Bob Douglas (politician)
Encyclopedia
Robert Oliver Douglas was born on January 25, 1932 to parents residing in Minnedosa
. He is a farm leader and former Winnipeg City Council
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Douglas joined the Manitoba Federation of Agriculture in 1956 as a youth director, and later became its executive secretary. He was a founding member of the Manitoba Farm Bureau in 1965, and served as its secretary manager for nineteen years until becoming general manager of the newly-created Keystone Agricultural Producers group in 1984. Douglas played a prominent role in establishing the Manitoba Agricultural Training Project in 1989. He was fired in 1993, after refusing to submit a letter of resignation. Douglas indicated that he was given no cause for the termination notice. He subsequently joined Manitoba Pool as a consultant.
His political career began in 1982, when was elected to the Winnipeg City Council in a by-election
for the Stevenson ward. He ran as an independent, and defeated a candidate of the centre-right Independent Citizens' Election Committee. He was re-elected in 1983
, defeating New Democratic Party
candidate Jim Maloway
by a wide margin. Returned by acclamation in 1986
, he was again re-elected for the restructured ward of Grants Mills-Stevenson in 1989
. He did not seek re-election in 1992. On council, Douglas served as chairman of the Planning and Community Services Committee.
Douglas ran for the Manitoba Liberal Party in the 1995 provincial election
, and spoke in favour of single-desk marketing for hog producers during the campaign. He posed a credible challenge to Progressive Conservative
incumbent Gerry McAlpine
, but ultimately finished second. After the election, he suggested that Winnipeg should consider recapturing its diminishing tax base by expanding its borders outward.
In 1998, Douglas was appointed to an advisory council of the Agri-food Research and Development Initiative. He was appointed to a six-year term on the Canadian Grain Commission for Manitoba in 2000. In 2004, he was nominated to the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame.
Minnedosa, Manitoba
Minnedosa is a town in the southwestern part of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Situated 50 kilometres north of Brandon, Manitoba on the Little Saskatchewan River, the name means "flowing water" in Sioux. The population of Minnedosa reported in the 2006 Statistics Canada Census was 2,474...
. He is a farm leader and former Winnipeg City Council
Winnipeg City Council
The Winnipeg City Council is the governing body of the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors.-2006-2010:Council elected in the 2006 election:-2010-2014:...
lor.
Douglas joined the Manitoba Federation of Agriculture in 1956 as a youth director, and later became its executive secretary. He was a founding member of the Manitoba Farm Bureau in 1965, and served as its secretary manager for nineteen years until becoming general manager of the newly-created Keystone Agricultural Producers group in 1984. Douglas played a prominent role in establishing the Manitoba Agricultural Training Project in 1989. He was fired in 1993, after refusing to submit a letter of resignation. Douglas indicated that he was given no cause for the termination notice. He subsequently joined Manitoba Pool as a consultant.
His political career began in 1982, when was elected to the Winnipeg City Council in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for the Stevenson ward. He ran as an independent, and defeated a candidate of the centre-right Independent Citizens' Election Committee. He was re-elected in 1983
Winnipeg municipal election, 1983
The 1983 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 26, 1983 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg. There were also two referendum questions, on bilingualism and nuclear disarmament....
, defeating New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party of Manitoba
The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
candidate Jim Maloway
Jim Maloway
Peter James "Jim" Maloway is a Canadian politician. He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons for the Winnipeg division of Elmwood—Transcona in the 2008 federal election as a member of the New Democratic Party. He previously served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1986 to 2008,...
by a wide margin. Returned by acclamation in 1986
Winnipeg municipal election, 1986
The 1986 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 22, 1986 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Bill Norrie was re-elected to a fourth term as mayor, defeating former Member of the Legislative Assembly Russell Doern and ten other...
, he was again re-elected for the restructured ward of Grants Mills-Stevenson in 1989
Winnipeg municipal election, 1989
The 1989 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 25, 1989 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Bill Norrie was re-elected to a fifth term as mayor without serious opposition.-Councillors:...
. He did not seek re-election in 1992. On council, Douglas served as chairman of the Planning and Community Services Committee.
Douglas ran for the Manitoba Liberal Party in the 1995 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1995
The Manitoba general election of April 25,1995 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative Party, which won 31 seats out of 57...
, and spoke in favour of single-desk marketing for hog producers during the campaign. He posed a credible challenge to Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
incumbent Gerry McAlpine
Gerry McAlpine
Gerry McAlpine is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1990 to 1999, representing Sturgeon Creek. He was the vice-chairperson of the standing committee on public utilities and natural resources....
, but ultimately finished second. After the election, he suggested that Winnipeg should consider recapturing its diminishing tax base by expanding its borders outward.
In 1998, Douglas was appointed to an advisory council of the Agri-food Research and Development Initiative. He was appointed to a six-year term on the Canadian Grain Commission for Manitoba in 2000. In 2004, he was nominated to the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame.