16 Facts About Nelson Riis

Nelson Andrew Riis was born on January 10,1942 and is a Canadian businessman and former politician and New Democratic Party Member of Parliament.

Nelson Riis taught at what is known as Thompson Rivers University, where he served as chair of social sciences for ten years.

Nelson Riis served as an alderman in Kamloops, British Columbia, from 1973 to 1978, and as a school trustee from 1978 until 1980.

Nelson Riis was active in Kamloops and surrounding communities and was named as honorary member in many organizations.

Nelson Riis is a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society.

Nelson Riis was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1980 federal election.

Nelson Riis served as House Leader from 1986 to 1996, and as critic for finance for a number of years.

Nelson Riis served as caucus chair from 1996 until his defeat in the 2000 federal election.

Nelson Riis championed small business concerns in the NDP and founded a small business caucus.

Nelson Riis was rumoured at various times in the 1980s to have been offered cabinet positions in the Brian Mulroney government if he were willing to cross the floor and join the Progressive Conservative Party.

Shortly after the August 9,1988 trade that saw Wayne Gretzky traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings, Nelson Riis emphatically demanded that the government block it.

Nelson Riis issued a press release about the Gretzky trade, suggesting that the Canadian federal government ought to do something to prevent Gretzky from leaving.

Nelson Riis was only one of a handful of NDP MPs to survive the 1993 federal election.

From 2000 though late 2005, Nelson Riis was an executive with Canadian Rockport Homes International, a company that builds low-cost, quality, modular housing in developing nations.

Nelson Riis resigned those positions on November 22,2005 and now serves as Rockport's global ambassador and is focused on the company's overseas expansion.

Nelson Riis paid a settlement of $40,000.00 and was forbidden from acting as a director or officer of any issuer or engaging in investor relations for two years.