Mark Beckles

Mark Beckles (born 1964) was the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party candidate in the constituency of Brampton West in the Ontario general election, 2007.

Early life and career

Born in the United Kingdom and raised in Barbados, Beckles pursued his education in Barbados, Canada, and the United Kingdom, earning an MBA in International Business from Bradford University as well as certification in risk management. Embarking on a career as an insurance professional, Beckles spent 16 years working in senior positions in Canada and the Caribbean. As Vice President of one of the largest insurance brokers in the Caribbean, his clients included Colgate-Palmolive, Coca-Cola, Hilton Hotels and CIBC. He has also worked for large international insurers such as Zurich Insurance and General Accident, as well as served on the boards of several international business companies. [#Footnotes| [1]

Personal

Beckles is an avid reader and musician. He and Wendy, his wife of 18 years, have three children: William, Ashley, and Warren, all of whom attend public schools. Beckles and his family have lived in Brampton since 1999 and are involved in the Cobra Swim Club as well as their church.Beckles immigrated to Canada in 1990, and in 1997 founded Allied Insurance Brokers, on the board of which he continues to serve.

Beckles soon moved into full-time humanitarian work, working first with a Canadian humanitarian organization until being named, in 2002, as Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (Canada), an organization “focussed on promoting and realizing Nelson Mandela's global vision of social justice for children and youth.” [#Footnotes| [2] In this role Beckles raised millions of dollars to support programs for impoverished and at-risk children in South Africa, drawing praise from the likes of former United States President Bill Clinton.

Volunteerism

beckles has served as a Governor of the Canadian Unity Council, Vice-Chair of World Relief Canada (a humanitarian relief and development organization), and also volunteers with the Theresa Group, the ACTOut Project, and the Canada/Africa Partnership on AIDS. Beckles was co-chair of the organizing committee for the opening ceremonies of the XVI International AIDS Conference held in Toronto, and has been involved with the GTA Faith Alliance to address issues of crime and violence among inner-city youth.

Most recently, Beckles was invited to be the keynote speaker at the Citizenship Court of the Ministry of Immigration and Citizenship, where he welcomed 150 new Canadians from 61 countries.

Political career

Beckles has been involved in politics from an early age having started work, at the age of 17, in the office of the Prime Minister of Barbados. [#Footnotes| [3]

Beckles began volunteering with the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party in 1992. He has served on the board of the riding association of Brampton West, as a director of the Ontario PC Fund, and as a member of the outreach committee of the Ontario PC Party. He has also served as an advisor to the GTA Public Leadership Summit, a forum created to advance the participation of visible minorites, women and aboriginal peoples in public leadership.

On January 22, 2007 Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory introduced him as the candidate in Brampton West. “Mark Beckles is the ideal Candidate for our party,” said Tory, “someone who has worked hard to build a successful international career and someone who has given back to his community…who know [s] what it’s like to be accountable and deliver results.” [#Footnotes| [4]

For his part, Beckles commented: “Throughout my career I have delivered results and been accountable to those who have placed their confidence in me…I have had the opportunity to help make a difference in the lives of children and families around the world and have the skills needed to bring about a change for the better. I am passionate about making a difference for the people of Brampton and eager to bring positive, accountable, results-oriented leadership back to Queen’s Park.” [#Footnotes| [5]

Beckles, in his first speech, also laid out his major priorities. “Families in Brampton deserve an MPP that will represent them, speak up on issues that affect them, and support the city’s strategic plan” he said, adding “I will push for real action on gridlock, healthcare and community safety, not defend broken promises.” [#Footnotes| [6]

Electoral record

External links

* [http://www.markbeckles.ca http://www.markbeckles.ca] – Official Site
* [http://www.ontariopc.com http://www.ontariopc.com] – Ontario Progressive Conservative Party
* [http://www.electionsontario.on.ca http://www.electionsontario.on.ca] - Elections Ontario

Footnotes

[1] “About Mark Beckles”, http://www.markbeckles.ca
[2] Nelson Mandela Children's Fund (Canada), http://www.mandela-children.ca/
[3] “About Mark Beckles”, http://www.markbeckles.ca
[4] “John Tory Introduces New Candidate For Brampton West,” http://www.markbeckles.ca
[5] ibid.
[6] ibid.

Persondata
NAME = Beckles, Mark
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = politician
DATE OF BIRTH = 1964
PLACE OF BIRTH = United Kingdom
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =