Bill Knight
Encyclopedia
William George "Bill" Knight (born October 24, 1947 in Estevan, Saskatchewan
) is a former senior executive and Member of Parliament
(MP) in the Canadian House of Commons
.
A teacher by profession, Knight was first elected as a New Democratic Party
MP in a 1971 by-election
and was re-elected in 1972
. He represented the riding
of Assiniboia
, Saskatchewan
until his defeat in the 1974 federal election
by Liberal Ralph Goodale
. Knight attempted to return to Parliament from the same constituency in 1979
but was defeated by Progressive Conservative
Len Gustafson.
Knight served as principal secretary
to both federal NDP leader Ed Broadbent
and Saskatchewan Premier
Allan Blakeney
in the 1970s. In the 1980s he was federal secretary of the New Democratic Party and its chief electoral strategist. Knight joined the credit union
movement in 1989 and, from 1995 to 2001, served as president of the Credit Union
Central of Canada, the central governing body for the credit union movement, and helped integrate services at credit unions cross-country. In 2001, Knight was named the first Commissioner of the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
by Finance Minister
Paul Martin
. His term ended in 2006.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
) is a former senior executive and Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
.
A teacher by profession, Knight was first elected as a New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
MP in a 1971 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
and was re-elected in 1972
Canadian federal election, 1972
The Canadian federal election of 1972 was held on October 30, 1972 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 29th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in a slim victory for the governing Liberal Party, which won 109 seats, compared to 107 seats for the opposition Progressive...
. He represented the riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Assiniboia
Assiniboia (electoral district)
Assiniboia was a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1908 to 1988. This riding was created in 1907 following the admission of Saskatchewan into the Canadian Confederation in 1905...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
until his defeat in the 1974 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1974
The Canadian federal election of 1974 was held on July 8, 1974 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 30th Parliament of Canada. The governing Liberal Party won its first majority government since 1968, and gave Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau his third term...
by Liberal Ralph Goodale
Ralph Goodale
Ralph Edward Goodale, PC, MP was Canada's Minister of Finance from 2003 to 2006 and continues to be a Liberal Member of Parliament...
. Knight attempted to return to Parliament from the same constituency in 1979
Canadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
but was defeated by Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
Len Gustafson.
Knight served as principal secretary
Principal Secretary (Canada)
In Canada the Principal Secretary is a senior aide, often the most senior political aide, to a head of government. Formerly the position of Principal Secretary was the most senior in the Canadian Prime Minister's Office, though since 1987 it is second to the Chief of Staff...
to both federal NDP leader Ed Broadbent
Ed Broadbent
John Edward "Ed" Broadbent, is a Canadian social democratic politician and political scientist. He was leader of the federal New Democratic Party from 1975 to 1989. In the 2004 federal election, he returned to Parliament for one additional term as the Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre.-Life...
and Saskatchewan Premier
Premier of Saskatchewan
The Premier of Saskatchewan is the first minister for the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive....
Allan Blakeney
Allan Blakeney
Allan Emrys Blakeney, PC, OC, SOM, QC, FRSC was the tenth Premier of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan from 1971 to 1982, and leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party .-Life and career:...
in the 1970s. In the 1980s he was federal secretary of the New Democratic Party and its chief electoral strategist. Knight joined the credit union
Credit union
A credit union is a cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members and operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at competitive rates, and providing other financial services to its members...
movement in 1989 and, from 1995 to 2001, served as president of the Credit Union
Credit union
A credit union is a cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members and operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at competitive rates, and providing other financial services to its members...
Central of Canada, the central governing body for the credit union movement, and helped integrate services at credit unions cross-country. In 2001, Knight was named the first Commissioner of the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada is an independent government agency of the Government of Canada. FCAC provides consumer information and oversees financial institutions to ensure that they comply with federal consumer protection measures. Created in 2001, the Agency investigates cases of...
by Finance Minister
Minister of Finance (Canada)
The Minister of Finance is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible each year for presenting the federal government's budget...
Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
. His term ended in 2006.