Randall Garrison - Background

Background

Born in Nebraska, Randall Garrison eventually moved Canada in 1973. He spent two years living in Yellowknife, working for the government recording vital statistics. He moved to British Columbia where, at the age of 26, Garrison graduated from the University of British Columbia with a masters degree specializing in political science. He moved to Victoria where he worked within the B.C. provincial government as a public policy researcher and director. By the 1990s, and until he was elected as a Member of Parliament, he taught at Camosun College, in criminal justice, political science, and pacific rim studies. In 1990, as a member of the Victoria Civic Electors, Garrison ran for Victoria City Council, but did not win a seat. At the time he was president of the Vic West Community Association and executive director of the South Pacific People's Foundation of Canada. In 1999, Garrison helped coordinate the International Federation for East Timor who acted as neutral election observer during the East Timorese independence referendum. Garrison's other work overseas included peace-building between religious groups in Indonesia and investigating human rights issues in Afghanistan. Back in Canada, Garrison became a member of the Victoria and Esquimalt police board. During this time, Garrison also helped co-found the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre.

In the 2004 federal election, the 53-year old Garrison became the New Democratic Party candidate in the Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca riding. The election was seen as a three-way race between Garrison, the Liberal Party incumbent Keith Martin and Conservative Party candidate and former Martin aide John Koury. Garrison placed second, 4.6% behind Martin who was re-elected to a fourth term. A year-and-a-half later, with another federal election expected soon, Garrison was acclaimed the NDP candidate, and again faced Martin, but this time Conservative challenger was lawyer Troy DeSouza. This January 2006 election was again considered a toss-up and as a result CBC Radio One's Cross Country Checkup broadcast a show highlighting the riding and the candidates. However, Garrison again lost to Martin, this time by 3.6%. Subsequently, Garrison and his partner moved to Vancouver's West End where, in January 2007, he was acclaimed the NDP candidate in the Vancouver Centre riding for an expected election. The next election did not occur until October 2008 and by that time Garrison had moved back to Esquimalt and withdrew from the Vancouver Centre election.

Instead Garrison stood in the November 2008 local government election where he won a seat on the Esquimalt municipal council. On local issues Garrison was critical of police budget request increases of 10% in 2009 and 5% in 2010 and argued that Esquimalt's merger of its police force with the Victoria Police Department was not producing the benefits that were promised and costing the municipality more than it should. The council adopted a resolution, proposed by Garrison to fund the full budget requests of the police minus one dollar. Garrison lobbied to get the municipality to adopt a living wage policy. At the time a living wage in Greater Victoria was calculated to be $17.31 per hour for a full-time worker. The council adopted the proposal in prinicple, but ultimately approved a policy that only applied to limit situations.