Dale Jackaman (Canadian politician)

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Mr. Dale Jackaman, born June 2, 1956, in Montreal, Quebec, is a Canadian politician.

Dale Jackaman

1 Biographical History
2 Early life
3 Political
4 Professional
5 Military
6 Personal
7 References

[edit] Biographical History

[edit] Early life

Jackaman, best described as a populist social democrat, became well-known in the 1980s and 1990s as one of the founders and past Executive Director of British Columbia's largest anti-tobacco activist and lobby group, Airspace Non-Smokers' Rights Society, later renamed Airspace Action on Smoking and Health. Airspace was an effective tobacco control organization during a time when smoking was prevalent in the workplace and virtually all indoor public places. Jackaman was prominent in attacking municipal and provincial politicians for the lack of effective laws to protect non-smokers, and was involved in helping to initiate government litigation against the tobacco industry.

[edit] Political

Jackaman was a candidate in the federal riding of Richmond for the New Democratic Party in the 2004 federal election, and again in the riding of Richmond Centre for the New Democratic Party of British Columbia in the 2005 provincial election. Richmond is not considered a strong riding for the NDP and Jackaman lost his bid against the now BC Liberal Party Labour Minister, Olga Ilich, while garnering thirty-two percent of the riding's vote.

Jackaman is one of the very few, if any, openly atheist politicians in Canada, and an activist against the Christian fundamentalist elements of the Conservative Party of Canada's political right wing. During the 2006 federal election, Jackaman chose to start a third party attack campaign against the evangelical right wing Conservative candidate, Darrel Reid, former President of Focus on the Family. Jackaman, an avowed secular Humanist, attacked Reid for his stated opinions on stem cell research and treatment, gay rights issues, creationism and the “hidden agenda” issues which plague the federal Conservative Party. His campaign may have contributed to Reid losing the election to the Liberal incumbent, Raymond Chan, who would subsequently serve his fourth term in the new Liberal-led official opposition.

[edit] Professional

Through the 1990s to 2004, Jackaman served as IT Director and a senior manager at BC Research Inc., western Canada’s largest privately owned scientific research and development facility. BC Research's main consulting team has since been acquired by Cantest prior to the planned closing of the BC Research and Innovation Complex in 2007. Jackaman became well known in IT circles, notably in the field of IT security, and has used his prominence to take on both governments (notably China) and private corporations on human rights, censorship, security, and privacy of information issues.

[edit] Military

Jackaman, a former reservist and United Nations peace keeper, served three tours of duty in the Middle East with the Canadian Armed Forces Signal Corps.