Dwain Lingenfelter
Encyclopedia
Dwain Lingenfelter is a businessman, farmer, politician and former Leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
. Lingenfelter won the leadership of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
on June 6, 2009. He resigned as leader on November 7, 2011, after leading the Saskatchewan NDP in the general election
to defeat in its worst electoral showing since the early 1980s. Previously, he has served as the president of the party. In previous NDP governments, Lingenfelter has served as Minister of Social Services, Minister of Economic Development, Minister responsible for Crown Investments Corporation, Minister of Agriculture and as the Deputy Premier. Outside of politics, Lingenfelter is the past president of the Canada Arab Business Council and a former board member of the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
. He grew up in a large family, with a German father and an Irish Catholic mother and eight other siblings. He attended Shaunavon High School and earned a political science degree from the University of Saskatchewan
. While working on his political science degree, Lingenfelter continued to farm and work as a customs officer. He has three adult children from his first marriage, Sacha, Matthew (Alicia) and Travis (Caitlin). He is also has two adopted children from his current marriage, Sahid and Hannah.
in the constituency of Shaunavon
in 1978
, then re-elected in 1982
but then defeated in 1986
. During his first term, he was appointed by Allan Blakeney
to serve in Cabinet
as Minister of Social Services.
Lingenfelter was one of nine New Democratic Party
members elected to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
, after the landslide win of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan
. From 1982 to 1986, Lingenfelter served as the Opposition House Leader
; during this time he earned the moniker "one man NDP rat pack"
After being defeated in the 1986 Saskatchewan provincial election
, Lingenfelter ran and won the race to be President of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
in June 1987.
On May 4, 1988 Lingenfelter won a by-election in the constituency of Regina Elphinstone
, previously held by Blakeney, and received 77.33% of the popular vote. He was re-elected in the 1991 provincial election
. He was then appointed by Premier Roy Romanow
to Cabinet
as the Minister Responsible for Economic Development and Chair of the board of four Saskatchewan Crown Corporations, as well as the Government House Leader.
With a crisis in the agriculture sector, Romanow appointed Lingenfelter as Minister of Agriculture and Food, and again as Government House Leader
.
As deputy premier, Lingenfelter was viewed as a likely candidate to succeed Romanow as leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party, but in July 2000 he announced that he was leaving provincial politics and seeking opportunities in the private sector. He became vice-president of government relations for Calgary
-based energy company Nexen
on September 1, 2000.
On November 7, 2011 Dwain Lingenfelter lost his riding in Regina Douglas Park and resigned as leader of the Saskatchewan provinicial NDP.
entering second, MLA Deb Higgins
entering third and doctor Ryan Meili
entering fourth. Lingenfelter received the endorsement of over half of the party's caucus as well as a number of unions including the largest private sector union in Saskatchewan, the UFCW Local 1400 and the United Steelworkers.
On May 4, 2009, Lingenfelter apologized for the actions of an "over-zealous" volunteer who inappropriately signed up 1,100 new members on two First Nations reserves in the Meadow Lake
area. These memberships were processed and submitted to the NDP provincial office by the Lingenfelter campaign along with payment in the form of $10 and $20 bills. In response to this revelation, the party asked Saskatchewan lawyer Bob Hale to investigate. The Hale report cleared Lingenfelter of any wrong-doing although Hale was unable to speak to the volunteer at the centre of this situation. The matter has been investigated by the R.C.M.P. In politically sensitive cases, it is standard practice to pass the file to prosecutors in other jurisdictions to determine if charges should be laid. The file in this case was passed to the Manitoba Attorney-General. In January of 2010 the commercial crime section of the RCMP charged the Lingenfelter campaign volunteer Ernest Morin with forgery, uttering and attempting to utter forged documents.
On September 21, Douglas Park voters elected Lingenfelter, giving him 50.25% of the total votes counted in a three-way race matching him against the Saskatchewan Party
candidate, Kathleen Peterson, and the Green Party
's Victor Becker Lau.
In the Saskatchewan general election held on November 7, 2011, Lingenfelter lost his constituency seat of Regina Douglas Park to the Saskatchewan Party
's Russ Marchuk
and resigned as leader of the Saskatchewan NDP.
Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It currently forms the official opposition, but has been a dominant force in Saskatchewan politics since the 1940s...
. Lingenfelter won the leadership of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It currently forms the official opposition, but has been a dominant force in Saskatchewan politics since the 1940s...
on June 6, 2009. He resigned as leader on November 7, 2011, after leading the Saskatchewan NDP in the general election
Saskatchewan general election, 2011
The 27th Saskatchewan general election was held on November 7, 2011, to elect 58 members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan . The election was called on October 10 by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, on the advice of Premier Brad Wall...
to defeat in its worst electoral showing since the early 1980s. Previously, he has served as the president of the party. In previous NDP governments, Lingenfelter has served as Minister of Social Services, Minister of Economic Development, Minister responsible for Crown Investments Corporation, Minister of Agriculture and as the Deputy Premier. Outside of politics, Lingenfelter is the past president of the Canada Arab Business Council and a former board member of the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Family and education
Lingenfelter grew up on a family farm which he currently operates near Shaunavon, SaskatchewanShaunavon, Saskatchewan
The town of Shaunavon is situated in Southwest Saskatchewan at the junction of Highways 37 and 13. It is 110 kilometres from Swift Current, 163 kilometres from the Alberta border and 74 kilometres from the Montana border. Shaunavon was established in 1913 and settled along a railroad line...
. He grew up in a large family, with a German father and an Irish Catholic mother and eight other siblings. He attended Shaunavon High School and earned a political science degree from the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
. While working on his political science degree, Lingenfelter continued to farm and work as a customs officer. He has three adult children from his first marriage, Sacha, Matthew (Alicia) and Travis (Caitlin). He is also has two adopted children from his current marriage, Sahid and Hannah.
Politics
Lingenfelter was first elected to the LegislatureLegislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
The 25th Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan was in power from 2003 until November 20, 2007. It was controlled by the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party under premier Lorne Calvert.-Members:-By-elections:...
in the constituency of Shaunavon
Shaunavon (electoral district)
Shaunavon is a former provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. This district was created before the 8th Saskatchewan general election in 1934 as "Gull Lake"...
in 1978
Saskatchewan general election, 1978
The Saskatchewan general election of 1978 was the nineteenth provincial election in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on October 18, 1978, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
, then re-elected in 1982
Saskatchewan general election, 1982
The Saskatchewan general election of 1982 was the twentieth provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on April 26, 1982, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
but then defeated in 1986
Saskatchewan general election, 1986
The Saskatchewan general election of 1986 was the twenty-first provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on October 20, 1986, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
. During his first term, he was appointed by 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:...
to serve in Cabinet
Executive Council of Saskatchewan
The Executive Council of Saskatchewan is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
as Minister of Social Services.
Lingenfelter was one of nine New Democratic Party
Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It currently forms the official opposition, but has been a dominant force in Saskatchewan politics since the 1940s...
members elected to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
The 25th Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan was in power from 2003 until November 20, 2007. It was controlled by the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party under premier Lorne Calvert.-Members:-By-elections:...
, after the landslide win of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan
Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan
The Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan is a right-of-centre political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Prior to 1942, it was known as the Conservative Party of Saskatchewan. Members are commonly known as Tories....
. From 1982 to 1986, Lingenfelter served as the Opposition House Leader
House Leader
In Canada, each political party with representation in the House of Commons has a House Leader who is a front bench Member of Parliament and an expert in parliamentary procedure...
; during this time he earned the moniker "one man NDP rat pack"
After being defeated in the 1986 Saskatchewan provincial election
Saskatchewan general election, 1986
The Saskatchewan general election of 1986 was the twenty-first provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on October 20, 1986, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
, Lingenfelter ran and won the race to be President of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It currently forms the official opposition, but has been a dominant force in Saskatchewan politics since the 1940s...
in June 1987.
On May 4, 1988 Lingenfelter won a by-election in the constituency of Regina Elphinstone
Regina Elphinstone
Regina Elphinstone is a former provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Formerly named Regina South West and Regina Albert Park, it is now part of Regina Elphinstone-Centre. It was the riding of former Premier Allan Blakeney and later of former Deputy Premier Dwain...
, previously held by Blakeney, and received 77.33% of the popular vote. He was re-elected in the 1991 provincial election
Saskatchewan general election, 1991
The Saskatchewan general election of 1991 was the twenty-second provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on October 21, 1991, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
. He was then appointed by Premier Roy Romanow
Roy Romanow
Roy John Romanow, PC, OC, QC, SOM is a Canadian politician and the 12th Premier of Saskatchewan ....
to Cabinet
Executive Council of Saskatchewan
The Executive Council of Saskatchewan is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
as the Minister Responsible for Economic Development and Chair of the board of four Saskatchewan Crown Corporations, as well as the Government House Leader.
With a crisis in the agriculture sector, Romanow appointed Lingenfelter as Minister of Agriculture and Food, and again as Government House Leader
House Leader
In Canada, each political party with representation in the House of Commons has a House Leader who is a front bench Member of Parliament and an expert in parliamentary procedure...
.
As deputy premier, Lingenfelter was viewed as a likely candidate to succeed Romanow as leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party, but in July 2000 he announced that he was leaving provincial politics and seeking opportunities in the private sector. He became vice-president of government relations for Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
-based energy company Nexen
Nexen
Nexen Inc. is an energy company based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.-History:Nexen started in 1969 under the name "Canadian Occidental Petroleum Ltd.", aka CanOxy, and was 80% owned by Occidental Petroleum, a Los Angeles-based oil company...
on September 1, 2000.
On November 7, 2011 Dwain Lingenfelter lost his riding in Regina Douglas Park and resigned as leader of the Saskatchewan provinicial NDP.
2009 Saskatchewan NDP leadership race and controversy
On October 30, 2008, Lingenfelter was the first candidate to announce his candidacy to replace Lorne Calvert as the Leader of the Saskatchewan New Democrats at the June 6, 2009 leadership convention. Lingenfelter was the first declared candidate with former party president Yens PedersenYens Pedersen
Yens Pedersen is a lawyer and was a candidate in the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party leadership race. Before entering the leadership race, he served as the President of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party. Yens was the NDP candidate in the constituency of Regina South in the 2007 provincial...
entering second, MLA Deb Higgins
Deb Higgins
Deb Higgins is a Canadian provincial politician, who was the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for the constituency of Moose Jaw Wakamow from 1999 to 2011....
entering third and doctor Ryan Meili
Ryan Meili
Ryan Meili is a medical doctor and community organizer who ran for the leadership of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party in 2009 placing second with 44.93% of the vote.Meili currently works as a rural relief locum giving doctors in small communities time off...
entering fourth. Lingenfelter received the endorsement of over half of the party's caucus as well as a number of unions including the largest private sector union in Saskatchewan, the UFCW Local 1400 and the United Steelworkers.
On May 4, 2009, Lingenfelter apologized for the actions of an "over-zealous" volunteer who inappropriately signed up 1,100 new members on two First Nations reserves in the Meadow Lake
Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan
Meadow Lake is a city located in north west Saskatchewan, Canada about north east of Lloydminster and north of North Battleford. On November 9, 2009, it officially became Saskatchewan's 14th city....
area. These memberships were processed and submitted to the NDP provincial office by the Lingenfelter campaign along with payment in the form of $10 and $20 bills. In response to this revelation, the party asked Saskatchewan lawyer Bob Hale to investigate. The Hale report cleared Lingenfelter of any wrong-doing although Hale was unable to speak to the volunteer at the centre of this situation. The matter has been investigated by the R.C.M.P. In politically sensitive cases, it is standard practice to pass the file to prosecutors in other jurisdictions to determine if charges should be laid. The file in this case was passed to the Manitoba Attorney-General. In January of 2010 the commercial crime section of the RCMP charged the Lingenfelter campaign volunteer Ernest Morin with forgery, uttering and attempting to utter forged documents.
2009 Regina Douglas Park by-election
Lingenfelter was later nominated as the NDP candidate for the by-election in Regina Douglas Park.On September 21, Douglas Park voters elected Lingenfelter, giving him 50.25% of the total votes counted in a three-way race matching him against the Saskatchewan Party
Saskatchewan Party
The Saskatchewan Party is a conservative liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The party was established in 1997 by a coalition of former provincial Progressive Conservative and Liberal party members and supporters who sought to remove the Saskatchewan New Democratic...
candidate, Kathleen Peterson, and the Green Party
Green Party of Saskatchewan
The Green Party of Saskatchewan is a left-leaning Green political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.It was founded in 1998 as the New Green Alliance by environmental and social justice activists frustrated by the social democratic Saskatchewan New Democratic Party's move to the right...
's Victor Becker Lau.
In the Saskatchewan general election held on November 7, 2011, Lingenfelter lost his constituency seat of Regina Douglas Park to the Saskatchewan Party
Saskatchewan Party
The Saskatchewan Party is a conservative liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The party was established in 1997 by a coalition of former provincial Progressive Conservative and Liberal party members and supporters who sought to remove the Saskatchewan New Democratic...
's Russ Marchuk
Russ Marchuk
Russ Marchuk is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Regina Douglas Park as a member of the Saskatchewan Party caucus.-References:...
and resigned as leader of the Saskatchewan NDP.