Mike Harcourt

**Michael Franklin Harcourt** (born January 6, 1943) is a Canadian politician and lawyer. He was the 34th mayor of Vancouver. He was elected on January 1, 1981. Harcourt was also the 30th Premier of British Columbia from 1991 until 1996 and the leader of the British Columbia New Democratic Party from 1987 until 1996.

Before becoming a politician, Harcourt studied at the University of British Columbia, earning a BA and LLB degree. After graduating, he became a lawyer and opened the Vancouver Community Legal Assistance Society.

On January 1, 1981, the people of Vancouver elected Harcourt to be their 30th mayor. As Mayor of Vancouver, he oversaw the planning and building of venues for the Expo 86 world's fair. On November 21, 1982, Harcourt won re-election in a landslide victory, earning 61,000 votes to the second place Jonathan Baker's 33,000 votes. His term as mayor ended on December 8, 1986.

In the 1991 British Columbia general election, Harcourt was elected as the 30th Premier of British Columbia. On November 5, 1991, he assumed office. His NDP party won 51 of 75 seats in the legislature and it was only the second time that the NDP had taken power in BC. He increased the rate of welfare from $500 to $525 but later changed this because of the party's view on welfare fraud. He ended up reducing the rate of welfare and made it harder for families to get welfare, claiming it was a way to crackdown on "cheats, deadbeats and varmints". On February 22, 1996, Harcourt resigned from being premier. He resigned because a scandal known a Bingogate but he was not directly involved in it. NDP MLA David Stupich ran the Nanaimo Commonwealth Bingo Association which used kickback schemes and refunded charity donations to the company.

In November 2002, Harcourt suffered life-threatening injuries and was left with a spinal cord injury after he slipped on his deck and fell six metres from his home on Pender Island. The fall left him partially paralyzed and quadriplegic.

Harcourt is a cannabis advocate and had supported and advocated for the legalization of cannabis.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Mike Harcourt
<small>Officer of the Order of Canada, OC</small>
- **image**: Mike Harcourt.jpg
- **birth name**: Michael Franklin Harcourt
- **birth place**: Edmonton, Alberta
- **party**: The Electors' Action Movement <small>(municipal; until 1976)</small>
Civic Independents <small>(municipal; 1984–1986)</small>
British Columbia New Democratic Party, New Democratic
- **alma mater**: University of British Columbia
- **order**: 30th Premier of British Columbia
- **term start**: November 5, 1991
- **term end**: February 22, 1996
- **predecessor**: Rita Johnston
- **successor**: Glen Clark
- **monarch**: Elizabeth II
- **lieutenant governor**: David Lam (real estate entrepreneur), David Lam
Garde Gardom
- **office1**: Leader of the Opposition (British Columbia), Leader of the Opposition in British Columbia
- **term start1**: April 12, 1987
- **term end1**: November 5, 1991
- **preceded1**: Bob Skelly
- **succeeded1**: Gordon Wilson (British Columbia politician), Gordon Wilson
- **office2**: Leader of the British Columbia New Democratic Party
- **term start2**: April 12, 1987
- **term end2**: February 22, 1996
- **predecessor2**: Bob Skelly
- **successor2**: Glen Clark
- **alongside3**: Emery Barnes <small>(1986-1991)</small>
- **constituency am3**: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
<small>Vancouver Centre (provincial electoral district), Vancouver Centre (1986-1991)</small>
- **assembly3**: British Columbia Legislative
- **term start3**: October 22, 1986
- **term end3**: May 28, 1996
- **predecessor3**: Gary Lauk
Emery Barnes
- **successor3**: Jenny Kwan
- **office4**: 34th Mayor of Vancouver
- **term start4**: January 1, 1981
- **term end4**: December 8, 1986
- **predecessor4**: Jack Volrich
- **successor4**: Gordon Campbell (Canadian politician), Gordon Campbell
- **spouse**: Becky Harcourt