Rick Perkins

Biography

Rick Perkins is a Canadian politician who currently serves as a Member of Parliament. He was born on November 4, 1961. Perkins obtained his MBA from the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University. He began his career in politics as a staff member for the Canadian Conservative Minister, the Honourable Barbara McDougall, during Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s government. After the 1993 federal election, Perkins worked for financial services companies CIBC and Newcourt Credit Group before co-founding the investor relations firm Genoa Management. Later, he transitioned into the role of a retail executive and business strategist. One of his notable accomplishments was orchestrating the hostile takeover of Liquor Stores North America, the largest publicly traded retailer of beverage alcohol in North America. Perkins served on the Board of Directors and senior management of the company.

Perkins ventured into federal politics, running as a candidate for the Progressive Conservatives in the 1997 Canadian federal election in Scarborough—Agincourt. He also contested the Conservatives’ nomination in South Shore—St. Margarets for the 2019 Canadian federal election.

In the 2021 Canadian federal election, Perkins ran for the riding of South Shore—St. Margarets and emerged as the Member of Parliament, defeating the Liberal incumbent and Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Bernadette Jordan. After the election, he was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard by Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole on November 9, 2021. Perkins also assumed the role of Vice-Chair of the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, as well as a member of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.

When Erin O’Toole was replaced as party leader in February 2022, Perkins retained his position as Shadow Minister for Fisheries under interim party leader Candice Bergen. In March 2022, he was among the Canadian officials banned from entering Russia in response to Canadian economic sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Perkins expressed solidarity with the people of Ukraine and considered the ban a “badge of honor.”

During the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election, Perkins supported Jean Charest as a leadership candidate and was appointed co-chair of the campaign’s national advisory board. Following Pierre Poilievre’s victory in the leadership race, Perkins congratulated him and stated that the Conservative caucus was now fully united behind Poilievre.

After Poilievre assumed the role of party leader, Perkins remained as the fisheries critic until October 12, 2022, when he was replaced by Clifford Small, a Member of Parliament from Newfoundland. Perkins then took on the role of Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science, and Industry, succeeding former critic Ed Fast. In this new position, he was appointed Vice-Chair of the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology and joined the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure for the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology. Perkins continues to serve as a member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard.

Regarding his political stance, Perkins has been vocal about the 2020 Mi’kmaq lobster dispute and criticized Minister Bernadette Jordan’s handling of the situation. He emphasized the need for respecting the Supreme Court’s decision on the matter and sought to establish unified regulations for all parties involved through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).