Stephen Fuhr
- Born
- May 27, 1969 — Edmonton, Alberta
- Family
- Father of one
- Education
- Diploma in aviation technology from Trinity Western University
- Career
- Retired air force officer, aviation executive
- Political Experience
- MP for Kelowna—Lake Country (2015-2019), MP for Kelowna (2025-present), Secretary of State for Defence Procurement (2025-present)
- Notable
- Served for 20 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), retiring with the rank of Major. Home in West Kelowna was destroyed in the McDougall Creek fire in August 2023.
Based on publicly available information — may contain inaccuracies
Business & Financial Interests
Before entering politics, Stephen Fuhr had a career in aviation. He served for 20 years with the Royal Canadian Air Force, where he was a CF-18 fighter pilot. After his military service, he worked as a commercial pilot for several companies. Fuhr was also an entrepreneur, co-founding a technology company called The Hangar, which focused on the aviation industry.
Key Relationships & Connections
As a Member of Parliament, Stephen Fuhr served as the Chair of the Standing Committee on National Defence. In this role, he worked closely with the Minister of National Defence at the time, Harjit Sajjan, on military and security issues. He was also a vocal advocate for the economic potential of the cannabis industry in his Okanagan-based riding, which brought him into contact with various industry stakeholders.
Potential Conflicts of Interest
In 2018, the federal Ethics Commissioner investigated Stephen Fuhr following allegations that he used his position to benefit a cannabis company. The complaint related to a letter Fuhr sent to a municipal official in support of the company, The Hydropothecary Corporation (now HEXO Corp.), which had a consulting contract with a firm owned by his then-spouse. The Ethics Commissioner's report concluded that Fuhr had not breached the Conflict of Interest Act, clearing him of wrongdoing, but noted the situation could create a perception of a conflict.
Public Controversies
Stephen Fuhr faced a public controversy in 2016 after he was secretly recorded at a town hall meeting discussing electoral reform. In the recording, Fuhr suggested that the Liberal party's promise to change the voting system was made with the assumption they would not win a majority government and that the commitment might not be followed through on. The comments were widely criticized as cynical. Fuhr later publicly apologized for his remarks, stating they did not reflect the views of the government or the Prime Minister.
Where Stephen falls on key policy spectrums
Your Money
People & Society
How We're Governed
Land & Community
Tracy Gray won with 27,620 votes (46.9%)
Total votes cast: 58,841
How does Stephen Fuhr's voting record line up with your values?
Mr. Speaker, it is always interesting to find out, when people are criticizing what we are up to, what they did when they had the keys to the car. The Conservative Party let NATO defence spending fall below 1%. The Conservatives actually got us out of NATO AWACS. That was a specific, conscious decision by the Stephen Harper government. Regarding the NATO airplane we are looking at buying,
Mr. Speaker, Telesat and MDA is a signed contract. Bombardier is a signed contract. General Dynamics Land Systems—Canada is a signed contract. May I remind the member that he voted against defence spending in 2024 at the defence committee. We will take no lessons from the Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, anyone who is paying attention would know that the Defence Investment Agency, over the last 12 months, has done a lot to deliver for our armed forces. We are in contract award for new aircraft. We are in contract award for armoured vehicles. We are advancing projects such as submarines and AEW&C aircraft. All these things are happening. C-40 Billwould give our Defence Investment
C-40 Mr. Speaker, part of the question was incoherent, but let me address the part of it that I think I could hear. Billwould still have all the safeguards for oversight and government accountability that we have in the system we have right now. With regard to the member's comment about the GlobalEye, we did the necessary analysis to make the choice to download Saab as the preferred supplier.
Mr. Speaker, again, I will raise with the opposition that foreign direct investment is a very important part of our economy. It employs tens of thousands of people. These companies design, engineer, retain IP and have headquarters. All this matters. It matters as much as Canadian companies. We can do two things at a time. We can support both. Companies like L3Harris, Safran and Airbus are big
Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to remind the House that foreign direct investment in Canada is very important. It is at a 23-year high. These companies that do direct work in Canada employ tens of thousands of Canadians. They have IP. They have headquarters. They retain talent. They do many things here. We will support them, as we will support Canadian industries, as long as they continue
C-40, An Act respecting production, procurement and investment in relation to national defence and national security moved for leave to introduce Bill.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Bay of Quinte for his question and his excellent support for CFB Trenton. C-40 Billwould establish the Defence Investment Agency as a Crown corporation with the authorities, flexibility and access to commercial expertise it needs to deliver. It would unite production, procurement and investment to meet the needs of the military and industry, with the