Barry Devolin

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Barry Devolin
Member of Parliament
for Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock
In office
2004 – August 4, 2015
Preceded byJohn O'Reilly
Succeeded byJamie Schmale
Chair of the Standing Committee on
Aboriginal Affairs
In office
13 November 2007 – 2 February 2009
MinisterChuck Strahl
Preceded byColin Mayes
Succeeded byBruce Stanton
Personal details
Born (1963-03-10) March 10, 1963 (age 61)
Peterborough, Ontario
Political partyConservative (2003–present)
Other political
affiliations
Reform Party (1987–1997)
ResidenceHaliburton, Ontario

Barry Devolin, (born March 10, 1963) is a former Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Canada and an academic.

Early life and education[edit]

Devolin was born in Peterborough and grew up in Haliburton. Devolin studied political science at Carleton University, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1985. Two years later he received a master's degree in political science from the Stony Brook University on Long Island, New York.

In 1993, Devolin married Ursula Beachli. They have 2 children, George (2002) and Molly (2004). The Devolins live in Haliburton, Ontario.

Academic career[edit]

In February 2017, Devolin was named chair of the Asian Studies Graduate Program at Sejong University. His research focuses on the socialization challenges facing North Korean defectors, and the ongoing Korean conflict.

Devolin began his teaching career in 1986 while a graduate student at Stony Brook University. He was awarded the 2014 Distinguished Alumni Award by Stony Brook University's Political Science department.

Political career[edit]

In 2013, Barry Devolin announced he would not seek re-election in the 2015 federal election.[1] His former executive assistant, Jamie Schmale, became the Conservative candidate for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, and was subsequently elected as a Member of Parliament in October 2015. Thus ended Devolin's 11-year career in the House of Commons, which included his service as Assistant Deputy Speaker,[2] his last 7 years.

Prior to 2008, Devolin served on several Parliamentary Standing Committees, including as chair of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development (2006–08). Devolin was also active in various parliamentary associations, and chaired Canada-Korea, Canada-Azerbaijan and Canada-Belgium. In 2013, South Korean President Lee Myung-buk awarded the prestigious Order of Diplomatic Service Medal (Heung-in) to Devolin, the only Canadian to ever receive it.

In 2004 Devolin was nominated as the candidate for the new Conservative Party of Canada, and was elected in the 2004 election to represent the newly redistributed riding of Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock. He received 44% of the popular vote, defeating O'Reilly. In the 2006 election Devolin was re-elected with 49% of the vote. He was subsequently reelected in 2008 with 56% of the vote, and in 2011 with 60% of the vote.

Many years earlier, Devolin ran in the 1993 federal election as a member of the Reform Party in the riding of Victoria—Haliburton. Devolin placed second in the election, losing to John O'Reilly of the Liberals. Following the 1993 election, Devolin served as the director of research for the parliamentary caucus of the Reform Party. He spent time working in British Columbia and Korea, and in 1994 returned to Canada to assist Chris Hodgson to seek election to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for Haliburton—Victoria—Brock. After this, he served as Hodgson's chief of staff. Devolin did not seek the nomination in Haliburton—Victoria—Brock in the 1997 and 2000 federal elections.

Over the years, Devolin held several senior political staff positions in the Canadian and Ontario governments, including chief of staff to Ontario Ministers Tim Hudak (1999–2000) and Chris Hodgson (1995–96), special assistant for education to Ontario Premier Mike Harris (1998–99), and director of research and question period strategist for the Reform Party of Canada under Preston Manning (1993–94). From 2000 to 2004, Devolin ran Shuter Street Associates, a strategic communications and planning consulting firm in Toronto.

Devolin served twice as campaign manager for Ontario Progressive Conservative candidates: in 1999 for former cabinet minister Brenda Elliott in the riding of Gueph-Wellington; and, In 1987 for Arthur Ward in the riding of Victoria-Halliburton.

Electoral record[edit]

2011 Canadian federal election: Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Barry Devolin 35,192 60.0 +4.0
New Democratic Lyn Edwards 12,934 22.1 +7.5
Liberal Laura Redman 7,539 12.9 −7.5
Green Susanne Lauten 2,963 5.1 −3.2
Total valid votes 58,628
Total rejected ballots 163 0.27 −0.06
Turnout 58,791 63.72
Eligible voters 92,201


2008 Canadian federal election: Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Barry Devolin 30,391 55.95 +6.95 $80,504
Liberal Marlene White 11,093 20.42 −8.33 $41,469
New Democratic Stephen Yardy 7,952 14.64 −2.58 $14,201
Green Michael Bell 4,505 8.29 +3.27 $2
Christian Heritage Dave Switzer 374 0.69 $1,702
Total valid votes/expense limit 54,315 100.00
Total rejected ballots 181
Turnout 54,496 60.10 −7.47
Electors on the lists 90,680


2006 Canadian federal election: Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Barry Devolin 29,427 49.00 +4.77 $72,620
Liberal Greg Walling 17,266 28.75 −5.76 $73,312
New Democratic Anne MacDermid 10,340 17.22 +2.15 $17,989
Green Andy Harjula 3,017 5.02 +0.30 $1,787
Total valid votes/expense limit 60,050 100.00
Total rejected ballots 196
Turnout 60,246 67.57 +3.35
Electors on the lists 89,166
Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.


2004 Canadian federal election: Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock
Party Candidate Votes % Expenditures
Conservative Barry Devolin 24,731 44.23 $62,433
Liberal John O'Reilly 19,294 34.51 $32,357
New Democratic Gil McElroy 8,427 15.07 $16,515
Green Tim Holland 2,637 4.72 $150
Christian Heritage Peter Vogel 493 0.88 $2,345
Independent Charles Olito 330 0.59 $8,276
Total valid votes/expense limit 55,912 100.00 $86,102
Total rejected ballots 199
Turnout 56,111 64.22
Electors on the lists 87,371
Percentage change figures are factored for redistribution. Conservative Party percentages are contrasted with the combined Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative percentages from 2000.
Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Ontario Tory MP Barry Devolin announces he won't run in 2015 - Inside Politics". Archived from the original on 2013-11-14.
  2. ^ "Journals No. 4 - November 21, 2008 (40-1) - House of Commons of Canada".

External links[edit]