Darren Praznik
Encyclopedia
Darren Thomas Praznik is a politician in Manitoba
, Canada
. He was a prominent cabinet minister in the Progressive Conservative
government of Gary Filmon
, and considered running for the party's leadership in 2000.
Praznik was born in Selkirk
, Manitoba
, and attended the University of Winnipeg
and the University of Manitoba
. He was called to the Manitoba bar in 1986, and worked as a barrister and solicitor. He also joined the Board of Directors on the Manitoba Oil and Gas Corporation (for one term), and was a special assistant to the federal Health minister between 1986 and 1988.
Praznik first ran for the Manitoba legislature in the 1986 general election
, in the rural northeastern riding of Lac du Bonnet. He was defeated by Clarence Baker
of the New Democratic Party
, 3903 votes to 3601.
Praznik was elected for Lac du Bonnet in the 1988 general election
(defeating Baker by over 800 votes), and was soon named legislative assistant to Gary Filmon
, the newly-elected Premier
.
Praznik was re-elected in the 1990 election
and was promoted to Minister of Labour, a position that he held until 1995. He held several other portfolios in the Filmon government, including Minister of Northern Affairs (1993-1997), Minister of Energy and Mines (1995-1997), Minister of Health (1997-1999), and Minister of Highways and Transportation and Government House Leader (February to October 1999). As Health Minister, Praznik presided over a number of cutbacks in government funding, but was also responsible for expanding the government's home care delivery system.
Filmon's Tories were defeated by Gary Doer
's New Democrats
in the 1999 election
, and Praznik moved into the opposition. He considered running against Stuart Murray
for the party's leadership in 2000, but left the race well before the convention took place. Murray was subsequently elected without opposition.
Praznik resigned from the legislature in 2002 to become executive director of government relations with the Canadian Blood Services
.
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...
, 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 prominent cabinet minister in the 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:...
government of Gary Filmon
Gary Filmon
Gary Albert Filmon, PC, OC, OM is a Manitoba politician. He was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba from 1983 to 2000, and served as the 19th Premier from 1988 to 1999.-Early life and municipal career:...
, and considered running for the party's leadership in 2000.
Praznik was born in Selkirk
Selkirk, Manitoba
Selkirk is a city in the western Canadian province of Manitoba, located about 22 km northeast of the provincial capital Winnipeg on the Red River, near . As of the 2006 census, Selkirk had a population of 9,515....
, 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 attended the University of Winnipeg
University of Winnipeg
The University of Winnipeg is a public university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and theology as well as graduate programs. The U of W's founding colleges were Manitoba College and Wesley College, which merged...
and 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 was called to the Manitoba bar in 1986, and worked as a barrister and solicitor. He also joined the Board of Directors on the Manitoba Oil and Gas Corporation (for one term), and was a special assistant to the federal Health minister between 1986 and 1988.
Praznik first ran for the Manitoba legislature in the 1986 general election
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...
, in the rural northeastern riding of Lac du Bonnet. He was defeated by Clarence Baker
Clarence Baker
Clarence Baker was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1986 to 1988, representing the riding of Lac Du Bonnet for the New Democratic Party....
of the 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...
, 3903 votes to 3601.
Praznik was elected for Lac du Bonnet in the 1988 general election
Manitoba general election, 1988
The Manitoba general election of April 26, 1988 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a minority government...
(defeating Baker by over 800 votes), and was soon named legislative assistant to Gary Filmon
Gary Filmon
Gary Albert Filmon, PC, OC, OM is a Manitoba politician. He was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba from 1983 to 2000, and served as the 19th Premier from 1988 to 1999.-Early life and municipal career:...
, the newly-elected 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"...
.
Praznik was re-elected in the 1990 election
Manitoba general election, 1990
The Manitoba general election of September 11, 1990 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 30 out of 57 seats...
and was promoted to Minister of Labour, a position that he held until 1995. He held several other portfolios in the Filmon government, including Minister of Northern Affairs (1993-1997), Minister of Energy and Mines (1995-1997), Minister of Health (1997-1999), and Minister of Highways and Transportation and Government House Leader (February to October 1999). As Health Minister, Praznik presided over a number of cutbacks in government funding, but was also responsible for expanding the government's home care delivery system.
Filmon's Tories were defeated by Gary Doer
Gary Doer
Gary Albert Doer, OM is a Canadian diplomat and politician from Manitoba, Canada. Since October 19, 2009, he has served as Canada's Ambassador to the United States...
's New Democrats
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...
in the 1999 election
Manitoba general election, 1999
The Manitoba general election of September 21, 1999 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada....
, and Praznik moved into the opposition. He considered running against Stuart Murray
Stuart Murray
Stuart Murray is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba and leader of the opposition in the Manitoba legislature from 2000 to 2006.-Early life and career:...
for the party's leadership in 2000, but left the race well before the convention took place. Murray was subsequently elected without opposition.
Praznik resigned from the legislature in 2002 to become executive director of government relations with the Canadian Blood Services
Canadian Blood Services
Canadian Blood Services is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the blood supply in all provinces and territories of Canada, outside of Quebec, and oversees the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network . A separate organization, Héma-Québec, operates in the province of Quebec...
.