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Bill Routley
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Cowichan Valley
In office
May 12, 2009 – May 9, 2017
Preceded byriding established
Succeeded bySonia Furstenau
Personal details
BornDecember 1948 (age 75)
Political partyNew Democratic
SpouseCharmaine
Children2
Residence(s)Duncan, British Columbia, Canada
OccupationMill worker, Trade union representative

Bill Routley is a Canadian politician who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 39th and 40th Parliament of British Columbia, from 2009 to 2017. As a member of the BC New Democratic Party, he was elected to represent the riding of Cowichan Valley in the 2009 provincial election and re-elected in the 2013 election. In both parliaments his NDP formed the official opposition and Routley acted as their deputy critic on issues relating to forests and natural resource operations.

Prior to being elected as an MLA, Routley worked in Vancouver Island forest industry. He worked at the Youbou Sawmill before taking a job working for his union, the International Woodworkers of America-Canada, Local 1-80. He eventually became president of the union local, which merged with other unions to become the USW-Steelworkers Local 1-1937. At the union, Routley helped negotiate contracts, advocated for work safety measures, campaigned against raw log exports, and fought mill closure.

Background

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Routley, the son of a Pentecostal minister, was raised on Vancouver Island.[1] He began a career in the forestry industry with a job at the B.C. Forest Product's Youbou (veneer) sawmill. A bad experience earlier in life, while working at a shoe store in Victoria, made Routley interested in worker rights.[1] At Youbou Routley was elected chairman of his local union's Safety Committee and then as chairman of its Plant Committee.[2] During that time he also acted as a School Trustee in Lake Cowichan[3] In 1985 Routley accepted a 3-month position working at the union office in Duncan. The temporary job led to a permanent position at the office and in 1986 he became the vice-president of IWA-Canada, Local 1-80.[2] In the late-1980s Routley and the union were involved in fighting against wasteful logging practises.[4] Protest rallies were held to raise awareness of forest mismanagement by Fletcher Challenge Canada which led to fines against the company[5] and they formed the "Woodworker's Survival Task Force" to investigate how to keep local sawmills operational following years of over-logging and waste.[6]

In the 1990s, in addition to starting a home decorating business with his wife, Routley became president of the IWA-Canada, Local 1-80, conflicted with environmentalists protesting logging at Clayoquot Sound, where he viewed the postponement of logging as costing jobs,[7][8][9] and he opposed the division of Tree Farm License 46 as detrimental to the Youbou mill which was struggling.[10] In the summer 2000, Routley represented over 12,000 members of the IWA-Canada, Local 1-80 engaged in a 10-day strike against the Forest Industrial Relations (FIR), a corporate bargaining unit representing 70 companies.[11] After that three-year contract expired, another strike occurred (with the exception of a few financially troubled mills) over the attempt by the FIR (which by then represented 61 companies) to impose a contract onto the union.[12] The three-week strike ended with back-to-work legislation, the Coastal Forest Industry Dispute Settlement Act, adopted by the 37th Parliament of British Columbia.[13] The back-to-work legislation caused a rift within the union, as it was agreed to by IWA-Canada president Dave Haggard, but opposed by the local presidents, including Routley.[14] He also opposed union leadership during its merger into the United Steelworkers Union of America — Routley opposed the merger believing it would make the union less responsive to forestry issues.[15][16] Union members approved the merger and Routley kept his position as a local president, saying "my view is we have to embrace this change".[17] Also during the 2000s, Routley fought against increases to raw log exports[18] which he saw as coming at the expense of Vancouver Island mills[19] as the raw logs were being sent to more efficient mills in the United States and Asia and he directly blamed the softwood lumber deal[20] and legislated increased allowable raw log export quotas.[21] With TimberWest seeking to permanently close the Youbou mill, Routley and community members sought to purchase the mill as the Cowichan Lake Community Forest Co-op.[22][23] The cooperative was unable to raise sufficient funds[24][25] and the mill closed in 2001. The union sued the province for damages resulting from the closure arguing it violated a clause in the Tree Farm License[26] and the province in turn sued Youbou owners TimberWest for the damages.[27]

Routley campaigned for safety measures following a spike in occupational fatalities (43 deaths in 2005).[28][29] He helped stage awareness rallies and the December 2005 Forest Fatalities Summit.[30] He blamed a Labour Relations Board ruling during the 2004 contract bargaining that gave forestry companies the right to set flexible hours without consultation with employees[31] which Routley linked to over-worked and exhausted employees.[29] Routley was also critical of the bidding process for contractors used by forestry companies which he saw as contributing to the erosion of safety-related rules and procedures.[32] The next contract negotiations occurred in 2007 with FIR now representing 31 companies affecting 7,000 union members.[33] A 12-week strike ensued but the union won limits contracting-out of services and the ability to decline shift work that they saw as contributing to the increasing casualties. Routley recommended refusal of the contract but union members narrowly approved the deal.[34]

In 2008, as the Great Recession was affecting the forestry industry with significant layoffs, Routley's Local 1-80 merged with Local 1-363 to form Local 1-1937. Routley, who had announced his candidacy for the newly formed provincial electoral district of Cowichan Valley,[35] supported the merger.[36] He resigned from his union position after he won the NDP nomination,[37] defeating two others: health-care worker Rhoda Taylor and former Cowichan Valley Regional District rural director Richard Hughes on the first ballot.[38]

Provincial politics

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In the May 2009 election, Routley faced Cathy Basskin of Cowichan Bay for the BC Liberals,[39] Simon Lindley of Maple Bay for the Green Party,[40] Jason Murray of Cowichan Bay for the BC Conservative Party,[41] and Michial Moore of Shawnigan Lake for the BC Refederation Party.[42] Routley, who was the favourite to win,[43] had a campaign focused on contrasting major projects identified with BC Liberal Party leader and Premier Gordon Campbell like the Olympics and the Sea to Sky Highway with over-crowded health care facilities.[44] Even though the 60-year-old Routley won his riding, his BC New Democratic Party formed the official opposition to the BC Liberals who formed a majority government.

As the 39th Parliament began, Routley was assigned the role of deputy critic of the Ministry of Forests and Range, with fellow NDP MLA Norm Macdonald as the full-time critic.[45] The two critics toured the province to consult with stakeholders in the forestry industry in summer 2009.[46] Their work on reviewing the proposed Forestry Service Providers Protection Act was cited as a rare instance of criticism by opposition politicians having a real, beneficial impact on proposed legislation as they successfully had the act amended to carry forward provisions from the Woodworkers Lien Act.[47][48] On Vancouver Island, after Catalyst Paper refused to pay its property taxes on its Crofton mill, Routley sided in favour of municipality saying the sawmill should pay its full property tax bill.[49]

Routley was appointed to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. The committee toured the province to meet with stakeholders and delivered a report concerning budget priorities. He was sharply critical of the BC Liberal Party for introducing HST[50] and campaigned for its repeal.[51][52] The HST referendum returned 56% of his Cowichan Valley constituency voting to repeal the tax in favour of the PST. During the debate in the Legislative Assembly to lower the HST by 2% Routley was applauded for launching a "mini-filibuster" that prevented Premier Christy Clark from speaking on the issue.[53]

Routley had remained loyal to party leader Carole James[54] and greeted her resignation with sadness.[55] During the subsequent NDP leadership election, Routley endorsed John Horgan, saying that Horgan "really gets rural issues and he has the creativity and collaborative approach that we need to find real solutions to rural problems".[56] After Adrian Dix won and became the leader of the BC NDP, he kept Routley at the deputy critic role focusing on forestry and natural resource operation.[57]

In January 2013 Routley underwent heart valve replacement surgery.[58] He recovered and, at the age of 64, sought re-election. In the May 2013 election he was again challenged by candidates from the BC Liberal Party, BC Green Party and BC Conservative Party but from the beginning of the campaign Routley was viewed as the most likely to win.[59] While Routley was re-elected, his party again formed the official opposition to a BC Liberal majority government. As the 40th Parliament began, Dix kept Routley as the deputy critic of the Ministry of Forests and Range, with fellow NDP MLA Norm Macdonald as the full-time critic.[60] In 2014, after Dix resigned as leader of the BC NDP and the 2014 British Columbia New Democratic Party leadership election had begun, Routley endorsed John Horgan.[61] Times Colonist columnist Les Leyne described Routley's persona in the legislature as "a well-meaning old-time union man who knows how give an amusing - and loud - speech."[62] After making critical comments about the Duncan-Cowichan Chamber of Commerce in such a speech in 2014, Routley was forced to apologize.[63] With the 2017 election approaching, the 68 year old Routley opted to retire and not seek reelection.[64] Subsequently, his NDP lost his Cowichan Valley seat to Sonia Furstenau of the Green Party.

Electoral history

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2013 British Columbia general election: Cowichan Valley
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Bill Routley 10,696 40.14 −8.26 $59,185
Liberal Steve Housser 9,299 34.90 −0.81 $46,299
Green Kerry Davis 5,102 19.15 +7.36 $19,753
Conservative Damir Wallener 1,223 4.59 +1.03 $9,705
Independent Heather Alanna Campbell 326 1.22 – $1,050
Total valid votes 26,646 100.00 –
Total rejected ballots 86 0.32 −0.05
Turnout 26,732 61.90 −0.64
Registered voters 43,183
Source: Elections BC[65]
2009 British Columbia general election: Cowichan Valley
Party Candidate Votes % Expenditures
New Democratic Bill Routley 12,548 48.40 $83,418
Liberal Cathy Basskin 9,258 35.71 $55,515
Green Simon Lindley 3,058 11.79 $8,900
Conservative Jason Murray 924 3.56 $1,594
Refederation Michial Rupert Moore 139 0.54 $343
Total valid votes 25,927 100.00
Total rejected ballots 97 0.37
Turnout 26,024 62.54
Registered voters 41,612

References

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  1. ^ a b Stobbart, Marcia (October 23, 2002). "Routley driven by his intense sense of justice". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 8.
  2. ^ a b Bainas, Lexi (January 16, 2009). "Longtime union president retiring". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 6.
  3. ^ Bainas, Lexi (October 16, 2005). "Labour leaders back teachers". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 3.
  4. ^ Hume, Mark (November 12, 1988). "Forest waste fight vowed". The Vancouver Sun. p. A1.
  5. ^ "Firm fined for wasting good wood". Ottawa Citizen. November 16, 1988. p. C9.
  6. ^ Hume, Mark (November 26, 1988). "Loggers protest exports, wasteful forestry methods". The Vancouver Sun. p. A9.
  7. ^ Parfitt, Ben (September 5, 1991). "Tree-huggers meet cutters: Environmentalists, loggers seek common ground over forest use". The Vancouver Sun. p. D3.
  8. ^ Lush, Patricia (September 7, 1991). "B.C. forest workers and environmentalists unite Agreement signed to preserve jobs and timber". The Globe and Mail. p. B1.
  9. ^ "Pole-sitting woman delays logging plans". Waterloo Region Record. Kitchener, Ontario. October 29, 1991. p. D12.
  10. ^ Parfitt, Ben (October 12, 1991). "Split of TFL 46 worries union". The Vancouver Sun. p. C4.
  11. ^ Costa, Andrew (July 9, 2000). "IWA strike over". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 3.
  12. ^ Duffy, Andrew (November 22, 2003). "Coast IWA walks out: 12,000 workers on strike after LRB ruling". Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. p. A1.
  13. ^ O'Brian, Amy; Cindy E. Harnett (December 15, 2003). "B.C. to end forest strike". Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. p. A1.
  14. ^ Bennett, Nelson (December 17, 2003). "Routley angered by deal: IWA local president 'outraged' by ruling". Nanaimo Daily News. Nanaimo, British Columbia. p. 3.
  15. ^ Bainas, Lexi (March 31, 2004). "IWA 1-80 executive opposing merger with Steelworkers". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 3.
  16. ^ Bennett, Nelson (July 31, 2004). "Merger has doubters". Nanaimo Daily News. Nanaimo, British Columbia. p. 3.
  17. ^ Bennett, Nelson (August 28, 2004). "Routley aims to 'embrace' union merger". Nanaimo Daily News. Nanaimo, British Columbia. p. A3.
  18. ^ Hamilton, Gordon (August 19, 2004). "Raw logs leaving B.C. may soon face an export tax". The Vancouver Sun. p. D1.
  19. ^ Curtis, Malcolm (October 27, 2000). "Union urges tax to save Island jobs in sawmills". Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. p. A3.
  20. ^ Costa, Andrew (November 8, 2000). "Union coalition fighting raw log exports". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 11.
  21. ^ Duffy, Andrew (July 30, 2003). "Softwood deal relies on return to quotas". Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. p. A1.
  22. ^ Costa, Andrew (May 14, 2000). "Former employees trying to buy Youbou mill". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 1.
  23. ^ Costa, Andrew (May 28, 2000). "CVRD backs efforts to save Youbou mill". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 5.
  24. ^ Costa, Andrew (December 6, 2000). "Level of community support disappoints IWA's Routley". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 10.
  25. ^ Costa, Andrew (January 28, 2001). "Mill+TFL a mere $33 million: IWA has $1 million". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 2.
  26. ^ Costa, Andrew (May 6, 2001). "IWA sues province: Claims forests ministry negligent when it removed 'Clause 7'". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 3.
  27. ^ Costa, Andrew (November 11, 2001). "Province sues TimberWest over Youbou mill closure". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 1.
  28. ^ "Forest deaths 'appalling'". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. October 30, 2006. p. 2.
  29. ^ a b Duffy, Andrew (July 21, 2007). "7,000 forestry workers on strike; Shift schedules at heart of massive job action by coastal workers; flexibility key to stay competitive, say firms". Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. p. C6.
  30. ^ Routley, Bill (May 30, 2007). "Steelworkers fighting for Coastal communities". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 9.
  31. ^ Hamilton, Gordon (May 28, 2004). "Forest firms win flexibility". Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. p. B6.
  32. ^ Bainas, Lexi (December 5, 2005). "Companies 'can't escape' through contractors, Routley says". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 3.
  33. ^ Marshall, Jenn (July 5, 2007). "Forestry union serves strike notice". Nanaimo News Bulletin. Nanaimo, British Columbia. p. 1.
  34. ^ Barron, Robert (October 23, 2007). "Workers angry, despite yes vote; Although they chose to go back to work, many feel they have not been treated well, says union leader". Nanaimo Daily News. Nanaimo, British Columbia. p. A4.
  35. ^ Bainas, Lexi (July 18, 2008). "Bill Routley throws hat into B.C. Race". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 2.
  36. ^ Bainas, Lexi (December 12, 2008). "Local 1-80 to join in union merger". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 15.
  37. ^ Bainas, Lexi (January 16, 2009). "Longtime union president retiring". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 6.
  38. ^ Gaudreault, Ashley (December 10, 2008). "NDP picks Routley for riding". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 2.
  39. ^ Siefken, Krista (February 5, 2009). "Basskin ready to claim Cowichan for the Liberals". Cowichan News Leader Pictorial. Duncan, British Columbia.
  40. ^ Siefken, Krista (February 17, 2009). "Green candidate enters Cowichan Valley riding race". Cowichan News Leader Pictorial. Duncan, British Columbia.
  41. ^ Siefken, Krista (April 21, 2009). "Cowichan's Conservative candidate makes health care his priority". Cowichan News Leader Pictorial. Duncan, British Columbia.
  42. ^ Siefken, Krista (March 27, 2009). "Fourth candidate enters election race in Cowichan Valley". Cowichan News Leader Pictorial. Duncan, British Columbia.
  43. ^ Hrushowy, Patrick (May 8, 2009). "The commentaries made in the backrooms matter". Cowichan News Leader Pictorial. Duncan, British Columbia.
  44. ^ Marner, Doug (March 30, 2009). "Routley's NDP would end Liberal pet projects". Lake Cowichan Gazette. Lake Cowichan, British Columbia. p. 8.
  45. ^ Simpson, Sarah (June 12, 2009). "Critics appointed". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 16.
  46. ^ Morrow, Shayne (July 22, 2009). "City council meets with B.C.'s Opposition critics on forestry; Pair of MLAs survey communities on fact-finding tour". Alberni Valley Times. Port Alberni, British Columbia. p. 1.
  47. ^ Hoekstra, Gordon (May 28, 2010). "NDP convinces gov't to preserve forest law". Prince George Citizen. Prince George, British Columbia. p. 4.
  48. ^ "MLAs co-operate and public wins". Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. June 3, 2010. p. A10.
  49. ^ "Tour of island a real eye opener for MLA Bill Routley". Lake Cowichan Gazette. Lake Cowichan, British Columbia. August 24, 2009. p. 10.
  50. ^ Bainas, Lexi (September 4, 2009). "B.C. budget: MLAs slam cuts, HST". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 13.
  51. ^ Siefken, Krista (April 1, 2010). "Routley rallying the troops to fight against HST". Cowichan News Leader Pictorial. Duncan, British Columbia.
  52. ^ Routley, Bill (June 17, 2011). "Bill Routley, MLA, on why he opposes the HST". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 7.
  53. ^ "Routley outfoxes premier with impromptu filibuster". Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. June 5, 2011. p. A4.
  54. ^ Shaw, Rob (November 21, 2010). "James fends off challenge in key vote". Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. p. A3.
  55. ^ Siefken, Krista (December 6, 2010). "Routleys react: one excited, one sad". Cowichan News Leader Pictorial. Duncan, British Columbia.
  56. ^ "High-profile local pair backs Horgan". Cowichan News Leader Pictorial. Duncan, British Columbia. February 22, 2011.
  57. ^ Rothbauer, Kevin (April 27, 2011). "MLAs remain in shadow cabinet". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, British Columbia. p. 8.
  58. ^ Rusland, Peter (January 16, 2013). "Cowichan MLA Bill Routley recovering from heart-condition surgery". Cowichan News Leader Pictorial. Duncan, British Columbia. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014.
  59. ^ Rusland, Peter (April 19, 2013). "Handicapping the race: Routley a consensus favourite". Cowichan News Leader Pictorial. Duncan, BC. p. 66.
  60. ^ Simpson, Sarah (July 5, 2013). "Routleys ready for shadow cabinet roles". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, BC. p. 4.
  61. ^ "Greater Victoria MLAs, MPs line up behind Horgan in B.C. NDP leadership bid". Victoria News. April 17, 2014. p. 1.
  62. ^ Leyne, Les (October 11, 2014). "Cowichan Valley MLA's rant puzzling". Times Colonist. Victoria, BC. p. A10.
  63. ^ Bainas, Lexi (October 17, 2014). "Routley apologizes for Chamber comments". Cowichan Valley Citizen. Duncan, BC. p. A5.
  64. ^ Goldie, James (August 30, 2016). "Routley not seeking re-election". Lake Cowichan Gazette. Lake Cowichan, BC.
  65. ^ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
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