Russell Doern
Encyclopedia
Russell Doern was a Manitoba
politician. He served as a cabinet minister in the New Democratic
government of Edward Schreyer
(1969-1977), but left the New Democratic Party in 1984.
Doern was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba
, and was educated at the University of Manitoba
. He worked as a teacher, and became involved in the province's New Democratic Party
organization in the early 1960s.
Doern was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1966
, for the northeastern Winnipeg riding of Elmwood. Like most other members of the NDP caucus, he believed that party leader Russell Paulley
needed to be replaced before the next election. In 1968, he co-signed a letter which called for Edward Schreyer
to lead the provincial party. Schreyer became party leader in 1969, and led the Manitoba NDP to its first-ever election victory later in the year.
Although left out of Schreyer's initial cabinet, Doern was appointed a Minister without Portfolio on November 4, 1970. He was promoted to Minister of Public Works on September 9, 1971, and held this position until the defeat of the Schreyer government in 1977.
Initially regarded as a supporter of youth and the arts (he had tried to book John Lennon
for a concert in 1970), Doern eventually became associated with the more conservative wing of the NDP. When Schreyer resigned as party leader in 1979, Doern campaigned to succeed him. His campaign made some appeals to social conservatism
(he strongly opposed any government recognition of gay rights), and was not respected by the party establishment. At the party's 1979 convention, he received the support of only 53 delegates, compared to 467 for winning candidate Howard Pawley
.
In 1981, Doern published his memoirs from the Schreyer years, entitled "Wednesdays Are Cabinet Days".
The NDP were returned to government in the provincial election of 1981
, though Doern was not re-appointed to cabinet. He strongly opposed efforts by Premier
Howard Pawley
to legally entrench French-language services in the province (which he regarded as leading to official bilingualism
), and created an organization called Manitoba Grassroots to coordinate opposition to the policy.
Doern left the NDP over this issue on March 7, 1984. In 1985, he published a book entitled "The Battle Over Bilingualism", detailing his role in the controversy.
Doern ran as an Independent in the election of 1986
. He polled a respectable 2006 votes, but was still defeated by New Democratic
candidate Jim Maloway
.
Later in 1986, Doern ran an unsuccessful campaign to become the Mayor
of Winnipeg, finishing second with 48,567 votes, against 78,998 for incumbent Bill Norrie
. Doern's campaign was not exclusively focused on anti-bilingualism, and also emphasized public safety concerns. He was criticized in Winnipeg Free Press
editorials as an opportunistic candidate, who had previously shown little interest in municipal issues. Despite having left the NDP, Doern's electoral strength remained focused in the party's north-end stronghold.
According to reports from friends, Doern became extremely depressed after failing in his bid to become Mayor of Winnipeg. He wanted to return to active political service, but had few available options as an independent. Tory MLA Harry Enns
has claimed that he saw Doern wandering aimlessly through the legislative buildings on several occasions during this period. Early in 1987, he made arrangements to host a radio talk-show on political affairs.
On February 19, 1987, Doern committed suicide at his cousin's barn in Overstoneville, Manitoba, in the southeastern section of the riding. He killed himself with a single shot to the chest, using a gun he had borrowed from a friend a few days earlier. Doern had stopped taking anti-depressant medication by this time, and was by all accounts distraught by the fact that he had little chance to return to political life.
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
politician. He served as a cabinet minister in the 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...
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....
(1969-1977), but left the New Democratic Party in 1984.
Doern was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, and was educated at the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
. He worked as a teacher, and became involved in the province's 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...
organization in the early 1960s.
Doern was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1966
Manitoba general election, 1966
The Manitoba general election held on June 23, 1966, was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a third consecutive majority win for the Progressive Conservative Party led by Dufferin Roblin...
, for the northeastern Winnipeg riding of Elmwood. Like most other members of the NDP caucus, he believed that party leader Russell Paulley
Russell Paulley
Andrew Russell Paulley was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as leader of the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from 1959 to 1961, and its successor, the New Democratic Party of Manitoba, from 1961 to 1969.Paulley was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba...
needed to be replaced before the next election. In 1968, he co-signed a letter which called for 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....
to lead the provincial party. Schreyer became party leader in 1969, and led the Manitoba NDP to its first-ever election victory later in the year.
Although left out of Schreyer's initial cabinet, Doern was appointed a Minister without Portfolio on November 4, 1970. He was promoted to Minister of Public Works on September 9, 1971, and held this position until the defeat of the Schreyer government in 1977.
Initially regarded as a supporter of youth and the arts (he had tried to book John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
for a concert in 1970), Doern eventually became associated with the more conservative wing of the NDP. When Schreyer resigned as party leader in 1979, Doern campaigned to succeed him. His campaign made some appeals to social conservatism
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
(he strongly opposed any government recognition of gay rights), and was not respected by the party establishment. At the party's 1979 convention, he received the support of only 53 delegates, compared to 467 for winning candidate Howard Pawley
Howard Pawley
Howard Russell Pawley, PC, OC, OM is a Canadian politician and professor who was the 18th Premier of Manitoba from 1981 to 1988.-Personal life:...
.
In 1981, Doern published his memoirs from the Schreyer years, entitled "Wednesdays Are Cabinet Days".
The NDP were returned to government in the provincial election of 1981
Manitoba general election, 1981
The Manitoba general election of November 17, 1981 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the opposition New Democratic Party, which took 34 of 57 seats. The governing Progressive Conservative Party took the remaining 23, while the...
, though Doern was not re-appointed to cabinet. He strongly opposed efforts by Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
Howard Pawley
Howard Pawley
Howard Russell Pawley, PC, OC, OM is a Canadian politician and professor who was the 18th Premier of Manitoba from 1981 to 1988.-Personal life:...
to legally entrench French-language services in the province (which he regarded as leading to official bilingualism
Bilingualism in Canada
The official languages of Canada are English and French, which "have equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions of the Parliament and Government of Canada" according to Canada's constitution...
), and created an organization called Manitoba Grassroots to coordinate opposition to the policy.
Doern left the NDP over this issue on March 7, 1984. In 1985, he published a book entitled "The Battle Over Bilingualism", detailing his role in the controversy.
Doern ran as an Independent in the election of 1986
Manitoba general election, 1986
The Manitoba general election of March 18, 1986 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the New Democratic Party, which took 30 seats out of 57. The Progressive Conservative Party won 26 seats and formed the official opposition...
. He polled a respectable 2006 votes, but was still defeated by 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...
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,...
.
Later in 1986, Doern ran an unsuccessful campaign to become the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Winnipeg, finishing second with 48,567 votes, against 78,998 for incumbent Bill Norrie
Bill Norrie
William Norrie, CM, OM, QC was the 39th Mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba and is the former Chancellor of the University of Manitoba....
. Doern's campaign was not exclusively focused on anti-bilingualism, and also emphasized public safety concerns. He was criticized in Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg Free Press
The Winnipeg Free Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Founded in 1872, as the Manitoba Free Press, it is the oldest newspaper in western Canada. It is the newspaper with the largest readership in the province....
editorials as an opportunistic candidate, who had previously shown little interest in municipal issues. Despite having left the NDP, Doern's electoral strength remained focused in the party's north-end stronghold.
According to reports from friends, Doern became extremely depressed after failing in his bid to become Mayor of Winnipeg. He wanted to return to active political service, but had few available options as an independent. Tory MLA Harry Enns
Harry Enns
Harry Enns was a Manitoba politician. He served as a Cabinet Minister in the governments of Dufferin Roblin, Walter Weir, Sterling Lyon and Gary Filmon, and was an unsuccessful candidate for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba in 1971...
has claimed that he saw Doern wandering aimlessly through the legislative buildings on several occasions during this period. Early in 1987, he made arrangements to host a radio talk-show on political affairs.
On February 19, 1987, Doern committed suicide at his cousin's barn in Overstoneville, Manitoba, in the southeastern section of the riding. He killed himself with a single shot to the chest, using a gun he had borrowed from a friend a few days earlier. Doern had stopped taking anti-depressant medication by this time, and was by all accounts distraught by the fact that he had little chance to return to political life.