View source for Stockwell Day

{{Short description|Canadian politician (born 1950)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2011}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix  = [[The Honourable]]
| name              = Stockwell Day
| honorific-suffix  = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|ECA|size=100%}}
| image             = Stockwell Day (infobox crop).jpg
| caption           = Day in 2010
| office            = [[President of the Treasury Board (Canada)|President of the Treasury Board]]
| term_start        = January 29, 2010
| term_end          = May 18, 2011
| primeminister     = [[Stephen Harper]]
| predecessor       = [[Vic Toews]]
| successor         = [[Tony Clement]]
| office1           = [[Minister of International Trade (Canada)|Minister of International Trade]]
| term_start1       = October 30, 2008
| term_end1         = January 19, 2010
| primeminister1    = [[Stephen Harper]]
| predecessor1      = [[Michael Fortier]]
| successor1        = [[Peter Van Loan]]
| office2           = [[Minister of Public Safety (Canada)|Minister of Public Safety]]
| term_start2       = February 6, 2006
| term_end2         = October 30, 2008
| primeminister2    = [[Stephen Harper]]
| predecessor2      = [[Anne McLellan]]
| successor2        = [[Peter Van Loan]]
| office3           = [[Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada)|Leader of the Opposition]]
| term_start3       = September 11, 2000
| term_end3         = December 11, 2001
| predecessor3      = [[Deborah Grey]]
| successor3        = [[John Reynolds (Canadian politician)|John Reynolds]]
| office4           = Leader of the [[Canadian Alliance]]
| term_start4       = July 8, 2000
| term_end4         = December 11, 2001
| predecessor4      = [[Deborah Grey]] (interim)
| successor4        = [[John Reynolds (Canadian politician)|John Reynolds]] (interim)
{{Collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |Alberta Executive Council
 |titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office5             = [[List of Alberta provincial ministers#Minister of Finance|Provincial Treasurer]]
| premier5            = [[Ralph Klein]]
| term_start5         = March 29, 1997
| term_end5           = June 1, 2000
| predecessor5        = [[Jim Dinning]]
| successor5          = [[Steve West (Canadian politician)|Steve West]]
| office6             = [[List of Alberta provincial ministers#Minister of Family and Social Services|Minister of Family and Social Services]]
| premier6            = [[Ralph Klein]]
| term_start6         = May 31, 1996
| term_end6           = March 29, 1997
| predecessor6        = [[Mike Cardinal]]
| successor6          = [[Lyle Oberg]]
| office7             = [[List of Alberta provincial ministers#Minister of Employment and Immigration|Minister of Labour]]
| premier7            = [[Ralph Klein]]
| term_start7         = December 14, 1992
| term_end7           = May 31, 1996
| predecessor7        = [[Elaine McCoy]]
| successor7          = [[Murray Smith (Alberta politician)|Murray Smith]]{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
{{Collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |Parliamentary constituencies
 |titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| parliament8        = Canadian
| riding8            = [[Okanagan—Coquihalla]]
| term_start8        = September 11, 2000
| term_end8          = May 2, 2011
| predecessor8       = [[Jim Hart (British Columbia politician)|Jim Hart]]
| successor8         = [[Dan Albas]]
| office9             = Member of the [[Legislative Assembly of Alberta]] for [[Red Deer-North]]
| term_start9         = May 8, 1986
| term_end9           = July 11, 2000
| predecessor9        = [[Jim McPherson]] {{small|([[Red Deer (provincial electoral district)#History|Red Deer]])}}
| successor9        = [[Mary Anne Jablonski]]{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
| birth_name        = Stockwell Burt Day Jr.
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1950|8|16}}
| birth_place       = [[Barrie]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| death_date        =
| death_place       =
| alma_mater        = [[University of Victoria]] (no degree)
| party             = [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative]] (since 2003)
| otherparty        = [[Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta|Progressive Conservative]] (provincial; 1986–2000)<br />[[Canadian Alliance]] (2000–2003)
| occupation        = {{hlist|Politician|auctioneer|businessman|school administrator}}
| spouse            = {{marriage|Valorie Martin|1971}}
| children          = 3
| residence         = [[Penticton]], [[British Columbia]], Canada
}}

'''Stockwell Burt Day Jr.''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|ECA}} (born August 16, 1950) is a former Canadian politician who served as leader of the [[Canadian Alliance]] from 2000 to 2001 and later as a member of the [[Conservative Party of Canada]].

A provincial cabinet minister from [[Alberta]], Day served as minister of labour, minister of social services, and treasurer under [[Premier of Alberta|Premier]] [[Ralph Klein]]. He successfully [[Canadian Alliance leadership elections#2000 leadership election|ran for leader]] of the newly formed Canadian Alliance against former [[Reform Party of Canada|Reform Party]] leader [[Preston Manning]], winning that position on July 8, 2000. Following his election as leader, Day won the by-election to become the [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|member of Parliament]] (MP) for the riding of [[Okanagan—Coquihalla]] in [[British Columbia]]. In the [[2000 Canadian federal election|2000 federal election]], the Alliance under Day only made modest gains, increasing their seat count from 58 to 66. A breakthrough in [[Eastern Canada|the East]] did not happen, and the [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]] under [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Jean Chrétien]] won a third consecutive [[majority government]].

After the election, Day's leadership of the party was met with criticism, with [[Democratic Representative Caucus|a caucus revolt]] taking place. Following the election, Day [[Canadian Alliance leadership elections#2002 leadership election|lost his role as leader]], but continued to serve as an MP. He then held several cabinet portfolios under Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]] and was widely seen as a prominent voice for [[social conservatism in Canada|social conservatives]] within the Conservative Party. Day did not seek re-election in the [[2011 Canadian federal election|2011 federal election]].<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/stockwell-day-to-quit-politics/article1939857|title=Stockwell Day to quit politics|work=Globe and Mail|date=March 12, 2011|access-date=2011-03-12|location=Toronto|first=John|last=Ibbitson|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315173325/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/stockwell-day-to-quit-politics/article1939857/|archive-date=March 15, 2011|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/hon-stockwell-day-pc-appointed-as-chairman-of-the-board-of-first-responder-technologies-inc--820101872.html | title=Hon. Stockwell Day, PC Appointed as Chairman of the Board of First Responder Technologies Inc }}</ref>

== Early life and career ==
Day was born in [[Barrie]], [[Ontario]], the son of Gwendolyn "Gwen" (née Gilbert) and Stockwell Day Sr.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timescolonist/obituary.aspx?n=stockwell-day&pid=3134087|title=Stockwell Day Sr. Obituary|newspaper=Times Colonist|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref> He lived in a number of places in Canada during his youth, including [[Atlantic Canada]]; [[Ottawa]], where he attended [[Ashbury College]]; and [[Montreal]], where he graduated from [[Westmount High School]]. He attended the [[University of Victoria]] and [[Vanguard College]], then known as Northwest Bible College, in [[Edmonton]], Alberta, but did not graduate from either.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/news-sources/?mid=cnw.20130904.C4094|title=Stockwell Day joins WesternOne Inc's board of directors|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=2013-09-04|access-date=2019-05-15|archive-date=2014-05-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140510184547/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/news-sources/?mid=cnw.20130904.C4094}}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/stockwell-day-profile|title=Stockwell Day (profile)|encyclopedia=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]]|access-date=September 9, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=exhiAwAAQBAJ|first=Jonah|last=Goldberg|page=95|title=Prime Ministers we never had|year=2011|publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-1-257-92562-9}}</ref>

His father, who was born in Montreal, was long associated with the [[Social Credit Party of Canada]]. In the [[1972 Canadian federal election|1972 federal election]], he was the [[Social Credit Party of Canada|Social Credit]] candidate running against [[New Democratic Party (Canada)|New Democratic Party]] leader [[Tommy Douglas]] in the riding of [[Nanaimo—Cowichan—The Islands]]. Day Sr. supported [[Doug Christie (lawyer)|Doug Christie]] and was a member of the [[Western Canada Concept]].

From 1978 to 1985, Day was assistant pastor and school administrator at the Bentley Christian Centre in [[Bentley, Alberta]]. His school taught the [[Accelerated Christian Education]] curriculum.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/can-stockwell-day-separate-church-from-state/article768825/|title=Can Stockwell Day separate church from state?|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|first=Gordon|last=Laird|date=2000-07-17|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref>

==Career in provincial politics==
In 1986, Day was elected to represent [[Red Deer North]] in the [[Legislative Assembly of Alberta]] as a [[Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta|Progressive Conservative]] (PC), a position that he held until 2000.

In December 1992, newly elected Alberta premier [[Ralph Klein]] brought Day into his cabinet as his minister of labour, a position in which he oversaw controversial changes in his ministry, including layoffs in the civil service. In this role, Day was credited with working with all of Alberta's Public Service Unions to achieve an unprecedented five per cent voluntary reduction in their collective agreements. While Day was minister of labour, Alberta had the lowest number of days lost due to labour disputes of any province. As Minister Responsible for the Worker's Compensation Board, Day oversaw the elimination of the Compensation Board's unfunded liability of $600 million. This led to a general reduction in premiums for businesses and a general increase in workers' benefits.{{Citation needed|reason=This claim is unverifiable and not backed up with any explanation, statistics, or historical proof|date=November 2023}}

In October 1994, Government House Leader was added to his responsibility.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}} In May 1996, Day was made Minister of Social Services<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=May 31, 1996 |title=Klein shuffles cabinet |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-tribune-klein-shuffles/147474196/ |work=[[Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune]] |agency=[[The Canadian Press]] |location=Edmonton, Alberta |page=1 |access-date=May 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> and, in March 1997, he became Treasurer.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=March 27, 1997 |title=Day treasurer in 19-member cabinet |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/calgary-herald-day-treasurer-in-19-membe/147474430/ |work=[[Calgary Herald]] |location=Edmonton, Alberta, Alberta |page= A2 |access-date=May 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> As Treasurer, Day oversaw a continued paying down of Alberta's debt while he cut taxes, instituting a [[flat tax]] rate in 1999.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

In April 1999, while Day was still Treasurer, he wrote a letter criticizing Red Deer lawyer and public school board trustee Lorne Goddard for representing a defendant who was ultimately convicted on charges of possessing child pornography. In the letter, Day suggested that Goddard's argument in court that the [[Canadian Constitution]] protected his client's right to possess child pornography implied that he himself believed that pedophiles have the right to own such materials and that this further implies that he also must believe that teachers should have the right to pornographic images of their students.<ref name="WaltonLaghi">{{cite news|last1=Walton|first1=Dawn|last2=Laghi|first2=Brian|title=Alliance Leader, lawyer settle defamation suit out of court|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/alliance-leader-lawyer-settle-defamation-suit-out-of-court/article22500563/|access-date=1 January 2017|work=The Globe and Mail|date=23 December 2000}}</ref><ref name="LawNow2001">{{cite news|title=Today's trial: (Lawyer Lorne Goddard sues Stockwell Day for defamation)|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Today's+trial%3A+%28Lawyer+Lorne+Goddard+sues+Stockwell+Day+for...-a030158271|access-date=1 January 2017|work=LawNow|date=1 April 2001}}</ref>

In response, Goddard sued Day for defamation. The suit was eventually settled on December 22, 2000, in the plaintiff's favour.<ref name="WaltonLaghi"/> According to an adjudication order from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta,<ref name="OIPC2003">{{cite web|title=Adjudication Order #3. In The Matter Of An Application Pursuant To The Freedom Of Information And Protection Of Privacy Act, R.S.A. 2000 C.F-25, and In The Matter Of An Adjudication Inquiry, Pursuant To S.75 Thereof. Review Numbers 2170 and 2234|url=https://www.oipc.ab.ca/media/470429/Adjudication_Order_3_Mar2003.pdf|publisher=Office Of The Information And Privacy Commissioner of Alberta|access-date=1 January 2017|date=13 March 2003}}</ref> the total settlement cost for the suit was $792,064.40, including $60,000 in damages paid to the plaintiff, costs that were paid by Alberta taxpayers. However, Day eventually paid back the Alberta Government the $60,000 in damages out of his own pocket. Additionally, Day later wrote a letter to a local paper in his riding as a member of Parliament expressing deep regret "that my former friend Lorne Goddard and his family, have been personally hurt."<ref name="Day2001">{{cite news|last1=Day|first1=Stockwell|title=Let apology, cheque end issue|url=http://www.merrittherald.com/let-apology-cheque-end-issue/|work=Merritt Herald|date=14 March 2001|access-date=July 4, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102080929/http://www.merrittherald.com/let-apology-cheque-end-issue/|archivedate=January 2, 2017}}</ref>

== Leadership of the Canadian Alliance ==

In 2000, Day decided to run for leader of the newly formed [[Canadian Alliance]] party. After a heavily publicized campaign, Day came in first on the June 24 first ballot of the [[Canadian Alliance leadership elections|leadership election]] with about 44 per cent of the vote, in front of former [[Reform Party of Canada|Reform Party]] leader [[Preston Manning]] and [[Ontario Progressive Conservative Party|Ontario PC]] strategist [[Tom Long (politician)|Tom Long]]. In the following runoff election against Manning, held on July 8, 2000, Day received 63.4 per cent.

Looking for a way to get into Parliament, Day decided against running in his hometown riding of [[Red Deer (federal electoral district)|Red Deer]], even though it was comfortably safe for the Alliance. Instead, he ran in a by-election in the equally safe riding of [[Okanagan—Coquihalla]], [[British Columbia]] after incumbent Reform/CA MP [[Jim Hart (British Columbia politician)|Jim Hart]] stood down in his favour—a standard practice in most parliamentary systems when a newly elected leader doesn't have a seat in Parliament. Day won the by-election on September 11, 2000, arriving at his first news conference on a Jet Ski wearing a wetsuit.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/day-promises-to-shake-up-parliament-1.217299|title=Day promises to shake up Parliament|work=CBC News|date=September 13, 2000|access-date=2015-07-10}}</ref>

===2000 election===
[[File:Stockwell Day.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Stockwell Day, December 2000]]
A few weeks after Day entered the House of Commons, [[Jean Chrétien]] called a [[2000 Canadian federal election|snap election]] for November 27, 2000, which would not give the newly formed Canadian Alliance time to consolidate itself. Nonetheless, the new party went into the election with high hopes, as Day was expected to appeal far more to the crucial Ontario voters than his predecessors.

There were few, if any, important issues when the election was called; nonetheless, the [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberals]] frequently alleged that Day had a hidden agenda, identifying Day with the [[Christian right]], and drawing attention to his past comments about homosexuality and abortion.

In an interview published in the alternative weekly ''Montreal Mirror'' on June 8, Day addressed some of the perceptions that he was homophobic. He began by denying that he had ever referred to homosexuality as a "mental disorder". He acknowledged having gay staff working on his campaign: "First of all, as far as my campaign, I don't ask people if they're homosexual, lesbian or heterosexual. People who are working on my campaign are doing so because they believe in me. That doesn't mean that they necessarily agree 100 per cent with everything I believe. But in principle they're saying we think you can take this Alliance to the next step and we think you'd be good for Canada. So I don't ask. Nobody has to pass a sex test to be on this campaign." But the statement that made headlines in newspapers across the country was Day's acknowledgment that he would indeed consider using the Notwithstanding Clause to block a Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage, then a distinct possibility that was unnerving many social conservatives. After being pressed by journalist [[Matthew Hays]] on the [[section 33|Notwithstanding Clause]] question, Day replied "Yes, and the reason I say that is because such a significant number of constituents would reflect concern on that and would want the discussion. The Alberta position on this is that the definition of marriage changing would allow for the use of the Notwithstanding Clause. That's because the sense of the elected officials in Alberta is that the people would be significantly motivated on that issue."

Liberal activist [[Warren Kinsella]] mocked Day's belief in [[young Earth creationism]] by pulling out a [[Barney & Friends|Barney]] doll during a television interview and stating that "this was the only dinosaur ever to be on Earth with humans".  Media covering the Day [[campaign bus]], nicknamed "Prayer Force One", hummed ''[[The Flintstones]]'' theme song to mock the idea that humans and dinosaurs co-existed.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1042814.stm BBC News | AMERICAS | Stockwell Day: Preaching politician]</ref>

During the 2000 election, the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]] ran an extended documentary purporting to review Day's religious beliefs. In this documentary the CBC interviewed Professor Pliny Hayes, Chair of the Department of Natural Sciences at [[Red Deer College]], who reported that Day said in a speech at the college that there is scientific proof that the world is about 6,000 years old and that early man co-existed with dinosaurs. Day filed a complaint with the CBC for the fact that he was at no time asked for comment on the matter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/day-lashes-out-against-liberal-attacks-and-the-cbc-1.215070|title=Day lashes out against Liberal attacks and the CBC|publisher=CBC|date=2000-11-15|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref>

When subsequently asked by reporters about his beliefs, Day said he didn't think his beliefs "should be used in any kind of detrimental way in an election campaign." Day's spokesman Phil Von Finckenstein said the Alliance believes that other theories of creation should be taught alongside evolution in schools, but he also recognizes education is a provincial jurisdiction.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/RTGAMArticleHTMLTemplate?tf=realtime/fullstory_Election.html&cf=realtime/config-neutral&slug=wday15novfront&date=20001115 | location=Toronto |work=Globe and Mail | title=The Globe and Mail: Series}}</ref>

The Alliance's [[direct democracy]] proposals, which would have required a referendum on any proposal supported by a petition signed by three per cent of Canadian voters, were also frequently targeted as a suggestion of a hidden agenda.  Some asserted that "special interest" groups would use the low requirements to put contentious subjects to a national referendum. Day himself never did support the threshold, explaining that he would need to consult with Canadians over what the threshold should be.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/is-this-a-guy-with-something-to-hide/article770799/ | title=Is this a guy with something to hide? | author= Eddie Greespon | work=Globe and Mail | date= November 9, 2000}}</ref> The proposal was satirized by [[Rick Mercer]] of ''[[This Hour Has 22 Minutes]]'', where he proposed a national petition for a referendum to demand that Day change his first name to [[Doris Day|Doris]], which reached the threshold advocated by The Alliance.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/doris-day-petition-hits-the-mark-1.209426 | title='Doris Day' petition hits the mark | work=CBC News | date= November 16, 2000 |access-date=2018-05-10}}</ref>

Another gaffe took place when the Day campaign used the hit single "[[Ordinary Day (Great Big Sea song)|Ordinary Day]]" by [[Great Big Sea]] at a rally without permission.  The band demanded that Day's campaign cease using the song for campaigning purposes.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/don-t-use-our-song-great-big-sea-tells-day-1.202706 | work=CBC News | title='Don't use our song,' Great Big Sea tells Day |date=October 24, 2000 |access-date=2018-05-10}}</ref>

Day was also a victim of an incident during the election. When making a "grand entrance" for a speech at [[Conestoga College]], activist Julian Ichim splashed him with two litres of [[chocolate milk]] from the front of the stage, saying he did it to protest Day's "homophobic, anti-immigrant and anti-poor agenda".<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/time-for-change-of-clothes-government-day-1.222237 | work=CBC News | title=Time for change of clothes, government: Day |date=November 2, 2000 |access-date=2014-04-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://experts.about.com/e/s/st/Stockwell_Day.htm |title=Stockwell Day at AllExperts<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=October 31, 2006 |archive-date=May 26, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060526213538/http://experts.about.com/e/s/st/Stockwell_Day.htm }}</ref><ref>[http://old.uwstudent.org/article.php?story=20011207075939000 uwstudent.org – Ichim convicted of assault for milk attack on Day (Jon Willing)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[https://www.bulletin.uwaterloo.ca/2000/oct/06fr.html October 6, 2000<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>  Afterward, again on ''This Hour Has 22 Minutes'', actress [[Mary Walsh (actress)|Mary Walsh]] jokingly offered Day chocolate milk, saying: "All they had was [[Homogenization (chemistry)|homo]], and I knew [Day] wouldn't like that."<ref>[http://www.jumptheshark.com/t/thishourhas22minutes.htm Jump the Shark: Has Your Favorite TV Show Reached Its Peak? Jump The Shark | TVGuide.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Day stumbled during two campaign appearances in the first week. A photo-op at a technology firm meant to illustrate a "brain drain" to the US was undermined when the owner reported that he had moved ''to'' Canada from the United States eight years earlier.  The next day, at [[Niagara Falls]], Day remarked that Canadian jobs were flowing south "just like the [[Niagara River]]", when in fact the river flows north.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sorensen|first1=Eric|title=Stockwell Day's geography lesson|url=https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/stockwell-days-geography-lesson|website=CBC Digital Archives|publisher=The National|access-date=7 July 2016|format=video|date=24 October 2000}}</ref> In mid-campaign, the Alliance candidate in [[Winnipeg South Centre]], [[Betty Granger]], was quoted as voicing concerns about an "Asian invasion" in Canada.  And in the televised leaders' debate, Day held up a handwritten sign saying "NO [[Two-tier health care|2-TIER HEALTHCARE]]" in large letters to counter a newspaper headline in ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' earlier in the campaign. As props were against the rules, he claimed it was his briefing notes. Progressive Conservative leader [[Joe Clark]] retorted, "Mr. Day appears to be running for office as some kind of game show host."<ref>{{cite web|title=2000 leaders' debate|url=https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/2000-leaders-debate|website=CBC Digital Archives|publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]|access-date=7 July 2016}}</ref> The debate went poorly for Day, with the ''[[Toronto Star]]'' and ''The Globe and Mail'' describing him as "the big loser" of the night.<ref>{{cite web|title=2000 leaders' debate|url=https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/2000-leaders-debate|website=CBC Digital Archives|publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]|access-date=7 July 2016}}</ref>

At one point, the Alliance was at 30.5 per cent in the polls, and some thought they could win a minority government. On election night, the Alliance increased their seats over Reform totals from 60 to 66 and kept Reform's strong representation in western Canada, but the hoped-for breakthrough in [[Ontario]] did not occur, with the party electing just two MPs in that province. However, the Alliance increased their overall vote totals by over one million and reduced the Progressive Conservatives to 12 seats in the House of Commons. The Liberals' attacks on Day ended up decimating the NDP and Progressive Conservatives, as many voters who would otherwise have supported those parties voted [[tactical voting|strategically]] for the Liberals to prevent an Alliance victory.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

===Post-election===
{{BLP sources section|date=August 2020}}
Further controversies plagued Day following the election.  While he had been a government minister in Alberta he wrote a letter to the editor of the ''[[Red Deer Advocate]]'' in April 1999 in which he criticized Lorne Goddard, a lawyer and Red Deer school trustee, for defending a man accused of possessing [[child pornography]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010218214543/http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2000-11-16/newsspread.html NOW On / Newsfront / News Spread / Nov 16–22, 2000<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>  In it he alleged that Goddard himself supported child pornography.  When Goddard sued for [[libel]], the Alberta government covered Day's legal bills.  In December, the government lawyers settled out of court, but the legal costs and settlement totalled $792,000. A citizen's fund was set up on behalf of taxpayers to cover the lawyers' charges. Even though thousands of dollars began coming in from across the country, Alberta's Ethics Commissioner ruled that the voluntary fund could not be used. Day was criticized for the costs and eventually re-paid the province $60,000, the settlement amount excluding legal fees.  Further controversy ensued in February when it was reported that Bennett Jones, the law firm that had represented Day at taxpayer expense, donated $70,000 to the Canadian Alliance Fund shortly after Day settled. The Alliance launched an internal review that determined that nothing inappropriate had occurred.

In April, it was reported that Day had approved the hiring of a private investigator to dig up dirt to smear the [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberals]]. After confirming that he had met the man on April 7, Day denied this on the 8th, claiming on the 9th that he had read of the meeting in ''The Globe and Mail'' and had assumed that it was correct. Day later made it clear that he never did hire or approve of the hiring of an investigator.

Given the string of negative stories, many Alliance members became increasingly critical of Day's leadership.  In late April, several members of Day's [[Shadow Cabinet]], including deputy leader [[Deborah Grey]], resigned their posts.  In the following months, Grey and eleven other MPs either resigned or were suspended from caucus for criticizing Day.  This group, led by [[Chuck Strahl]] and Grey, formed the "Independent Alliance Caucus" during the summer.  Day offered an amnesty, but seven of them turned it down and formed the [[Democratic Representative Caucus]], led by Strahl and Grey. The DRC entered a short-lived coalition agreement with the Tories, which was seen as an attempt by PC leader [[Joe Clark]] to reunite the Canadian right on his terms.

== Political career after leadership ==
[[Image:Stockwellarrives2006.JPG|right|thumb|200px|Day arrives for his swearing in at Rideau Hall on February 6, 2006.]]
In the fall of 2001, Day agreed to step aside and re-contest the leadership, and in the [[Canadian Alliance leadership elections|March 2002 Alliance leadership election]], Day was defeated by [[Stephen Harper]] on the first ballot. As a concession to Day, Harper appointed him as foreign affairs critic. Five of the seven DRC MPs (all except [[Inky Mark]] and [[Jim Pankiw]]) rejoined the Alliance caucus on April 10.

In March 2003, Day and Harper co-wrote a letter to ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' in which they condemned the Canadian government's unwillingness to participate in the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]]. Day later appeared as a speaker at a "Canadians for Bush" rally in the Niagara region, organized by controversial right-wing minister [[Tristan Emmanuel]].

In December 2003, the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party merged to become the [[Conservative Party of Canada]]. Day did not run for the leadership of the new party but remained the party's foreign affairs critic. He was re-elected to Parliament in the 2004, 2006, and 2008 elections.

In November 2004, Day provoked controversy by not offering condolences to Palestinians after the death of [[Palestine Liberation Organization|PLO]] leader [[Yasser Arafat]]. The controversy was heightened when it was leaked to the media that Day had attempted to justify his actions to his party colleagues by circulating an article by [[David Frum]] that suggested that Arafat had died of AIDS.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20041122.wstocky1122/BNStory/National/ |location=Toronto |work=Globe and Mail |title=This page is available to GlobePlus subscribers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041126031919/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20041122.wstocky1122/BNStory/National/ |archive-date=November 26, 2004 }}</ref>

In March 2007, the federal Liberals accused former Alliance MP [[Jim Hart (British Columbia politician)|Jim Hart]] of having accepted a payment of $50,000 to step aside in favour of Day before the 2000 byelection.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/liberals-allege-ex-mp-was-paid-off-to-give-his-riding-to-day-1.636182|work=CBC News|title=Liberals allege ex-MP was paid off to give his riding to Day|date=March 22, 2007|access-date=2014-04-04}}</ref> Contacted at his home in the [[Georgia (country)|Republic of Georgia]], Hart—in a brief email statement to the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]—did not deny the allegations or impeach the authenticity of the evidence the Liberals had obtained.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ex-mp-doesn-t-deny-documents-at-heart-of-day-nomination-scandal-1.673437|work=CBC News|title=Ex-MP doesn't deny documents at heart of Day nomination scandal|date=March 23, 2007|access-date=2014-04-04}}</ref> The entire matter was investigated by the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] who found no evidence of wrongdoing.

On March 23, 2008, Stockwell Day signed the Canada-Israel 'Declaration of Intent' on 'public safety' and security cooperation between the two countries, as [[Minister of Public Safety]] and Emergency Preparedness. It was co-signed in [[Tel-Aviv]] by Israel's [[Ministry of Public Security (Israel)|Minister of Public Security]], [[Avi Dichter]]. Months later in May 2008, Day attended and participated in the 1st International Security Forum of Ministers of Interior and
Homeland Security in [[Jerusalem]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kilibarda |first1=Kole |title=Canadian and Israeli Defense -- Industrial and Homeland Security Ties: An Analysis |website=Surveillance Studies Centre, Queen's University |date=November 2008 |pages=10–11 |url=https://www.surveillance-studies.ca/sites/sscqueens.org/files/Canadian%20and%20Israeli%20Defense%20Industrial%20and%20Homeland%20Security%20Ties.pdf |access-date=26 November 2023}}</ref>

In August 2010, Day caused some controversy when he stated the government was "very concerned ... about the increase in the amount of unreported crimes that surveys clearly show are happening".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.canada.com/business/Stockwell+says+unreported+crimes+rising/3353984/story.html| title = Stockwell Day says unreported crimes are rising| publisher = Canada.Com |date=August 3, 2010 |access-date=2024-07-05 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805232047/http://www.canada.com/business/Stockwell+says+unreported+crimes+rising/3353984/story.html |archivedate=August 5, 2010}}</ref> Critics question the supporting evidence of the minister as data pertaining to unreported crimes for 2009 had not yet been released.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/crime-statistics-not-accurate-day-suggests-1.897564| title = Crime statistics not accurate, Day suggests| publisher = CBC News |date=August 3, 2010 |access-date=2014-04-04}}</ref>

On March 12, 2011, Day announced that he would not be seeking re-election in the [[2011 Canadian federal election|2011 federal election]].<ref name=autogenerated1 />

===Minister of Public Safety (February 2006-October 2008)===
[[Image:L. Cannon, S. Day, John R. Nay and Jeffrey Watson.jpg|thumb|Stockwell Day at a June 2008 announcement on Border Safety.]]
On February 6, 2006, Day was promoted to the [[Minister of Public Safety]] in the Conservative government and was sworn into the [[Queen's Privy Council for Canada|Privy Council]]. When, in May 2008, Israeli Ambassador Alan Baker warned that Canada's Muslim population would influence its policies, Day responded by saying that Canada was proud of its multicultural composition.<ref>{{cite news |author=Brian LAGHI and Sarah HOIDA |title=Canada's backing of Israel unshakeable, Harper says |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canadas-backing-of-israel-unshakeable-harper-says/article672213/ |work=Globe and Mail |location=Toronto |date=May 9, 2008 |access-date=2018-05-10}}</ref>

===Minister of International Trade (October 2008-January 2010)===

On October 30, 2008, Day was sworn in as [[Minister of International Trade]] in the Conservative Government. He was also appointed the Minister for the [[Asia–Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative]].<ref>[https://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/bio.asp?id=54 The Hon. Stockwell Day Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia–Pacific Gateway] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130708111406/http://pm.gc.ca/eng/bio.asp?id=54 |date=July 8, 2013 }}</ref>

===President of Treasury Board (January 2010-March 2011)===

Day was appointed president of the [[Treasury Board]] by Stephen Harper on January 19, 2010.<ref>{{Cite news | last = Chase | first = Steven | author2 = Jane Taber | title = PM taps Stockwell Day to tighten purse strings in tough times | newspaper = Globe and Mail | date = January 19, 2010 | url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/pm-taps-stockwell-day-to-tighten-purse-strings-in-tough-times/article1436073/ | access-date = 2010-01-19 | location = Toronto | archive-date = March 25, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170325213431/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/pm-taps-stockwell-day-to-tighten-purse-strings-in-tough-times/article1436073/ }}</ref>

During the controversy over the Harper government's decision to eliminate the mandatory long-form census, Day defended the move by implying that online web searches are as effective as the national census: "We live in an information age where any 12-year-old kid can push any button on the Internet and find out any information he or she wants without threatening a citizen that they're going to go to jail."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/tories-try-hogans-heroes-defence-in-census-feud/article1650083/ | location=Toronto | work=Globe and Mail | first=Steven | last=Chase | title=Tories try Hogan's Heroes defence in census feud | date=July 23, 2010 | access-date=September 15, 2017 | archive-date=February 3, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203071613/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/tories-try-hogans-heroes-defence-in-census-feud/article1650083/ }}</ref><ref>[http://www.macleans.ca/2010/07/24/stockwell-day-amateur-statistician/ Stockwell Day, amateur statistician – Beyond The Commons – Macleans.ca<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.630ched.com/Other/audiovault.html 630 CHED: News, Talk, Sports<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

In March 2011, Day announced that he would not seek re-election in the next federal elections.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/stockwell-day-leaving-politics/article_cdbe9ebb-31ad-58fc-8112-175d0983e484.html|title=Stockwell Day leaving politics |date=March 12, 2011 | location=Toronto|work=The Star|first=Bruce|last=Campion-Smith|access-date=December 29, 2023}}</ref>

== Post-political career ==
After retiring from politics Day started a government relations firm, called Stockwell Day Connex.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/stockwell-day-touts-insight-and-advice-but-not-insider-information-at-new-firm/article2078303/ | location=Toronto | work=The Globe and Mail | first=Bill | last=Curry | title=Stockwell Day touts insight and advice &ndash; but not insider information &ndash; at new firm - The Globe and Mail | date=June 28, 2011 | access-date=September 15, 2017 | archive-date=February 2, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202065231/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/stockwell-day-touts-insight-and-advice-but-not-insider-information-at-new-firm/article2078303/ }}</ref> On June 14, 2011, the [[Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada]] appointed Day as a Distinguished Fellow and he remained in this role until 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asiapacific.ca/media/press-releases/34804|title=The Honourable Stockwell Day Appointed Distinguished Fellow of APF Canada|publisher=Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada|date=2011-06-14|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref>  Day also currently holds a position on the board of directors for the Canada China Business Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ccbc.com/about/board-of-directors/|title=Board of Directors|publisher=CCBC|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref> He also previously sat on the boards of the [[Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cija.ca/our-team/board-of-directors/stockwell-day/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605075048/http://www.cija.ca/our-team/board-of-directors/stockwell-day/|archive-date=2012-06-05|access-date=2019-05-15|publisher=Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs|title=Hon. Stockwell Day}}</ref> and the Canada-India Business Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://canada-indiabusiness.ca/leadership/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314185641/http://canada-indiabusiness.ca/leadership/|archive-date=2013-03-14|access-date=2019-05-15|title=Leadership|publisher=Canada-India Business Council}}</ref>

Day was a member of the board of directors of [[Telus Communications]] and a senior strategic advisor to Canadian law firm [[McMillan LLP]] from 2011 to June 2020, when he resigned from both positions after comments he made on [[CBC News Network]]'s ''[[Power & Politics]]'' amidst the [[George Floyd protests]] triggered strong social media reaction including the threat of a boycott of Telus if he did not resign. In the televised debate, Day's comments included deploring the [[murder of George Floyd]], supporting the right of people to protest and opposing the riots and destruction in US cities.<ref>{{cite news|date=2011-07-12|title=Stockwell Day to join McMillan LLP|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/the-law-page/stockwell-day-to-join-mcmillan-llp/article1355777/|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.ctfassets.net/rz9m1rynx8pv/4so8LHRsHfBD3QDHwrdyNS/e6539e39aef0d09c87c33dde89e4f833/TELUS_2020_information_circular.pdf|title=Telus 2020 Information Circular|access-date=2020-06-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/06/03/2043308/0/en/Stockwell-Day-Steps-Down-from-TELUS-Board-of-Directors.html|title=Stockwell Day Steps Down from TELUS Board of Directors|date=June 3, 2020|access-date=2020-06-03}}</ref>  Day had said that [[systemic racism]] did not exist in Canada and referenced his experience of being bullied as a child for wearing glasses, suggesting it was the same as having to endure racism. Day noted the difference between the Floyd family asking for the violence to stop with the reaction of a number of celebrities who were not condemning the violence and offering to pay the bill of arrested people. Day also said that while Canada has some "idiot racists", he felt that most Canadians are not racist. Day disagreed with Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]]'s claim that Canada is a "systematically racist" country, while noting improvements can always be made. Day apologized the next day to those who had been hurt by any of his comments and vowed to continue the fight against racism in all its forms.<ref>{{Cite news|date=June 3, 2020|title=Stockwell Day resigns from Telus board after controversial comments about racism|work=[[CBC News]]|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stockwell-day-systemic-racism-canada-1.5597550/|access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref>

Since October 2021, Day has served as the interim president of the [[The King's College (New York City)|King's College]], a small Christian [[Liberal arts colleges in the United States|liberal arts]] college in New York City, located in the financial district.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stockwell Day |url=https://www.tkc.edu/people/stockwell-day/ |website=The King's College |access-date=3 February 2023 |date=6 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Albright |first1=Amanda |last2=Maglione |first2=Francesca |title=NYC College That Prayed for Bill Hwang Struggles to Stay Afloat |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-03/nyc-college-that-prayed-for-bill-hwang-struggles-to-stay-afloat |access-date=3 February 2023 |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=3 February 2023 |language=en}}</ref> [[The King's College (New York City)|King's College]] accepted a $2 million loan from billionaire owner of Primacorp Ventures, Peter Chung, in April 2021. Day has previously worked as a consultant for Chung, and was appointed to the College's executive as part of the deal - a move students and staff raised alarms about at the time. Additionally, Peter Chung's career is rife with investments into institutions that soon afterwards failed - notably, [[Eminata Group|Wilshire Computer College]] in California, a case in which he refused to pay students of the institution a court-ordered $12 million in compensation. Other failed investments of Chung's include [[Quest University]] in British Columbia (which ceased operations in April 2023) and [[CDI College]] across Canada, which has been criticized for falsely advertising its accreditation status and job placement rates.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moody |first1=Josh |title=How a Canadian Billionaire Reshaped the King's College |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/03/16/small-college-failing-rich-canadian-blame |website=Inside Higher Ed |access-date=November 23, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Mackin |first1=Bob |title=Quest University has a lot in common with a New York college |url=https://thebreaker.news/news/quest-kings-college-common/ |website=theBreaker.news |date=March 4, 2023 |access-date=November 23, 2023}}</ref>

== AWZ Ventures ==
From 2015 to 2017, Day was a Director at AWZ Ventures, a Canadian private investment company which invests in Israeli cybersecurity, intelligence, and physical security technologies.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Day |first1=Stockwell |title=Stockwell Day |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/stockwell-day-7352b15b/details/experience/ |website=LinkedIn |access-date=November 20, 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://www.stockwellday.com/ Official website]
* [http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/membersofparliament/ProfileMP.aspx?Key=78682&Language=E Parliamentary website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207213530/http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/membersofparliament/ProfileMP.aspx?Key=78682&Language=E |date=February 7, 2009 }}
* {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=15859}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051119195102/http://www.howdtheyvote.ca/member.php?id=81 How'd They Vote?: Stockwell Day's voting history and quotes]
* [http://www.intheirownwords.ca/ourstockwell.html In Their Own Words: quotations by and about Canada's Conservatives]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080121145709/http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=8fc86a01-cb77-4eba-8392-47364c4a7f62&k=31976 Climate quip puts Day on hot seat – Weblog joke gets chilly reception]
* [http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/2000/060800/news4.html Montreal Mirror interview with Day]
* [http://www.cija.ca/our-team/board-of-directors/stockwell-day/ The Centre For Israel and Jewish Affairs website]
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