Rick Dykstra is a Canadian politician. He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2006 federal election, for the Ontario riding of St. Catharines. Dykstra is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. The House of Commons (French: Chambre des communes) is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and the Senate. ... The 2006 Canadian federal election (more formally, the 39th General Election) was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English, French (in some areas) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 106 24 Area Total  â€¢ Land  â€¢ Water    (% of total)  Ranked 4th... In the British Isles since Anglo-Saxon times, a riding is traditionally a sub-division (especially in three) of a county, in Australia analogous. ... St. ... The Conservative Party of Canada (French: Parti conservateur du Canada), colloquially known as the Tories, is a right-of-centre political party in Canada, formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in December 2003. ...

Early life and career

Dykstra has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Brock University, and a Master's Certificate in Project Management from York University.^[1] He served for twelve years as president of Dykstra Landscaping, a family business. A Bachelor of Arts (B.A. or A.B., from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or program in the arts and/or sciences. ... Political science is a social science discipline that deals with the theory and practice of politics and the description and analysis of political systems and political behavior. ... Brock University is a modern comprehensive university located in St. ... York University (YorkU) is a large comprehensive university, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ...

Municipal and provincial career

Dykstra served on the St. Catharines city council from 1991 to 1997, representing the city's fourth ward. In 1992, he encouraged the provincial government of Bob Rae to lower the gas tax in order to combat cross-border shopping, which was adversely affecting Ontario businesses.^[2] Location of St. ... 1991 (MCMXCI in Roman) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII in Roman) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1992 (MCMXCII in Roman) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... The Honourable Robert Keith (Bob) Rae, PC , OC, O.Ont , QC , LL.B , LL.D (born August 2, 1948, in Ottawa, Ontario) was the 21st premier of Ontario, and the first leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP) to serve in that capacity. ...

He served as chair of the St. Catharines Library Board, and attempted in 1996 to have a book detailing the crimes of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka banned from the city library. Bernardo and Homolka are former residents of St. Catharines, and Dykstra argued that he was acting to protect the interests of their victims.^[3] The board voted to keep the book in circulation, but ruled that patrons could not remove it from the library. Modern-style library In the traditional sense of the word, a library is a collection of books and periodicals. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Karla Homolka & Paul Bernardo on their wedding day Paul Kenneth Bernardo (he later assumed the name Paul Teale) (born August 27, 1964 in Scarborough, Ontario) is a Canadian serial killer, known for the murders he committed with his wife Karla Homolka. ... Karla Homolka Karla Leanne Homolka, also known as Karla Leanne Teale, born May 4, 1970 in Port Credit, Ontario, Canada, is a Canadian woman who attracted worldwide media attention when she was convicted of helping her husband rape and murder teenage girls, including her own sister. ...

Dykstra campaigned for Mayor of St. Catharines in 1997, but lost to Tim Rigby. He later worked for the Ontario provincial government in the Office of the Premier, and was an executive assistant to John Baird, the Minister of Community and Social Services.^[4] He was appointed to the Niagara Parks Commission in 2003,^[5] and co-chaired Conservative candidate Dean Allison's campaign in Niagara West—Glanbrook for the 2004 federal election.^[6] A mayor (from the Latin maÄ«or, meaning larger,greater) is the politician who serves as chief executive official of some types of municipalities. ... Dalton McGuinty The Premier of Ontario is the first minister for the Canadian province of Ontario. ... John R. Baird, MPP (born May 26, 1969 in Ottawa, Ontario) is a Canadian politician. ... The Ministry of Community and Social Services in the Canadian province of Ontario is responsible for social services such as welfare, and disability insurance and community service programs around issues such as homelessness, domestic violence, spousal support and assisted housing for people with disabilities. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dean Allison (born February 18, 1965) is a Conservative member of the Canadian House of Commons from the riding of Niagara West—Glanbrook. ... Niagara West—Glanbrook is a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons, and located in the province of Ontario. ... The Canadian federal election, 2004 (more formally, the 38th general election), was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons. ...

Member of Parliament

Dykstra was elected to the House of Commons in 2006, defeating Liberal incumbent Walt Lastewka by 244 votes. The Conservative Party won a minority government in the election, and Dykstra now sits as a government backbencher. The Liberal Party of Canada (French: Parti libéral du Canada), colloquially known as the Grits (originally Clear Grits), is a Canadian federal political party positioned around the centre of the political spectrum, combining a generally progressive social policy with moderate economics. ... The Honourable Walter Thomas Walt Lastewka, PC, MP (born October 11, 1940 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian politician. ... A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed by the leading political party when it has won a plurality but not a majority of seats in the parliament. ... A backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislature who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition. ...

Table of offices held

The Honourable Walter Thomas Walt Lastewka, PC, MP (born October 11, 1940 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian politician. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a parliament; in the Westminster system, specifically to the lower house. ... St. ... 2006 (MMVI in Roman) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Official website (includes a blog)

A blog is a website in which items are posted on a regular basis and displayed in reverse chronological order. ...

Electoral record

Dykstra was elected to the St. Catharines city council for Ward Four (St. Patrick's Ward) in 1991 and 1994. The 2006 Canadian federal election (more formally, the 39th General Election) was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons. ... St. ... The Conservative Party of Canada (French: Parti conservateur du Canada), colloquially known as the Tories, is a right-of-centre political party in Canada, formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in December 2003. ... The Liberal Party of Canada (French: Parti libéral du Canada), colloquially known as the Grits (originally Clear Grits), is a Canadian federal political party positioned around the centre of the political spectrum, combining a generally progressive social policy with moderate economics. ... The Honourable Walter Thomas Walt Lastewka, PC, MP (born October 11, 1940 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian politician. ... The New Democratic Party (NDP) is a political party in Canada with a social democratic philosophy and moderate democratic socialist tendencies. ... The Green Party of Canada is a federal political party in Canada. ... The Christian Heritage Party of Canada is a federal political party in Canada. ... The Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) (CPC-ML) is a Canadian federal political party whose platform is the promotion of socialism. ...

All federal election information is taken from Elections Canada. The 1997 municipal results are taken from the Hamilton Spectator, 11 November 1997, B9. The final official results were not significantly different. Elections Canada is the non-partisan agency of the Government of Canada responsible for the conduct of federal elections and referendums. ...

Notes and sources

1. ^  St. Catharines overview, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CBC Canada Votes 2006. [7]
2. ^  Richard Mackie, "Rae considers gas tax cut to combat U.S. shopping", Globe and Mail, 4 March 1992, A5.
3. ^  "Library won't lend book on Bernardo", Toronto Star, 13 October 1996, A15.
4. ^  "Program for disabled is strewn with obstacles", Toronto Star, 19 August 2000, LI01.
5. ^  Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Standing Committee on Government Agencies, 26 February 2003. [8]
6. ^  Carol Phillips, "Niagara West-Glanbrook to the wire", Hamilton Spectator, 29 June 2004, A19.