Joe Peschisolido

Joe Peschisolido (born April 27, 1963) is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He has a Bachelor of Arts (honours) degree in Political Science from Trinity College at the University of Toronto and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School.

For decades, Peschisolido was a member of the Liberal Party, where he had worked as a youth co-ordinator for Jean Chrétien’s 1990 leadership campaign. In 1993, he joined the Reform Party of Canada (later the Canadian Alliance); running as their candidate in Etobicoke North in the 1993 general election and a subsequent 1996 by-election, he placed second in both turnouts. Relocating to British Columbia, he was elected as Member of Parliament for Richmond in the 2000 general election, defeating Liberal incumbent, Raymond Chan.

In 2002, Peschisolido left the Canadian Alliance and crossed the floor to the Liberal Party without consulting with his constituents. This was due to the “process of political realignment” which eliminated both the Canadian Alliance Party and the Progressive Conservative Party, and instead creating the Conservative Party of Canada.

While serving in office, Peschisolido fought to protect the rights of taxpayers by introducing the “Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights” in the 37th Parliament’s first, second, and third sessions.

In 2002, Peschisolido helped broker the original Garden City land deal, which saw the transfer of said lands from the Canadian federal government to the City of Richmond. This deal would have seen the City of Richmond receive 75 to 80 percent of the land, with the rest of the property set aside for a trade and exhibition center, as well as commercial development.

In 2003 he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. He was also Vice-Chair for the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

In 2011, Peschisolido won the Liberal Party nomination for Member of Parliament for Richmond at the 2011 Canadian federal election. However, he was later defeated by Alice Wong by more than 17,000 votes in the 2011 federal election.

On August 11, 2015, Peschisolido again won the Liberal Party nomination for Member of Parliament in the new riding of Steveston—Richmond East for the 2015 Canadian federal election.

On October 19, 2015, as a Liberal Party majority government was formed, Peschisolido was returned to Parliament.