Mel Couvelier

Melville Bertram "Mel" Couvelier (January 20, 1931 – May 30, 2011) was a businessman and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Saanich and the Islands from 1986 to 1991 in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as a Social Credit member.
He was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 1948, Couvelier married Milly Quakenbush. He was employed by Crown Zellerbach, a paper manufacturing company, then went on to operate a general store in Coal Harbour. In 1960, the family moved to Victoria. There, he became the owner of Maplewood Poultry Processors and later established Couvelier's Fine Apparel. He was mayor of Saanich from 1977 to 1986. Couvelier served in the provincial cabinet as Minister of Finance. He ran for the leadership of the provincial Social Credit party in 1986 and 1991. In 2008, Couvelier was unsuccessful in a bid to become mayor of Sidney, British Columbia. He died in Saanich at the age of 80.