Terry Beech Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Terry Beech
Office5:Minister of Citizens' Services
Term Start5:July 26, 2023
Predecessor5:Position established
Office6:Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Minister6:Chrystia Freeland
Term Start6:December 3, 2021
Term End6:July 26, 2023
Predecessor6:Sean Fraser
Successor6:TBD
Term Start7:December 12, 2019
Term End7:August 15, 2021
Predecessor7:Sean Casey
Successor7:Mike Kelloway
Office8:Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (B.C.)
Term Start8:March 19, 2021
Term End8:August 15, 2021
Birth Date:2 April 1981[1]
Birth Place:Comox, British Columbia, Canada
Occupation:Businessman, politician
Party:Liberal
Residence:Burnaby, British Columbia
Spouse:Ravi Bansal Beech
Children:2
Alma Mater:Simon Fraser University (B.B.A.)
Oxford University (M.B.A)
Term Start9:August 31, 2018
Term End9:September 11, 2019
Office9:Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Minister9:Marc Garneau
Office13:Nanaimo City Councillor
Term End13:December 2, 2002
Term Start13:December 6, 1999
Parliament12:Canadian
Predecessor12:Riding established
Riding12:Burnaby North—Seymour
Term Start12:October 19, 2015
Minister11:Kirsty Duncan
Office11:Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Science
Predecessor11:Position established
Successor11:Kate Young
Term End11:January 27, 2017
Term Start11:December 2, 2015
Minister10:Dominic Leblanc
Office10:Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard
Predecessor10:Unknown
Successor10:Sean Casey
Term End10:August 31, 2018
Term Start10:January 30, 2017
Minister8:Melanie Joly
Predecessor9:Karen McCrimmon
Minister7:Bernadette Jordan
Office7:Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard
Primeminister5:Justin Trudeau

Terry J. Beech[2] (born April 2, 1981) is a Canadian businessman and politician who has served as Member of Parliament for the federal electoral district of Burnaby North—Seymour in the House of Commons of Canada since 2015.[3] [4] [5] Beech serves as minister for the newly created portfolio of citizen services since 2023. Prior, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to a number of Liberal cabinet ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland from 2021 to 2023.

In 1999, Beech was elected to the Nanaimo City Council at the age of 18, becoming British Columbia's youngest-ever elected official.

Background and municipal politics

Beech was born in Comox, British Columbia,[6] and moved to Victoria when he was one. His father worked as a janitor and his mother was a housewife. While in Victoria, Beech attended Arbutus Junior High School before moving on to Mount Douglas Senior Secondary School. He later moved to Nanaimo, where he attended John Barsby Secondary School.[7] While in grade 12, he coached the debate team and sat on the board of the Harewood Community Project Society.

Beech was elected to Nanaimo City Council in 1999 at age 18,[8] becoming British Columbia's youngest-ever elected official. While councillor, he sat on the Advisory Committee on the Environment, and the Joint Use Committee with School District 68 Nanaimo-Ladysmith. He served on the council for three years, and did not seek re-election, instead moving to Burnaby to pursue a degree at Simon Fraser University (SFU). After completing a joint major in business and economics there, he joined Aquilini Investment Group, working as director of business development until 2008.[9]

In 2006, Beech and his twin brother, Doug, founded a non-profit organization called Twinbro Local Leaders.[10] Twinbro was created to empower youth, and help them access post-secondary education, regardless of their social and economic background.[11]

While working on his MBA at Oxford University through their online offerings, Beech started tech company HiretheWorld. In 2010, HiretheWorld won the BCIC New Ventures Competition, and in 2012, it was named one of BC Business Magazine's top 20 most innovative companies.[12]

Beech has taught entrepreneurship and finance courses as an adjunct professor at SFU[13] and the University of British Columbia,[14] and helped redesign the entrepreneurship program at SFU.

In 2010/11, Beech participated in the Action Canada program, where he co-authored, "Fueling Canada's Economic Success: A National Strategy for High-Growth Entrepreneurship.[15] "

Member of Parliament

Beech was nominated as the Liberal candidate in Burnaby North—Seymour in July 2014.[16] [17] In the 2015 federal election, he defeated New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Carol Baird Ellan by 3,401 votes,[18] as well as Conservative Party candidate and now Mayor of the District of North Vancouver Mike Little by 4,326 votes.[18]

After the election, Beech was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Science. In January 2017, Beech was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard. During his tenure, Beech worked on the modernization of Canada's Fisheries Act. Part of that work included changes to the Act that restored prohibitions against the harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat ("HADD").[19] Beech also worked on Bill C-55, "An Act to amend the Oceans Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act", which outlined new steps for the creation and regulation of Marine Protected Areas.[20] Beech held this role until August 2018, when he was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport.[21] While at Transport, Beech worked closely on Bill C-64 - Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act, which addressed irresponsible vessel management.[22]

In 2018, Beech was awarded Parliamentarian of the Year for Best Civic Outreach.[23] These awards are voted on by Members of Parliament from all Parties. Beech attributes winning this award to his efforts to engage with constituents and by perpetually knocking on doors in his riding.[24]

In the 2019 Canadian federal election, Beech quashed the comeback attempt of NDP candidate Svend Robinson, who had previously served as MP in Burnaby from 1979 to 2004.[25] Beech also defeated Heather Leung, a candidate who was dropped by the Conservative Party after controversial videos featuring Leung surfaced in October 2019.[26] On December 12, 2019, Beech was once again named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and Canadian Coast Guard.[27] On February 4, 2020, Beech was chosen by fellow caucus members to become the chair of the Federal Liberal Pacific Caucus, composed of Liberal MPs from British Columbia.[28]

In the 2021 Canadian federal election, Beech was re-elected with 39.4% of the vote, defeating NDP challenger Jim Hanson.[29] On December 3, 2021, Terry Beech was named Parliamentary Secretary to Chrystia Freeland, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.[30]

Awards

Personal life

In 2013, Beech married Ravi Bansal (now Ravi Bansal Beech), who is the COO of Valley Acrylic Bath Ltd, and one of the 2018 Business in Vancouver's 40 under 40.[37] They have two daughters together, Nova and Solar.[38]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Terry Beech gets Liberal nod in Burnaby North-Seymour . www.burnabynow.com . January 15, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181802/http://www.burnabynow.com/news/terry-beech-gets-liberal-nod-in-burnaby-north-seymour-1.1902029 . 3 March 2016 . dead.
  2. Web site: Search for Contributions.
  3. Web site: Expenditures by Member - Selection of Members. www.parl.gc.ca. en-CA. 2017-05-06.
  4. Web site: Liberal Terry Beech wins Burnaby North-Seymour . CBC News . 19 October 2015 . 20 October 2015.
  5. Web site: Canada election 2015: List of elected B.C. candidates . CBC News . 19 October 2015 . 20 October 2015.
  6. Web site: Profile - Beech, Terry . Library of Parliament. 2023-05-23.
  7. https://jb.schools.sd68.bc.ca/ John Barsby Secondary School
  8. Web site: Terry Beech (Liberal/Burnaby North-Seymour): This wunderkind was Canada's youngest city councillor when elected in Nanaimo at age 18. A decade and a half later he could add Oxford MBA, entrepreneur, professor, philanthropist and now MP to his resumé after his surprise victory in a riding the Liberals had no expectation of winning when the election was called.. www.vancouversun.com.
  9. Web site: Terry Beech. . 2013-12-09 . 2023-05-23 .
  10. Web site: Former professor to represent Burnaby North-Seymour riding The Peak. Leah. Bjornson. 22 July 2014 .
  11. Web site: Twinbro - Mission and History. www.twinbro.com.
  12. Web site: Beedie alumnus and MP Terry Beech named Young Global Leader - SFU News - Simon Fraser University. www.sfu.ca.
  13. Web site: Beedie alumnus and MP Terry Beech named Young Global Leader by World Economic Forum Ideas@Beedie. beedie.sfu.ca.
  14. Web site: Terry Beech | Prime Minister of Canada . pm.gc.ca . 15 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190814170643/https://pm.gc.ca/en/parliamentary-secretaries/terry-beech . 14 August 2019 . dead.
  15. Web site: Task Force on A National Strategy for High Growth Entrepreneurship.
  16. Web site: Bitcoin donations enter Canadian politics. . Stephen . Hui . 2014-07-09 . 2023-05-23 .
  17. Web site: Know your candidate: Terry Beech, Burnaby North-Seymour. Burnaby Beacon . 2023-05-23 .
  18. Web site: Official Voting Results. www.elections.ca.
  19. Web site: February 20, 2018. Lauren E.. Cook. The Return of the HADD: Canada's Proposed Amendments to the Fisheries Act. 2020-07-29. www.lawsonlundell.com. en-US.
  20. Web site: 2019-08-01. Changes to the Oceans Act. 2020-07-29. www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
  21. Web site: Roles - Terry Beech - Current and Past - Members of Parliament - House of Commons of Canada. www.ourcommons.ca.
  22. Web site: LEGISinfo - House Government Bill C-64 (42-1). 2020-07-29. www.parl.ca.
  23. Web site: Parliamentarians of the Year awards 2018 in pictures - Macleans.ca. 2020-07-29. www.macleans.ca. 6 November 2018 .
  24. Web site: Terry Beech: The perpetual door-knocker - Macleans.ca. 2020-07-29. www.macleans.ca.
  25. Web site: Election Night Results - Electoral Districts. 2020-07-29. enr.elections.ca.
  26. Web site: Turfed B.C. Conservative candidate Heather Leung speaks out Watch News Videos Online. 2020-07-29. Global News. en.
  27. Web site: Parliamentary Secretaries .
  28. Web site: Terry Beech, MP. 2020-07-29. www.facebook.com. en.
  29. Web site: Canada election results: Burnaby North–Seymour Globalnews.ca. 2021-12-07. Global News. en-CA.
  30. Web site: 2021-12-03. Prime Minister welcomes new parliamentary secretaries. 2021-12-07. Prime Minister of Canada. en.
  31. Web site: 2023-04-27 . Best of Burnaby 2023 by Burnaby Now - Issuu . 2024-10-18 . issuu.com . en.
  32. Web site: 2024-05-01 . Best of Burnaby 2024 by Burnaby Now - Issuu . 2024-10-18 . issuu.com . en.
  33. Web site: Fraser voted best minister in Question Period and best public speaker in The Hill Times' Politically Savvy Survey 2023 . 2024-10-18 . The Hill Times . en-CA.
  34. Web site: Poilievre voted best public speaker, most quotable, hardest-working, and biggest self-promoter in The Hill Times’ 29th Annual Politically Savvy Survey . 2024-10-18 . The Hill Times . en-CA.
  35. Web site: Canada Parliamentarians of the Year awards 2018 in pictures .
  36. Web site: Award - Action Canada . 2024-10-18 . actioncanada.ca/ . en-US.
  37. Web site: Ravi Beech. Business in Vancouver.
  38. News: MP tells House of Commons about how New West NICU saved his baby. New West Record. Campbell. Chris. March 3, 2019. October 5, 2019.