Colin Thatcher (born 25 August 1938 in Toronto) is a former Canadian politician convicted of the murder of ex-wife, JoAnn Wilson. Photograph of convicted murderer Colin Thatcher. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... JoAnn Wilson (21 August 1939 - 21 January 1983) was the wife of Canadian politician Colin Thatcher. ...

Colin Thatcher was the son of Wilbert Ross Thatcher, premier of Saskatchewan from 1964 to 1971. After his father's death in 1971, Thatcher cultivated his own interest in politics. In 1975 he won the provincial riding of Thunder Creek on the Liberal Party ticket, but two years into his term he crossed the floor to the Conservatives. The move was widely denounced by the Liberals, and also privately by his wife JoAnn, to whom Thatcher had been married since 1962. JoAnn felt disgraced by Thatcher's lack of respect for his former friends and colleagues, and their marriage began to disintegrate. Thatcher began a number of extramarital relationships which he made little effort to hide from public scrutiny. When confronted by these indiscretions by JoAnn, Thatcher is reported to have verbally and physically abused her. Wilbert Ross Thatcher, PC (24 May 1917–22 July 1971) was the tenth premier of Saskatchewan, Canada, serving from 2 May 1964 to 30 June 1971. ... This is a list of the premiers of the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, since it was formed in 1905. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... In the British Isles since Anglo-Saxon times, a riding is traditionally a sub-division (especially in three) of a county, in Australia analogous. ... The Saskatchewan Liberal Party is a political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. ... In politics, crossing the floor is to vote against party lines. ... The Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan is a right-of-center political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ...

Thatcher's dalliances did not adversely affect his popularity as a politician, and in 1978 he was re-elected to the Legislative Assembly. His marriage, however, did not fare so well, and in 1980, after nearly a year of legal battling, the couple divorced. JoAnn was awarded custody of two of their three children (two sons and one daughter), plus $820,000 for her share of the marital property; the amount was one of the highest ever awarded by a Canadian divorce court. Thatcher formally contested the settlement and ignored its custody terms, at one point flying to JoAnn's new home in Brampton to kidnap the two younger children Regan and Stephanie. After JoAnn was shot and injured by an unidentified assailant the following year, she gave up her claim to custody of her son Regan (but retained custody of her daughter Stephanie) and settled for about half of her original court award. Many people suspected Thatcher was behind the shooting, though police never charged anyone for the incident. 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... A Legislative Assembly in some parts of the Commonwealth refers to a legislature, or a chamber of the legislature. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... Coordinates: Country Canada Province Ontario Region Peel Incorporation 1853 (village)   1873 (town)   1974 (city) Mayor Susan Fennell Governing Body Brampton City Council (click for members) MPs Navdeep Bains, Colleen Beaumier, Ruby Dhalla, Gurbax Malhi MPPs Vic Dhillon, Linda Jeffrey, Kuldip Kular Area    - City 266. ...

Again, Thatcher's political life was largely unaffected, and he won his third straight term as MLA in 1982. This term he was appointed to the provincial cabinet as Minister of Energy and Mines. However, following public criticism and disputes with then-premier Grant Devine, he resigned from the post the following year. 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Donald Grant Devine (born July 5, 1944) was the Progressive Conservative Premier of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan from May 8, 1982 to November 1, 1991. ...

Four days later, on 21 January 1983, JoAnn was found bludgeoned and shot to death in the garage of her Regina home. Again, rumours abounded that Thatcher was in some way involved, though he was not formally charged until 7 May 1984 after a lengthy police investigation. Four key pieces of evidence eventually lead to Thatcher's arrest: January 21 is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: The Queen City Motto: Floreat Regina (Let Regina Flourish) Location of Regina in the SE quadrant of Saskatchewan Coordinates: Country Canada Province Saskatchewan District Assiniboia Established 1882 City Mayor Pat Fiacco Governing body Regina City Council MPs Dave Batters Ralph Goodale Tom Lukiwski Andrew Scheer MLAs Joanne Crofford Doreen... May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

• A gasoline receipt dated 17 January, apparently with Thatcher's name on it, was found near the murder scene.
• Neighbours reported seeing a suspicious car around the time of the shooting; a car with a matching description and licence plate was subsequently found on Thatcher's property.
• The ammunition used in the shooting was not commonly available on the Canadian market. However, the bullet and the type of gun thought to be used in the murder match those Thatcher had previously purchased on a trip to Florida.
• Most damningly, a man named Gary Anderson confessed to police that he had been approached by Thatcher for help in the murder. Police convinced Anderson to wear a wire and visit Thatcher; in the conversation that was recorded Thatcher made several suspicious statements which implied he was involved in the crime.

Thatcher was tried for the murder of his ex-wife in Saskatoon in the autumn of 1984. He was convicted, and was given a sentence of 25 years to life. He appealed the verdict, but the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal rejected the plea in 1986. Subsequent requests to the Supreme Court of Canada and the national Minister of Justice for a review of his case were also denied. A request for an early parole hearing was rejected in 2000, though the jury of a later hearing in 2003 decided that he was eligible to apply. After doing so, the National Parole Board rejected his bid for early release on 31 March 2004. On 17 March 2006 he was granted the right to a series of 72 hour passes for unescorted visits with his family. On 19 May 2006 he was granted day parole. He will be released to a halfway house in Regina, where he will be able to come and go during the day and have some overnight leaves. He must report romantic relationships to his parole officer and continue with counselling. On 14 November 2006 he was granted a hearing, scheduled for 30 November, to determine whether he will be given full parole [1]. January 17 is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A bug is the common name for a covert listening device, usually a combination of a miniature radio transmitter with a microphone. ... Saskatoon is a city located in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan is the highest appeal court in the province of Saskatchewan. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Supreme Court of Canada (French: Cour suprême du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian justice system. ... The Minister of Justice (French: Ministre de la Justice) of Canada is the minister in the Cabinet of Canada who is responsible for the Department of Justice and is also Attorney General of Canada. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in Leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 19 is the 139th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (140th in leap years). ... November 14 is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 47 days remaining until the end of the year. ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 31 days remaining. ...

Throughout his trial and his appeals, Thatcher has steadfastly maintained his innocence.

The Tragically Hip song "Wheat Kings" references Thatcher. The Tragically Hip is a Canadian rock band from Kingston, Ontario. ...

On November 30th, 2006, Thatcher was granted full parole by a three-member panel of the National Parole Board. He had been living at a Regina halfway house since the summer when he was released on day parole. Ordinarily, he wouldn't have been eligible to seek full parole for 25 years, but a jury granted him immediate eligibility at a so-called "faint-hope" hearing in 2003.

Biographies

• Bird, Heather. Not Above The Law: The Tragic Story of JoAnn Wilson and Colin Thatcher. Toronto: Key Porter Books Limited, 1985.
• Mankiewicz, Francis, director. Love and Hate: The Story of Colin and Joanne Thatcher. (Television movie.) Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 1989.
• Siggins, Maggie. A Canadian Tragedy, JoAnn & Colin Thatcher: A Story of Love and Hate. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2001.
• Thatcher, Colin. Backrooms: A Story of Politics. Douglas & McIntyre, 1985.
• Wilson, Garrett & Lesley Wilson. Deny, Deny, Deny: The Rise and Fall of Colin Thatcher. Toronto: James Lorimer & Company, 1986.

Maggie Siggins Maggie Siggins (1942 – ) is a Canadian journalist and writer. ...

External links

• The Crime Library article on Colin Thatcher
• CBC News: Colin Thatcher still denies murdering his ex-wife