare a sample of Reitsma's handwriting to that of letters to the editor submitted by a "Warren Betanko", and then ran a story entitled "MLA Reitsma is a liar and we can prove it".
Reitsma was ejected from the BC Liberal caucus although he chose to remain as a member of the BC Legislative Assembly. However, he resigned his legislative seat on June 23, 1998 when it appeared that a recall
Recall election
A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...
petition led by proponent Mark Allan Robinson
Mark Allan Robinson
Mark Allan Robinson was the proponent of the first successful campaign in Canadian history to remove an elected politician from public office by use of a recall petition....
had enough signatures from the electorate.