Tracy Gray
MP
Member of Parliament
for Kelowna—Lake Country
Assumed office
October 21, 2019
Preceded byStephen Fuhr
Kelowna City Councillor
In office
November 15, 2014 – October 20, 2018
Personal details
Born1969 or 1970 (age 53–54)[1]
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Political partyConservative
SpouseLarry Gray[2]
Children1
Residence(s)Kelowna, British Columbia
Alma materUniversity of Calgary
ProfessionSmall Business Owner
Business Executive

Tracy Gray MP is a Canadian politician who was elected to represent the riding of Kelowna—Lake Country in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2019 and 2021 Canadian federal elections.[3] She served in both the 43rd and 44th Canadian Parliaments as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. As a Member of Parliament she introduced one bill, Bill C-283 An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (addiction treatment in penitentiaries), which sought to utilize penitentiaries as addiction treatment facilities but it was defeated at second reading. Prior to her election in the House of Commons, she was a city councillor for Kelowna City Council.

Business career

Prior to entering public service, Gray had worked extensively in the British Columbia liquor industry. She served in senior managerial capacities at several breweries and wineries in the Okanagan Valley, including Mission Hill Winery and Granville Island Brewing.[4][5] She ran the Retail and Hospitality department at Mission Hill when it was awarded the International Wine and Spirit Competition Avery Trophy for Best Chardonnay in the World.[6]

In 2003, Gray launched a chain of VQA wine stores in the British Columbia Interior.[5] Throughout its operation, the chain included the highest ranked wine store in British Columbia in terms of sales,[7] and carried over 800 varieties of local British Columbia wine.[8] Gray has guest lectured at the University of British Columbia Okanagan and Okanagan College about entrepreneurship and has been an advocate and mentor for women in business.[8][9] Gray hosted a weekly wine lifestyle segment on Global Okanagan and has also served as a judge at several international wine competitions.[10]

Gray was a director on the Okanagan Film Commission, an organization which promotes regional economic development in film and animation.[11] She was also a board member for Prospera Credit Union. Gray was on the board when Prospera merged with Westminster Savings, the largest credit union merger in Canadian history, making the new organization the 6th largest credit union in Canada.[12] She also served as a director on the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce.[13]

Gray was appointed by British Columbia's cabinet to serve on the Passenger Transportation Board.[14]

Politics

Kelowna City Councillor (2014-2018)

Gray was elected as a Kelowna City Councillor following the 2014 municipal election. While on City Council, Gray was also elected as Chair of the Okanagan Basin Water Board,[15] and spearheaded the region's flood mitigation strategy and invasive Quagga mussel prevention campaign.[15] In April 2017, the provincial government responded to the concerns raised by Gray and the Water Board about invasive mussels by hiring more conservation officers and providing funding for two more boat inspection stations in the area.[16] She was also appointed as a Trustee on the Okanagan Regional Library board.[17]

She also served at the regional government level as a director on the Central Okanagan Regional District board.[12]

Federal Politics (2018-present)

On September 6, 2018, Gray announced she would seek the federal Conservative nomination for the electoral district of Kelowna—Lake Country,[18] stating she felt compelled to run following the Liberal government's proposed small business tax changes.[19] She won the contested nomination on April 6, 2019.[20] Gray was elected as the Member of Parliament for the riding on October 21, defeating Liberal incumbent Stephen Fuhr.[2] She is the first woman to be elected as a Member of Parliament for the riding.[2]

Gray was named to the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet in November 2019 as Shadow Minister for Interprovincial Trade.[21] Following the election of Erin O'Toole as Conservative party leader, in September 2020 Gray became Shadow Minister for Export Promotion and International Trade.[22] In her capacity as Shadow Minister for International Trade, Gray moved and passed a motion in the House of Commons to establish the Special Committee on the Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States,[23][24] composed of members from recognized parties to study trade issues between the two countries.[25]

She was re-elected for a second term in September 2021.[26] Following the election, Gray was re-appointed to Shadow Cabinet in a new role as Shadow Minister for Small Business Recovery and Growth.[27]

After the election of Pierre Poilievre as leader of the Conservative Party, Gray was given an updated role as the Shadow Minister for Employment, Future Workforce Development and Persons with Disabilities. She was also appointed vice-chair of the Committee on Human Resources, Skills and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.[28]

Gray has advocated in Parliament for the federal government to do their part to complete the Okanagan Rail Trail, a multi-use path crossing the Okanagan region converting the former Okanagan Valley Railway. Presently, a 2 kilometer middle portion of the trail is incomplete while awaiting a federal government land transfer to the Okanagan Indian Band via an addition-to-reserve.[29] Gray has written to the federal government and has asked numerous questions seeking updates on the completion of this addition-to-reserve process.[30]

Gray voted against a bill that would prohibit compelling people to undergo conversion therapy intended to alter their sexual orientations.[31] Gray supported an updated bill to ban conversion therapy in Canada which passed unanimously in Parliament, Bill C-4, stating that this revised legislation addressed her concerns from the previous iteration.[32]

Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada has identified Gray as anti-abortion.[33] Gray voted at second reading to send Bill C-233 - An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sex-selective abortion) to the committee stage for further study, which would make it an indictable offence for a medical practitioner to knowingly perform an abortion solely on the grounds of the child's genetic sex.[34][35]

Gray successfully advocated for the full re-opening of the Kelowna International Airport to international flights in November 2021.[36][37] Transborder flights at the airport were initially halted at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the resumption of these flights from Kelowna delayed by Transport Canada despite airports with lesser passenger volumes being returned their international designation earlier.[38] She has also advocated for the expansion of passport services offered in the Okanagan, requesting the federal government allow Kelowna's passport office to provide urgent, same-day passport pick-up. Presently, individuals in BC's Interior must commute to either Surrey or Calgary for urgent passport requests.[39][40]

In the 44th Parliament, Gray tabled Private Member's Bill C-283, titled End the Revolving Door Act. This bill sought to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act to allow a penitentiary to be used as an addiction treatment facility and to insert into the Criminal Code an ability for a person sentenced to imprisonment to request they serve their sentence there,[41] with the objective of reducing recidivism and addressing mental health and addictions issues for federal inmates.[42] Despite being supported by the Conservative Party and Bloc Québécois, the bill was defeated at second reading.[43] As a person who was adopted at birth, she has also tabled a Private Member's Motion M-46 to recognize November as 'National Adoption Awareness Month'.[44]

Committee assignments

Current

Previous

Source: [45]

Personal life

Gray is married with one adult son.[2][8] She was born in Edmonton and grew up in Lethbridge, moving to Kelowna in 1989.[1] She is a graduate of the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary.[46]

In her free time, Gray enjoys skiing and used to sing in a volunteer community rock band composed of elected officials in the Kelowna-area.[47][8]

Awards and recognition

In 2006, Gray was named RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.[48]

In 2008, she was named by the Women's Enterprise Centre as one of 100 'New Pioneers' in British Columbia involved in entrepreneurship.[49]

In 2015, she was named as a 'Woman to Watch' by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and Kelowna Capital News for her work in the local wine industry and on city council.[9]

Electoral record

Federal

2021 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeTracy Gray30,40945.3-0.3
LiberalTim Krupa17,76726.5-6.2
New DemocraticCade Desjarlais12,20418.2+6.1
People'sBrian Rogers4,6887.0+5.2
GreenImre Szeman2,0743.1-4.4
Total valid votes 67,14299.5
Total rejected ballots 3460.5
Turnout 67,48863.9
Eligible voters 105,621
Conservative hold Swing +3.0
Source: Elections Canada[50]
2019 Canadian federal election: Kelowna—Lake Country
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeTracy Gray31,49745.57+5.82$118,425.23
LiberalStephen Fuhr22,62732.74-13.42$103,263.61
New DemocraticJustin Kulik8,38112.13-1.96$12,410.64
GreenTravis Ashley5,1717.48–$6,745.70
People'sJohn Barr1,2251.77–$7,213.32
IndependentDaniel Joseph1520.22–none listed
IndependentSilverado Socrates670.10–$0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 69,12099.56
Total rejected ballots 3050.44+0.08
Turnout 69,42568.39-2.26
Eligible voters 101,507
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +9.62
Source: Elections Canada[51][52][53]

Municipal

Kelowna Municipal Election (2014) Top 8 candidates elected
Party Council candidate Vote  %
  IndependentLuke Stack (X)16,5249.20
  IndependentGail Given (X)15,5598.66
  IndependentMaxime DeHart (X)15,5228.64
  IndependentMohini Singh (X)15,4158.58
  IndependentBrad Sieben12,5877.01
  IndependentTracy Gray11,5156.41
  IndependentRyan Donn9,5655.32
  IndependentCharles Hodge9,4445.26
  IndependentBeryl Itani8,1194.52
  IndependentLaura Thurnheer7,714.33
  IndependentAlan Monk6,1853.44
  IndependentDavid Mossman5,2622.93
  TaxPayersFirstGraeme James4,8352.69
  TaxPayersFirstMichael Gorman4,3912.44
  Propser KelownaMike McLoughlin4,3272.41
  Propser KelownaSean Upshaw3,9092.18
  TaxPayersFirstCarol Gran3,8032.12
  IndependentBobby Kennedy3,1071.73
  IndependentMo Rajabally3,0241.68
  TaxPayersFirstDale Olson2,4911.39
  IndependentDayleen Van Ryswyk2,2941.28
  TaxPayersFirstBillie Aaltonen2,1911.22
  IndependentLeslie Lendall2,0711.15
  IndependentRawle James1,7390.97
  IndependentConnor P.J. O'Reilly1,4930.83
  IndependentKen Chung1,4740.82
  IndependentGwen Miles1,2720.71
  IndependentKen Finney1,2630.70
  IndependentCal Condy9890.55
  IndependentKrista Jessacher7730.43
  IndependentRed Somer7510.42

References

  1. 1 2 Miller, James (February 19, 2019). "Conservative nomination date draws nearer in Kelowna-Lake Country". Penticton Herald. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 MacNaull, Seve (21 October 2019). "Conservative Tracy Gray wins big in Kelowna-Lake Country". Kelowna Daily Courrier. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  3. ↑ Manchester, Joe (October 21, 2019). "Gray turns Kelowna blue". Castanet.net. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  4. ↑ Waters, Alistair (2014-06-18). "Kelowna businesswoman first to toss her hat into civic election ring". Kelowna Capital News. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  5. 1 2 Paillard, Sylvie (2013-05-01). "Toast of the Town: Kamloops wine lovers finally have something to cheers about". Kamloops Daily News. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  6. ↑ "Mission Hill Familyu Estate Crowned "Canadian Wine Producer of the Year" at the 2011 International Wine & Spirit Competition in London, UK by Propietor Chàteau Haut-Brion". Mission Hill Winery. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  7. ↑ Sturmanis, Donna (27 May 2013). "Kamloops Customers Welcome Discover Wines". Food & Wine Trails BC. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Gaze, Denise (1 September 2013). "Retailer Profile: Wine charm" (PDF). Homestyle Magazine. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  9. 1 2 Klassen, Sawyer (2 October 2015). "Women to Watch: Tracy Gray". Kelowna Capital News. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  10. ↑ "Wine judges prepare for Best of BC Wine Awards". OkanaganLife Magazine. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  11. ↑ "They're supporting Tracy Gray". Kelowna Daily News. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  12. 1 2 Shore, Randy (22 October 2019). "Election 2019: B.C., meet your new MPs". Vancouver Sun. Postmedia. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  13. ↑ Waters, Alistair (15 March 2018). "Kelowna chamber names new president". Kelowna Capital News. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  14. ↑ "Passenger Transportation Board Annual Report, 2012-2013" (PDF). BC Passenger Transportation Board. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  15. 1 2 Gerding, Barry (7 February 2018). "Kelowna city councillor re-elected water board chair". Vernon Morning Star. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  16. ↑ Waters, Alistair (6 April 2017). "More to do in fight against invasive mussels says water board". Kelowna Capital News. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  17. ↑ "Okanagan Regional Library Board Minutes" (PDF). Okanagan Regional Library. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  18. ↑ Waters, Alistair (6 September 2018). "Kelowna city councillor enters race for Conservative nomination". Kelowna Capital News. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  19. ↑ Michaels, Kathy (18 February 2019). "Nomination date set for Kelowna- Lake Country Conservatives". Lake Country Calendar. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  20. ↑ Berry, Carli (6 April 2019). "Tracy Gray new Kelowna-Lake Country Conservative candidate". Kelowna Capital News. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  21. ↑ Potenteau, Doyle (29 November 2019). "All four Okanagan MPs named to federal government critic roles". Global Okanagan. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  22. ↑ Emmanuel, Rachel (8 September 2020). "Strategists applaud O'Toole's inclusion of women, young MPs in shadow cabinet". iPolitics. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  23. ↑ House of Commons. "Vote No. 49 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session". OurCommons. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  24. ↑ Moss, Neil. "New committee a forum to look deeper into ever-important Canada-U.S. economic relationship, but will partisan squabbles dominate?". The Hill Times. The Hill Times. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  25. ↑ House of Commons. "Special Committee on the Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States". OurCommons. House of Commons. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  26. ↑ Munro, Rob (20 September 2021). "Conservative Tracy Gray re-elected in Kelowna-Lake Country". InfoTel News. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  27. ↑ Burns, Iain (9 November 2021). "Tracy Gray named to Conservative shadow cabinet". Kelowna Now. Kelowna Now. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  28. ↑ Daily Courier Staff (12 October 2022). "Kelowna MP Gray gets Tory shadow cabinet role as Employment critic". The Daily Courier. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  29. ↑ Seymour, Ron (October 5, 2020). "Rail trail's missing middle of concern to Gray". The Daily Courier. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  30. ↑ Moore, Wayne (2 February 2022). "Still no time frame as to when a 2.3 kilometre section of the Okanagan Rail Trail will be accessible". Castanet. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  31. ↑ "Conservative Kelowna MP not welcome at Pride celebration after conversion therapy vote". CTV. Aug 12, 2021.
  32. ↑ Tran, Paula (1 December 2021). "Kelowna-Lake Country MP supports new conversion therapy ban". Kelowna Capital News. Black Press. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  33. ↑ "Members of Parliament with an Anti-choice stance" (PDF). Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada. Aug 13, 2021.
  34. ↑ "Vote No. 125 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session, Subject: 2nd reading of Bill C-233, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sex-selective abortion)". Parliament of Canada House of Chambers. June 2, 2021.
  35. ↑ "Bill C-233 First Reading". LegisInfo. June 26, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  36. ↑ Matassa-Fung, Darrian (October 28, 2021). "MPs call for international flights to resume at Kelowna, B.C. airport". Global News Okanagan. Global. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  37. ↑ Michaels, Kathy (2 November 2021). "Kelowna's airport gets international flights back following long wait". Global News Okanagan. Global. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  38. ↑ MacNaull, Steve (7 October 2021). "Give Kelowna airport its international status back, demands local MP". Kelowna Now. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  39. ↑ Moore, Wayne (5 August 2022). "MP Tracy Gray calls on government to expand Kelowna passport office". Castanet. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  40. ↑ MacNaull, Steve (5 August 2022). "Kelowna needs 'urgent pick-up' passport service, says MP Tracy Gray". Kelowna Now. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  41. ↑ "Bill C-283 An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (addiction treatment in penitentiaries)". Parliament of Canada. June 14, 2022.
  42. ↑ Gray, Tracy (28 October 2022). "Private member's bill to help deal with mental health, addiction issues". Castanet. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  43. ↑ Barnes, Gary (March 23, 2023). "Kelowna-Lake Country MP Gray's 'End Revolving Door Act' closed". Penticton Western News.
  44. ↑ House of Commons. "M-46 NATIONAL ADOPTION AWARENESS MONTH". OurCommons. House of Commons. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  45. ↑ House of Commons. "Tracy Gray - Roles". OurCommons. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  46. ↑ Miller, James (4 April 2019). "Race for federal Tory nomination to be decided Saturday". The Daily Courrier. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  47. ↑ Weld, Carmen (29 September 2015). "Cannan: A tough road". CastaNet. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  48. ↑ "Government of Canada Invests in Recognizing Women Entrepreneurs and Business Networks". Government of Canada. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  49. ↑ New Pioneers: Stories of 100 BC Women Entrepreneurs (PDF). Kelowna, British Columbia: Women’s Enterprise Centre. 2008. p. 47. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  50. ↑ "List of confirmed candidates – September 20, 2021 Federal Election". Elections Canada. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  51. ↑ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  52. ↑ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  53. ↑ "Candidate Campaign Returns". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
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