Coralee Oakes

Coralee Oakes
Oakes in 2016
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Cariboo North
In office
May 14, 2013 – September 21, 2024
Preceded byBob Simpson
Succeeded bySheldon Clare
Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development of British Columbia
In office
June 7, 2013 – July 30, 2015
PremierChristy Clark
Preceded byBill Bennett
Succeeded byPeter Fassbender
Personal details
Born1972 (age 53–54)
PartyBC United
ProfessionPolitician

Coralee Ella Oakes (born 1972) is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2013 provincial election.[1] She represented the electoral district of Cariboo North as a member of BC United. Oakes served in Cabinet as Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, and then Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, and Minister Responsible for the Liquor Distribution Branch.[2]

In Opposition, she has served as the Official Opposition critic for Small Business; for Advanced Education, Skills Training & Sport; and for Post Secondary Education. She was elected by her colleagues in 2022 to chair the then BC Liberal Party caucus.

Oakes is a former two-term Quesnel city councillor and executive director of the Quesnel and District Chamber of Commerce since 1999. As a result of her community work, in 2007 Oakes was appointed by the province to the Small Business Roundtable to represent the rural voice of small business. This work led her to be appointed to the Minister's Council on Tourism in 2009. Oakes is the past president of the British Columbia Chamber Executives and has served as a director on the BC Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Executives, Cariboo Chilcotin Tourism Association and numerous local not-for-profit organizations.[3] On September 12, 2024, Oakes announced her intention to run as an independent in Prince George-North Cariboo for the 2024 British Columbia General Election.[4] She was unseated by Sheldon Clare from the Conservative Party of British Columbia.[5]

Electoral record

2024 British Columbia general election: Prince George-North Cariboo
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeSheldon Clare11,43056.82+49.6$27,477.42
IndependentCoralee Oakes4,39421.84-30.7$7,335.00
New DemocraticDenice Bardua3,42617.03-14.3$4,917.96
GreenRandy Thompson8664.31-4.0$1,650.44
Total valid votes/expense limit 20,11699.91–$71,700.08
Total rejected ballots 180.09–
Turnout 20,13459.97–
Registered voters 33,572
Conservative notional gain from BC United Swing +40.1[n 1]
Source: Elections BC[6][7]
  1. ↑ Swing against BC United incumbent Coralee Oakes, standing for re-election as an independent candidate.
2020 British Columbia general election: Cariboo North
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalCoralee Oakes5,36748.42−2.63$16,017.08
New DemocraticScott Elliott3,80934.36−1.21$890.10
ConservativeKyle Townsend1,20110.84+4.84$571.20
GreenDouglas Gook7076.38−1.00$237.95
Total valid votes 11,084100.00–
Total rejected ballots   
Turnout   
Registered voters
Source: Elections BC[8][9]
2017 British Columbia general election: Cariboo North
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalCoralee Oakes6,35951.05+9.64$56,018
New DemocraticScott Elliott4,43035.57+14.14$55,108
GreenRichard Edward Jaques9197.38–$285
ConservativeTony Goulet7476.00–$816
Total valid votes 12,455100.00
Total rejected ballots 580.46
Turnout 12,51360.94
Source: Elections BC[10]
2013 British Columbia general election: Cariboo North
Party Candidate Votes%
LiberalCoralee Oakes5,86741.41
IndependentBob Simpson5,26437.16
New DemocraticDuncan Barnett3,03621.43
Total valid votes 14,167100.00
Total rejected ballots 810.57
Turnout 14,24859.77
Source: Elections BC[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Cariboo North elects Oakes". Prince George Citizen, May 14, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Premier Christy Clark introduces new Executive Council | BC Gov News". June 12, 2017.
  3. ↑ "BC Newsroom". Archived from the original on July 23, 2013.
  4. ↑ Today, CKPG. "Coralee Oakes to run as an independent in provincial election". CKPGToday.ca. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  5. ↑ "BC election 2024 results: Prince George-North Cariboo | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Statement of Votes – 43rd Provincial General Election – October 19, 2024" (PDF). Elections BC. April 17, 2025. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  7. ↑ "2024 Provincial General Election Financing Reports Available". Elections BC. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  8. ↑ "2020 Provincial General Election Final Voting Results". electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Statement of Votes – 41st Provincial General Election – May 9, 2017" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved May 17, 2017.