Rick Glumac Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Rick Glumac
Honorific-Suffix:MLA
Residence:Port Moody, British Columbia
Office:Minister of State for Trade of British Columbia
Term Start:November 18, 2024
Predecessor:Jagrup Brar
Premier:David Eby
Office1:Parliamentary Secretary for Technology of British Columbia
Termstart1:July 18, 2017
Term End1:November 26, 2020
Premier1:John Horgan
Predecessor1:Position established
Successor1:Brenda Bailey (Technology and Innovation)
Assembly2:British Columbia Legislative
Constituency Am2:Port Moody-Burquitlam
Term Start2:May 9, 2017
Predecessor2:Linda Reimer
Party:New Democratic Party

Rick Glumac is a Canadian politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2017 provincial election.

As an MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) for the British Columbia New Democratic Party, he represents the riding of Port Moody-Burquitlam, which encompasses some of the western part of the city of Coquitlam, the entire city of Port Moody, and the villages of Anmore and Belcarra.[1]

Glumac served as the Parliamentary Secretary for Technology until November 2020.[2] [3] He has served as the provincial representative to the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) since 2017, and became president of PNWER in July 2023. In December 2020, he was appointed as Premier's Liaison to Washington State. Glumac's position was expanded in April 2023 and he was appointed by David Eby to serve as Premier's Liaison for the Pacific Northwest.[4]

Glumac was re-elected in the 2020 and 2024 provincial elections. Following the 2024 election, he was appointed Minister of State for Trade.[5]

Early life

Glumac grew up in Port Alberni, BC. In 1995, he graduated with a degree in Electronics Engineering from Simon Fraser University.[6]

Glumac worked much of his career in the field of computer graphics as a software developmer, visual effects artist, and computer graphics supervisor.[7]   He worked on the first computer-animated TV show ReBoot, and later worked for companies such as DreamWorks and Electronic Arts on well-known Hollywood films such as Shrek 2, Madagascar, and Over The Hedge. Following this he developed apps for the iPhone.

Career in politics

Glumac was first elected to Port Moody city council in 2011.[8] He was re-elected in 2014 with the highest vote share of any candidate.[9] On council he chaired various committees including [8] the Environmental Protection Committee and Economic Development Committee which recommended the hiring of an Economic Development Officer to grow the city's business tax base.

During his time as a Councillor, he served as the Vice President of the Lower Mainland Local Government Association. Glumac was also elected as the Vancouver Metro Area Representative to the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM).

Glumac worked with the Ministry of Health to keep the Eagle Ridge Hospital lands in Port Moody from being sold for redevelopment, stopping a plan by the BC Liberal government to condition new improvements to the hospital on the sale of the lands to private real estate developers.[10] [11]

Glumac consistently speaks in the legislature to promote action to protect B.C.’s environment.[12] In 2018, he spoke during the Legislature's emergency debate on climate change.[13] He is a key supporter of the province's CleanBC strategy of reducing climate pollution and promoting renewable energies, lowering the costs of renewable energies, and helping create green jobs. He is a staunch advocate for redeveloping the Burrard Generating Station, a former fossil fuel-powered power plant located on the Burrard Inlet, into a site for clean technology or climate mitigation projects.

As Parliamentary Secretary for Technology, Glumac championed innovation in the clean technologies as a tool for transitioning towards a green economy. He has advocated support for B.C.'s clean energy and tech sectors which play an increasingly important role in the provincial economy.

As President of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER), Glumac secured funding to create PNWER Canada and the hiring of PNWER's first staff member in Canada.[14]

Personal life

On May 11, 2022, Rick Glumac proposed to his partner Haven Lurbiecki in the legislature, prior to question period.[15] Glumac is the first member of the legislative assembly to propose in the legislature and likely the first in Canada (Australian MP Tim Wilson proposed to his partner during a speech to Parliament in 2017). Lurbiecki was elected as city councillor in Port Moody in the 2022 local elections.

Notes and References

  1. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-votes-2017-results-tri-cities-1.4107521 "NDP makes gains in Tri-Cities, Burnaby with upsets"
  2. Web site: Premier. Office of the. 2017-07-18. Premier John Horgan announces new cabinet to build a better B.C.. 2020-06-18. news.gov.bc.ca.
  3. Web site: Port Moody politician to work with Washington State on high-speed rail. 2020-12-29. Tri-City News. en.
  4. Web site: Premier . Office of the . 2023-04-19 . Province strengthens cross-border collaboration through expanded role, new funding BC Gov News . 2023-04-19 . news.gov.bc.ca . en.
  5. Web site: 2024-11-19 . Two Tri-City MLAs keep ministerial roles in Eby cabinet . 2024-11-20 . Tri-City News . en.
  6. Web site: Rick Glumac. 2020-06-18. www.leg.bc.ca. en.
  7. Web site: Rick Glumac. 2020-06-18. IMDb.
  8. Web site: Staff Writer. Rick Glumac aims for second term on Port Moody council. 2020-06-18. Tri-City News.
  9. Web site: Port Moody election results 2014: Full results. 2020-06-18. Global News. en.
  10. Web site: Glumac. Rick. 2019-04-03. Why healthcare for people in the Tri-Cities is going to get a whole lot better BC Matters. 2020-06-18. bcmatters.ca. en-CA.
  11. Web site: Strandberg. Diane. ERH expansion to proceed without land sale — Dix. 2020-06-18. Tri-City News.
  12. Web site: MLA Glumac advocates in legislature for tackling climate change while boosting Port Moody economy. 2020-06-18. New Democrat BC Government Caucus. en.
  13. Web site: Tuesday, October 16, 2018, p.m., Issue 159. 2020-06-18. www.leg.bc.ca.
  14. Web site: PNWER Staff . 2024-09-24 . PNWER . en.
  15. Web site: BC MLA Proposed to Partner in Legislature. globalnews.ca.