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Hugh Austin Curtis

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Hugh Austin Curtis
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Saanich and the Islands
In office
August 30, 1972 – October 22, 1986
Preceded byJohn Douglas Tisdalle
Succeeded byMel Couvelier
Terry Huberts
Provincial Secretary and Minister of Government Services of British Columbia
In office
August 14, 1986 – November 6, 1986
PremierBill Vander Zalm
Preceded byGrace McCarthy
Succeeded byElwood Veitch
In office
December 5, 1978 – November 24, 1979
PremierBill Bennett
Preceded byGrace McCarthy
Succeeded byEvan Maurice Wolfe
Minister of Finance of British Columbia
In office
November 24, 1979 – August 14, 1986
PremierBill Bennett
Bill Vander Zalm
Preceded byEvan Maurice Wolfe
Succeeded byBill Vander Zalm
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of British Columbia
In office
December 22, 1975 – December 5, 1978
PremierBill Bennett
Preceded byLorne Nicolson (Housing)
James Gibson Lorimer (Municipal Affairs)
Succeeded byBill Vander Zalm
Reeve/Mayor of Saanich
In office
1964–1973
Preceded byStanley Murphy
Succeeded byEdward Lum
Personal details
Born(1932-10-03)October 3, 1932
Victoria, British Columbia
DiedMay 27, 2014(2014-05-27) (aged 81)
Victoria, British Columbia
PartySocial Credit
Progressive Conservative (1972-1974)
Spouse
Sheila Diane Harford
​
​
(m. 1957; died 2009)​
ChildrenGary, Dave, Susan

Hugh Austin Curtis (October 3, 1932 – May 27, 2014) was a Canadian politician who represented Saanich and the Islands in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1972 to 1986. Initially a Progressive Conservative member, he joined the Social Credit Party in 1974, and served in the cabinets of premiers Bill Bennett and Bill Vander Zalm. Prior to entering provincial politics, he served as municipal councillor and mayor of Saanich.

Biography

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He was born in Victoria, British Columbia,[1] the son of Austin Ivor Curtis and Helen Shepherd; his father served on the Victoria City Council and the school board.[2] He was educated at Victoria High School,[3] then worked as an announcer at radio station CJVI for 15 years.[2] He later moved to CFAX, where he handled roles including newscaster and sales manager,[4] and at one point held a minority stake in the station.[2] He married Sheila Diane Halford in 1957; they had three children together.[3]

Curtis was elected to the Saanich municipal council in 1961,[2] then served as reeve from 1964 to 1973 (the position was re-titled mayor in 1968).[1][5] During that time, he oversaw the acquisition of parklands and establishment of three recreation centres.[4] He also served as the first chair of the Capital Regional District.[2]

He ran as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the 1972 provincial election, and was elected member of the Legislative Assembly for Saanich and the Islands.[6]: 316  He crossed the floor to join the Social Credit Party (Socred) in 1974,[2][7] and was re-elected in the 1975, 1979 and 1983 elections.[6]: 326, 336, 344  With the Socreds returning to power in 1975, Curtis was appointed to the provincial cabinet by Premier Bill Bennett as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, then became Provincial Secretary and Minister of Government Services in December 1978.[1][8] He was re-assigned as Minister of Finance in November 1979, and served in that role for the remainder of the Bennett ministry.[8] After Bill Vander Zalm became premier in 1986, Curtis was moved back to his previous portfolio of Provincial Secretary and Government Services; he did not run again in that year's election.[9]

He was awarded the Freeman of Saanich distinction in 2002.[3][5][10] He died of cancer on May 27, 2014, at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria.[3][11][12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Normandin, P G (1985). Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1985.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Wilson, Carla (May 27, 2014). "Hugh Curtis: Passionate leader helped build Saanich". Times-Colonist. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d "Hugh CURTIS Obituary (2014) - Sidney, BC - The Times Colonist". Legacy.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Mcculloch, Sandra (June 10, 2014). "Life of former Saanich mayor Hugh Curtis celebrated". Times-Colonist. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Mayors of Saanich: the First 100 Years" (PDF). Saanich Archives. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Electoral History of British Columbia, 1871-1986" (PDF). Elections BC. pp. 316, 326, 336, 344. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  7. ^ "B.C. Tories in deep financial trouble". Calgary Herald. August 12, 1974. p. 6. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  8. ^ a b Bennett, Judith Antonik; Verspoor, Frederike (1989). "British Columbia Executive Council Appointments: 1871-1986" (PDF). British Columbia Legislative Library. p. 68. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
  9. ^ "Vander Zalm Cabinet: 33rd-34th Parliament 1986–1991" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  10. ^ "Hugh Curtis (1975 - 1978)". Local Government Department History. Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  11. ^ Wilson, Carla (May 27, 2014). "Hugh Curtis, B.C. finance minister during the restraint era, dead at 81". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved December 29, 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  12. ^ Wilson, Carla (May 28, 2014). "Hugh Curtis was a classy politician who forged change in tough times". Times-Colonist. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
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