Jerry Pickard

Reginald "Jerry" Pickard PC (November 14, 1940 – July 27, 2021) was a Canadian politician who served as a member of the House of Commons of Canada from 1988 until his retirement in 2005, representing the riding of Chatham-Kent—Essex for the Liberal Party in his later terms in office.

The Honourable Jerry Pickard PC
Member of Parliament for Chatham-Kent—Essex
In office November 27, 2000 – January 23, 2006
Preceded by	Riding established
Succeeded by	Dave Van Kesteren
Member of Parliament for Kent—Essex
In office November 21, 1988 – November 27, 2000
Preceded by	James Eber Caldwell
Succeeded by	Riding abolished
Personal details
Born	(1940-11-14)November 14, 1940 Chatham, Ontario, Canada
Died	July 27, 2021(2021-07-27) (aged 80) Chatham, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Caroline Foëx ​ (m. 1963)​
Profession	Teacher

Biography

Pickard had Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education degrees from the University of Windsor, and worked as a teacher in the Kent County and Essex County boards of education following his graduation. He was elected to the Kingsville municipal council in 1974 and remained in municipal politics for the next fourteen years, including tenures as deputy reeve and mayor (1984–1988).

He was first elected to parliament in the federal election of 1988, defeating Progressive Conservative incumbent Jim Caldwell by about 6,500 votes in the riding of Essex—Kent. He was re-elected in the 1993 election, and in the redistributed riding of Kent—Essex in the 1997 election. Pickard's riding was renamed (but not redistributed) as Chatham-Kent—Essex in 1998. In the 2000 election, he defeated a candidate of the Canadian Alliance by over 7,000 votes.

He faced his first difficult re-election in 2004, defeating Conservative candidate Dave Van Kesteren by only 407 votes. Former Liberal MP Rex Crawford campaigned for the Conservative candidate in this election, and some local residents were upset that the federal government had cut down more than 80,000 ash trees to stop a devastating beetle infestation.

Pickard served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food from 1996 to 1997, and to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services from 1997 to 1998. In December 2003, he was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, with special emphasis on border transit. He was transferred from this position in July 2004, and named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry. Pickard did not run in the January 2006 election.

Death

Pickard died on July 27, 2021, aged 80.

Electoral record

1997 Canadian federal election: Kent—Essex
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Jerry Pickard	21,451	50.20	$48,652
	Reform	Don R. Clarke	8,941	20.92	$32,040
	Progressive Conservative	Jim Hawryluk	6,634	15.53	$28,040
	New Democratic	Derry McKeever	4,323	10.12	$22,590
	Christian Heritage	Roger James	621	1.45	$1,951
	Canadian Action	Victor Knight	470	1.10	$1,515
	Green	Greg Zolad	291	0.68	$141
Total valid votes			42,731	100.00
Total rejected ballots			300
Turnout			43,031	59.25
Electors on the lists			72,624
Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.