Ian Gardiner Waddell was a Canadian politician, author and filmmaker.
19 Facts About Ian Waddell
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Ian Waddell served in the House of Commons of Canada from 1979 to 1993, and in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1996 to 2001.
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Ian Waddell's family immigrated to Canada when he was five.
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Ian Waddell studied history at the University of Toronto, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1963.
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Ian Waddell then returned to UofT to study law, graduating with an LLB in 1967.
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Critical of the Law Society of Upper Canada, Ian Waddell moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, where he articled at McTaggart, Ellis and Company.
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Ian Waddell worked as assistant city prosecutor for the City of Vancouver from 1971 to 1972, and then as a criminal defence lawyer.
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Ian Waddell supported the Liberal Party of Canada in his youth; he joined the Liberal club during his time at UofT, and chauffeured party leader Lester Pearson during the 1962 federal election campaign.
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Ian Waddell won the nomination as a New Democratic Party candidate in 1977, and ran for that party in the 1979 federal election, contesting the riding of Vancouver Kingsway.
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Ian Waddell served as NDP's energy critic at the time of the National Energy Program, before covering other portfolios such as economic development, employment, fisheries and communications.
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Ian Waddell was elected MP for that riding, and served as NDP's justice critic in the 34th Canadian Parliament.
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Ian Waddell was appointed Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Culture in February 1998 by Premier Glen Clark.
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Ian Waddell brought in a film tax credit, which created a billion dollar film industry in BC.
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Ian Waddell subsequently served as Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks under Ujjal Dosanjh from November 2000 to April 2001.
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Ian Waddell lost the Vancouver-Fraserview seat to Liberal candidate Ken Johnston in the 2001 provincial election.
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Ian Waddell was given the honorary title of Queen's Counsel in December 2013 for his exceptionally meritorious contribution to law.
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Ian Waddell became a documentary film producer, winning the Best Producer Award in the 2016 Beverly Hills Film Festival alongside Dylan Playfair and Robert Lang for their film The Drop: Why Young People Don't Vote.
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Ian Waddell released the political mystery novel A Thirst to Die For in 2002, and published his political memoir Take the Torch in 2018.
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Ian Waddell died on March 15,2021, at his home in Vancouver from a heart condition at the age of 78.