Rene Toupin is a politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 in Manitoba, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. He was a New Democratic

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...

 member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba

The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...

 from 1969 to 1977, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of Edward Schreyer

Edward Schreyer

Edward Richard Schreyer , commonly known as Ed Schreyer, is a Canadian politician, diplomat, and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 22nd since Canadian Confederation....

.

Toupin was educated at Université Laval

Université Laval

Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...

, and returned to Manitoba after his graduation. He was the Chair of the La Salle School Board from 1962 to 1966, and Chair of the La Salle Credit Union from 1962 to 1969. He was also a member of the Societe Franco-Manitobaine.

He was elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1969

Manitoba general election, 1969

The Manitoba General Election of June 25, 1969 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was a watershed moment in the province's political history. The social-democratic New Democratic Party emerged for the first time as the largest party in...

, scoring a relatively easy win in the riding of Springfield. The NDP formed a minority government

Minority government

A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...

 following this election, and Toupin was named Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs on July 15, 1969. On December 18, 1969, he was transferred to the Ministry of Health and Social Development, where he remained for over four years. Toupin was narrowly re-elected in the 1973 election

Manitoba general election, 1973

The Manitoba General Election of June 28, 1973 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the social-democratic New Democratic Party, which took 31 of 57 seats...

 over 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:...

 challenger John Vaags.

Toupin held several cabinet portfolios during the Schreyer government's second term in office. He was named Minister of Tourism, Recreation and Cultural Affairs from January 28, 1974, and also became the Minister of Cooperative Development responsible for the Liquor Commission on October 15, 1975. Followed a cabinet shuffle on September 22, 1976, he retained the Cooperative Development portfolio and was named Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs for a second time, with responsibility for the Manitoba Telephone System and Communications.

The New Democrats were defeated in the 1977 election

Manitoba general election, 1977

The Manitoba general election of October 11, 1977 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative Party, which took 33 seats out of 57...

, and Toupin personally lost his riding to Tory Bob Anderson

Bob Anderson (politician)

Robert Colin Anderson is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. Born in St. Boniface, Manitoba, he was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1977 to 1981....

by just under 2,000 votes. He has not sought a return to provincial politics since this time.