Jon Gerrard
Encyclopedia
Jon Gerrard, PC, MLA
(born October 13, 1947) is a politician and medical doctor in Manitoba
, Canada
. He was a Member of Parliament
(MP) from 1993 to 1997, and was a secretary of state in the government of Jean Chrétien
. He has been the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party
since 1998, and the member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly for River Heights since 1999.
, England
, and grew up in Saskatoon
, Saskatchewan
. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics
from the University of Saskatchewan
(1967), a Doctor of Medicine
degree from McGill University
(1971), a Ph.D.
from the University of Minnesota
(1976), and a Certificate in Pediatrics from the American Academy of Pediatrics
(1976). He worked at several prominent American institutions in the 1970s, and returned to Canada in 1980 to accept a position as pediatrician at the Winnipeg Children's Hospital. Gerrard served as head of Pediatric Hematology
/Oncology
at this hospital from 1985 to 1992, and taught at the University of Manitoba
from 1980 to 1993. He has authored or co-authored over 200 scientific publications, and became known during the 1980s as an expert on the research and treatment of children's cancer
. Gerrard has also been interested in bald eagle
s since his teenaged years, and co-authored a book entitled The Bald Eagle: Haunts and Habits of a Wilderness Monarch in 1988.
Gerrard became active with the Liberal Party of Canada
while working on his undergraduate degree, impressed with Prime Minister
Lester Pearson's positions on social and international issues. He was a delegate to the Liberal Party's 1968 leadership convention, supporting John Turner
. He later volunteered for the "Non" side in the 1980 Quebec Referendum
, and became Liberal riding president for Lisgar
in 1984. In 1990, he was Manitoba co-chair of Jean Chrétien
's successful bid for the Liberal Party leadership.
in the 1993 federal election
, defeating two-term Progressive Conservative
incumbent Felix Holtmann
in the riding of Portage—Interlake
. On November 4, 1993, he was appointed as Secretary of State for Science, Research and Development
. This was not a full cabinet portfolio, but was instead affiliated with Industry Canada
. Gerrard worked closely with Industry Minister
John Manley
, and oversaw the development of such programs as Technology Partnerships Canada, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and the Canada Research Chairs.
Internet and communications strategies
Gerrard outlined the Chrétien government's strategy for the burgeoning information highway in February 1994, as internet
use increased throughout the country. One of this strategy's goals was to "[put] Canada in cyberspace", by creating a "national network of networks" within the new media. Gerrard indicated that his plan would be targeted toward creating jobs, reinforcing Canada's cultural identity, and ensuring universal internet access at affordable rates. He officially launched an $80 million action plan on January 30, 1995, providing funding for online applications in the fields of business, research, health care and education.
In March 1994, Gerrard described the internet as "very much a Liberal technology in the sense that it is much more individual than collective". Speaking to an interviewer in 2007, he said that the highlight of his political career was convincing the Chrétien government to include a reference to the information highway in its first throne speech.
Gerrard's 1994 strategic statement on the information highway also addressed the subject of industry mergers in the communications sector. He indicated that the Chrétien government would "apply pro-competition policies wherever [...] they make sense"., and added:
Science and technology strategies
In June 1994, Manley and Gerrard ordered a full review of federal science and technology policy. This process had three aspects: an internal review, an independent assessment from the National Advisory Board on Science and Technology
, and a series of consultations with interested Canadians. Gerrard personally supervised the review's consultative sessions, and was appointed as vice-chairman of the National Advisory Board. The government's new strategy was issued in March 1996, outlining new plans for funding and tax credits.
The Chrétien government's approach to funding the science and technology sectors was given mixed reviews. Some criticized the government for cutting a number of research and science positions during the recession of the early 1990s, although at least one technological journal credited it with maintaining research and development incentives in the austerity budget of 1995. Gerrard himself was described a "passionate advocate" of research investment, and as the driving force behind the government's National Technology Investment Program of 1996.
Additional duties
Gerrard was given additional responsibilities as Secretary of State for Western Economic Diversification
on January 25, 1996. He oversaw the expansion of the Community Futures Development Corporation Network throughout Western Canada, and worked with Foreign Affairs Minister
Lloyd Axworthy
to ensure a secure transition of the Port of Churchill
rail line from Canadian National to OmniTRAX
.
Other
Gerrard voted in favour of the Chrétien government's national gun registry
program in late 1994, despite some personal reservations. The registry was unpopular with many rural Manitobans, and Gerrard remarked to John Manley soon after the vote that it would likely cost him his seat in the next election.
1997 election
The Portage—Interlake riding disappeared with redistribution before the 1997 election
. Gerrard ran in the new riding of Selkirk—Interlake
, and lost to Reform Party
candidate Howard Hilstrom
by 66 votes in a very close three-way contest.
Gerrard returned to his work at the Winnipeg Children's Hospital after his defeat. He also became a Medical Research Council of Canada scholar in residence at the University of Manitoba
's medical school and applied to become Dean of Medicine, as well as returning to his research work on bald eagles.
.
After winning only three seats in the 1995 provincial election
and losing its official status in the legislature, the provincial Liberal Party had nearly disintegrated in 1997 under the leadership of Ginny Hasselfield
. She resigned in February 1998, and Gerrard declared his candidacy to succeed her. Supported by former leader Sharon Carstairs
, he defeated the only other candidate, former Sagkeeng First Nation
chief Jerry Fontaine
.
Gerrard set modest goals for his party in the 1999 provincial election
, saying that the Liberals could win between ten and fifteen seats to hold the balance of power in a minority government
. He focused his attention on health care, and pledged that he would serve as his own Minister of Health if elected as Premier
. He also promised to appoint a health ombudsman
, commit $25 million toward repairing provincial infrastructure, provide $20 million for post-secondary education, end provincial clawbacks of federal tax credits for welfare recipients, and create a new Ministry of Digital Economy and the Information Highway.
The Liberal Party was unable to run a full electoral slate, fielding candidates in only 50 of 57 divisions. Gerrard tried to deflect criticism by joking that he would "put his 50 Liberal candidates up against 57 Tory and NDP candidates any day", but the failure to run a full slate unquestionably damaged his party's prospects.
On election day, Gerrard personally defeated incumbent Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Mike Radcliffe
in the upscale Winnipeg division of River Heights, but the Liberals did not win any other seats. The party's popular vote fell from 23% to 13%, as many former Liberal voters shifted to the victorious New Democratic Party under Gary Doer
.
Gerrard was the only Liberal member of the Manitoba legislature between 1999 and 2003. He was not personally blamed for the party's loss, and was reaffirmed as party leader in 2000.
2003
Popular support for the Liberal Party increased after the 1999 election, reaching 24% in July 2001 and remaining in the low twenties throughout 2002 and 2003. The party entered the 2003 election in a much improved position from four years earlier: their divisions were largely resolved and their financial situation more secure, and they were able to field a candidate in every division.
Gerrard promised tax cuts for Manitobans under thirty and the elimination of the province's payroll tax, and committed to a "health-care guarantee" wherein the government would fund out-of-province health care if services could not be provided within Manitoba. He also promised to create an organization that would integrate health services from different fields, and to establish community health centres for seniors.
Liberal support declined in the final stage of the campaign, and the party ultimately polled a slightly lower percentage of votes relative to its 1999 result. Gerrard was nevertheless returned without difficulty in River Heights, and former Member of the Legislative Assembly
(MLA) Kevin Lamoureux
gave the party a second seat by retaking his old division of Inkster.
2007
The Liberal Party's 2007 campaign
was centred around five issues: health care waiting lists, threatened emergency room closures in Winnipeg, university funding, urban sprawl, and the environmental state of Lake Winnipeg
. The Liberals also pledged to provide immediate funding for rapid-transit in Winnipeg, phase out the provincial payroll tax while reducing property taxes by as much as 30%, and introduce a new police unit to protect children from sexual exploitation. The party also stressed an environmentally conscious image, purchasing carbon credits to run a carbon-neutral campaign.
Gerrard and Lamoureux were again returned to the legislature, but no other Liberals were elected and the party's popular vote slipped again to just under 12.5%.
Gerrard has remained involved with health issues throughout his time in the legislature. In 2001, he protested the Doer government's decision to close an outpatient pharmacy at the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre by bringing several families of child cancer patients to the legislature to confront the health minister. He later called for changes to Manitoba's adult heart surgery program, after figures obtained through a freedom of information request showed an increasing number of fatalities.
Gerrard wrote a Winnipeg Free Press
column criticizing the Doer government for health-care delays in 2005, and later argued that personal health information should be made more easily accessible to patients and their families. He released a detailed document promoting change in Manitoba's health system in September 2007, highlighted by a call to make regional health authorities more accountable to citizens.
Agriculture and environment
Shortly after the 1999 election, Gerrard took part in an all-party delegation to Ottawa
to lobby the federal government for a cash bailout for struggling western farmers.
In early 2004, Gerrard wrote a guest column in the Winnipeg Free Press calling on the federal government to test every beef and dairy cow over thirty months for Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE). This recommendation was made during a significant decline in the Canadian cattle market, after the discovery of a BSE-infected cow in Alberta
caused the United States
to block all Canadian cattle.
Also in 2004, Gerrard accused the Doer government of undermining its water-quality legislation by reducing funds for key programs.
Social issues
Gerrard holds liberal views on social issues. He pressured the Doer government to legalize adoption
rights for same-sex couples in 2001, one year before a comprehensive bill including adoption rights was passed by the legislature.
Gerrard took part in the Winnipeg Harvest Poverty Challenge in late 2002, and attempted to live for a full week on only $20. The challenge was meant to draw attention to the difficulties faced by Manitoba's lowest-income residents, living on social assistance.
In 2003, Gerrard supported calls for a provincial smoking ban in workplaces and enclosed public spaces.
Other
In early 2005, Gerrard wrote that the Doer government had not taken proper steps to regulate the province's burgeoning internet pharmaceutical industry. This industry was popular with American customers, and Gerrard's column was written at a time when the federal government was seeking to impose greater control over the sector.
In April 2007, Gerrard introduced a private member's bill
entitled the Apology Act, to make apologies inadmissible in court as proof of liability or guilt. The bill was modeled after similar legislation in British Columbia
, and was intended to allow medical professionals to apologize to patients without risking legal charges. It was passed into law with government support in November 2007, and formally took effect in February 2008.
Gerrard has also called for a public inquiry into the New Democratic Party government's alleged role in failing to prevent the financial collapse of the Crocus Investment Fund
. Following the 2007 election, he took part in an all-party delegation to Ottawa
to argue for increased penalties against gang-related criminals and young car thieves. He has also called for a public review of appointees to the Manitoba Hydro
Board, and has requested a plebiscite on the location of a power line from northern to southern Manitoba.
In October 2007, he introduced a bill to ban retailers from using plastic bag
s by 2009. He also criticized the Doer government's decision to build a Manitoba Hydro
Power line on the west side of Lake Winnipeg
, and called for the public to be directly consulted on the issue through non-binding referenda.
He called for a provincial moratorium on taser
use in 2007, following increased concerns about its safety.
's bid for the federal Liberal Party leadership in 2003. He supported Gerard Kennedy
's bid in 2006.
Gerrard released a history of the Manitoba Liberal Party in 2006, entitled Battling for a Better Manitoba. A Winnipeg Free Press
reviewer described the book as "a generally readable—though sloppy—account of one of the three provincial parties", adding that the book "perhaps should not have been published in its current state".
and Elections Manitoba
. Provincial expenditures refer to candidate expenses.
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
(born October 13, 1947) is a politician and medical doctor in 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...
, 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 Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) from 1993 to 1997, and was a secretary of state in the government of Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
. He has been the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
since 1998, and the member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly for River Heights since 1999.
Early life and private career
Gerrard was born in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and grew up in Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
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...
(1967), a Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
degree from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
(1971), a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
(1976), and a Certificate in Pediatrics from the American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics is the major professional association of pediatricians in the United States. The AAP was founded in 1930 by 35 pediatricians to address pediatric healthcare standards. It currently has 60,000 members in primary care and sub-specialist areas...
(1976). He worked at several prominent American institutions in the 1970s, and returned to Canada in 1980 to accept a position as pediatrician at the Winnipeg Children's Hospital. Gerrard served as head of Pediatric Hematology
Hematology
Hematology, also spelled haematology , is the branch of biology physiology, internal medicine, pathology, clinical laboratory work, and pediatrics that is concerned with the study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases...
/Oncology
Oncology
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...
at this hospital from 1985 to 1992, and taught 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...
from 1980 to 1993. He has authored or co-authored over 200 scientific publications, and became known during the 1980s as an expert on the research and treatment of children's cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. Gerrard has also been interested in bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s since his teenaged years, and co-authored a book entitled The Bald Eagle: Haunts and Habits of a Wilderness Monarch in 1988.
Gerrard became active with the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
while working on his undergraduate degree, impressed with Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Lester Pearson's positions on social and international issues. He was a delegate to the Liberal Party's 1968 leadership convention, supporting John Turner
John Turner
John Napier Wyndham Turner, PC, CC, QC is an English Canadian lawyer and retired politician, who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Canada from June 30 to September 17, 1984....
. He later volunteered for the "Non" side in the 1980 Quebec Referendum
1980 Quebec referendum
The 1980 Quebec referendum was the first referendum in Quebec on the place of Quebec within Canada and whether Quebec should pursue a path toward sovereignty. The referendum was called by Quebec's Parti Québécois government, which strongly favoured secession from Canada...
, and became Liberal riding president for Lisgar
Lisgar (electoral district)
Lisgarwas a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1871 to 1988. This riding was created following the admission of Manitoba into the Canadian Confederation in 1870....
in 1984. In 1990, he was Manitoba co-chair of Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
's successful bid for the Liberal Party leadership.
Government minister
Gerrard was elected to the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1993 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
, defeating two-term Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
incumbent Felix Holtmann
Felix Holtmann
Felix Holtmann is a former Canadian politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1984 to 1993, as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party....
in the riding of Portage—Interlake
Portage—Interlake
Portage—Interlake was a federal electoral district in the province of Manitoba, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 1997....
. On November 4, 1993, he was appointed as Secretary of State for Science, Research and Development
Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development)
The Secretary of State for Science, Research and Development is a former federal government position in Canada. It was not a full cabinet portfolio, but was instead affiliated with Industry Canada, overseen by the Minister of Industry...
. This was not a full cabinet portfolio, but was instead affiliated with Industry Canada
Industry Canada
Industry Canada is the department of the Government of Canada with responsibility for regional economic development, investment, and innovation/research and development. The department employs 6104 FTEs across Canada....
. Gerrard worked closely with Industry Minister
Minister of Industry (Canada)
The Minister of Industry is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's economic development and corporate affairs department, Industry Canada. The Minister of Industry is also the minister responsible for Statistics Canada...
John Manley
John Manley
John Manley may refer to:* John Manley , English soldier, MP and Postmaster General* John Manley, Canadian politician* John Manley , British archaeologist* John H. Manley, American nuclear physicist...
, and oversaw the development of such programs as Technology Partnerships Canada, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and the Canada Research Chairs.
Internet and communications strategies
Gerrard outlined the Chrétien government's strategy for the burgeoning information highway in February 1994, as internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
use increased throughout the country. One of this strategy's goals was to "[put] Canada in cyberspace", by creating a "national network of networks" within the new media. Gerrard indicated that his plan would be targeted toward creating jobs, reinforcing Canada's cultural identity, and ensuring universal internet access at affordable rates. He officially launched an $80 million action plan on January 30, 1995, providing funding for online applications in the fields of business, research, health care and education.
In March 1994, Gerrard described the internet as "very much a Liberal technology in the sense that it is much more individual than collective". Speaking to an interviewer in 2007, he said that the highlight of his political career was convincing the Chrétien government to include a reference to the information highway in its first throne speech.
Gerrard's 1994 strategic statement on the information highway also addressed the subject of industry mergers in the communications sector. He indicated that the Chrétien government would "apply pro-competition policies wherever [...] they make sense"., and added:
- Traditionally, firms in telecommunications, broadcasting, cable and information industries have operated in separate markets enjoying neither competition nor collaboration. We now know this lack of competition has caused us to fall behind the U.S. in the provision and price of advanced telecommunications services.
Science and technology strategies
In June 1994, Manley and Gerrard ordered a full review of federal science and technology policy. This process had three aspects: an internal review, an independent assessment from the National Advisory Board on Science and Technology
National Advisory Board on Science and Technology
The National Advisory Board on Science and Technology was a Canadian organization that provided advice to the Prime Minister on matters relating to natural science and technology....
, and a series of consultations with interested Canadians. Gerrard personally supervised the review's consultative sessions, and was appointed as vice-chairman of the National Advisory Board. The government's new strategy was issued in March 1996, outlining new plans for funding and tax credits.
The Chrétien government's approach to funding the science and technology sectors was given mixed reviews. Some criticized the government for cutting a number of research and science positions during the recession of the early 1990s, although at least one technological journal credited it with maintaining research and development incentives in the austerity budget of 1995. Gerrard himself was described a "passionate advocate" of research investment, and as the driving force behind the government's National Technology Investment Program of 1996.
Additional duties
Gerrard was given additional responsibilities as Secretary of State for Western Economic Diversification
Secretary of State (Western Economic Diversification)
The Secretary of State for Western Economic Diversification is a former federal government position in Canada, introduced by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in 1996...
on January 25, 1996. He oversaw the expansion of the Community Futures Development Corporation Network throughout Western Canada, and worked with Foreign Affairs Minister
Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's international relations section of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada....
Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Norman Axworthy, PC, OC, OM is a prominent Canadian politician, statesman and University President from Manitoba. He is best known for having served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien...
to ensure a secure transition of the Port of Churchill
Port of Churchill
The Port of Churchill in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada is a port on the Hudson Bay, part of the Arctic Ocean. It was once owned by the Government of Canada but was sold in 1997 to the American company OmniTRAX to run privately....
rail line from Canadian National to OmniTRAX
OmniTRAX
OmniTRAX, Inc. is one of North America's largest private railroad and transportation management companies, providing management services to 16 regional and short-line railroads that serve 10 U.S...
.
Other
Gerrard voted in favour of the Chrétien government's national gun registry
Canadian gun registry
The Canadian Firearms Registry is part of the Firearms Act and is managed by the Canadian Firearms Program of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police . It requires the registration of all guns in Canada. It was introduced by the Liberal government of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and implemented by...
program in late 1994, despite some personal reservations. The registry was unpopular with many rural Manitobans, and Gerrard remarked to John Manley soon after the vote that it would likely cost him his seat in the next election.
1997 election
The Portage—Interlake riding disappeared with redistribution before the 1997 election
Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
. Gerrard ran in the new riding of Selkirk—Interlake
Selkirk—Interlake
Selkirk—Interlake is a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1976 to 1987, and since 1997....
, and lost to Reform Party
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
candidate Howard Hilstrom
Howard Hilstrom
Howard E. Hilstrom was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1997 to 2004. His career has included ranching and law enforcement....
by 66 votes in a very close three-way contest.
Gerrard returned to his work at the Winnipeg Children's Hospital after his defeat. He also became a Medical Research Council of Canada scholar in residence 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...
's medical school and applied to become Dean of Medicine, as well as returning to his research work on bald eagles.
Leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party
Gerrard returned to active political life in 1998, as leader of the Manitoba Liberal PartyManitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
.
After winning only three seats 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 losing its official status in the legislature, the provincial Liberal Party had nearly disintegrated in 1997 under the leadership of Ginny Hasselfield
Ginny Hasselfield
Ginny Hasselfield is a Canadian politician, and was the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party between 1996 and 1998. A former Manitoba teacher and principal, she was also president and co-founder of Cross Cultural Communications International Inc. a company that provided diversity training and...
. She resigned in February 1998, and Gerrard declared his candidacy to succeed her. Supported by former leader Sharon Carstairs
Sharon Carstairs
Sharon Carstairs, PC is a Canadian politician and former Senator.-Early life:Carstairs was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the daughter of former Nova Scotia Premier Harold Connolly and his wife Vivian...
, he defeated the only other candidate, former Sagkeeng First Nation
Sagkeeng First Nation
The Sagkeeng First Nation is an Anishinaabe First Nation which holds territory east of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada. Sagkeeng, which was once called Fort Alexander, has an on-reserve population of approximately 3,000 people. Ojibwe is the name of the tribe that lives in Sagkeeng.There is a...
chief Jerry Fontaine
Jerry Fontaine
Jerry Fontaine is an Anishinaabe politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was chief of the Sagkeeng First Nation from 1989 to 1998, led the First Peoples Party in the 1995 provincial election, and was an unsuccessful candidate to lead the Manitoba Liberal Party in 1998...
.
Elections
1999Gerrard set modest goals for his party in the 1999 provincial 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....
, saying that the Liberals could win between ten and fifteen seats to hold the balance of power in 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...
. He focused his attention on health care, and pledged that he would serve as his own Minister of Health if elected as Premier
Premier of Manitoba
The Premier of Manitoba is the first minister for the Canadian province of Manitoba. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. Until the early 1970s, the title "Prime Minister of Manitoba" was used frequently. Afterwards, the word Premier, derived from the French...
. He also promised to appoint a health ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
, commit $25 million toward repairing provincial infrastructure, provide $20 million for post-secondary education, end provincial clawbacks of federal tax credits for welfare recipients, and create a new Ministry of Digital Economy and the Information Highway.
The Liberal Party was unable to run a full electoral slate, fielding candidates in only 50 of 57 divisions. Gerrard tried to deflect criticism by joking that he would "put his 50 Liberal candidates up against 57 Tory and NDP candidates any day", but the failure to run a full slate unquestionably damaged his party's prospects.
On election day, Gerrard personally defeated incumbent Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Mike Radcliffe
Mike Radcliffe
Michael Frederick Carrington Radcliffe is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1995 to 1999, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Premier Gary Filmon from 1997 to 1999.Radcliffe was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and holds a...
in the upscale Winnipeg division of River Heights, but the Liberals did not win any other seats. The party's popular vote fell from 23% to 13%, as many former Liberal voters shifted to the victorious New Democratic Party under 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...
.
Gerrard was the only Liberal member of the Manitoba legislature between 1999 and 2003. He was not personally blamed for the party's loss, and was reaffirmed as party leader in 2000.
2003
Popular support for the Liberal Party increased after the 1999 election, reaching 24% in July 2001 and remaining in the low twenties throughout 2002 and 2003. The party entered the 2003 election in a much improved position from four years earlier: their divisions were largely resolved and their financial situation more secure, and they were able to field a candidate in every division.
Gerrard promised tax cuts for Manitobans under thirty and the elimination of the province's payroll tax, and committed to a "health-care guarantee" wherein the government would fund out-of-province health care if services could not be provided within Manitoba. He also promised to create an organization that would integrate health services from different fields, and to establish community health centres for seniors.
Liberal support declined in the final stage of the campaign, and the party ultimately polled a slightly lower percentage of votes relative to its 1999 result. Gerrard was nevertheless returned without difficulty in River Heights, and former Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
(MLA) Kevin Lamoureux
Kevin Lamoureux
Kevin Lamoureux, MP is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. On November 29, 2010, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons for the constituency of Winnipeg North in a by-election. He was re-elected during the 2011 election by 44 votes...
gave the party a second seat by retaking his old division of Inkster.
2007
The Liberal Party's 2007 campaign
Manitoba general election, 2007
The Manitoba general election held on May 22, 2007 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the New Democratic Party, which won 36 seats out of 57. The Progressive Conservative Party finished second with nineteen seats. The Liberal...
was centred around five issues: health care waiting lists, threatened emergency room closures in Winnipeg, university funding, urban sprawl, and the environmental state of Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg...
. The Liberals also pledged to provide immediate funding for rapid-transit in Winnipeg, phase out the provincial payroll tax while reducing property taxes by as much as 30%, and introduce a new police unit to protect children from sexual exploitation. The party also stressed an environmentally conscious image, purchasing carbon credits to run a carbon-neutral campaign.
Gerrard and Lamoureux were again returned to the legislature, but no other Liberals were elected and the party's popular vote slipped again to just under 12.5%.
Issues
Health careGerrard has remained involved with health issues throughout his time in the legislature. In 2001, he protested the Doer government's decision to close an outpatient pharmacy at the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre by bringing several families of child cancer patients to the legislature to confront the health minister. He later called for changes to Manitoba's adult heart surgery program, after figures obtained through a freedom of information request showed an increasing number of fatalities.
Gerrard wrote a 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....
column criticizing the Doer government for health-care delays in 2005, and later argued that personal health information should be made more easily accessible to patients and their families. He released a detailed document promoting change in Manitoba's health system in September 2007, highlighted by a call to make regional health authorities more accountable to citizens.
Agriculture and environment
Shortly after the 1999 election, Gerrard took part in an all-party delegation to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
to lobby the federal government for a cash bailout for struggling western farmers.
In early 2004, Gerrard wrote a guest column in the Winnipeg Free Press calling on the federal government to test every beef and dairy cow over thirty months for Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of...
(BSE). This recommendation was made during a significant decline in the Canadian cattle market, after the discovery of a BSE-infected cow in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
caused the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to block all Canadian cattle.
Also in 2004, Gerrard accused the Doer government of undermining its water-quality legislation by reducing funds for key programs.
Social issues
Gerrard holds liberal views on social issues. He pressured the Doer government to legalize adoption
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
rights for same-sex couples in 2001, one year before a comprehensive bill including adoption rights was passed by the legislature.
Gerrard took part in the Winnipeg Harvest Poverty Challenge in late 2002, and attempted to live for a full week on only $20. The challenge was meant to draw attention to the difficulties faced by Manitoba's lowest-income residents, living on social assistance.
In 2003, Gerrard supported calls for a provincial smoking ban in workplaces and enclosed public spaces.
Other
In early 2005, Gerrard wrote that the Doer government had not taken proper steps to regulate the province's burgeoning internet pharmaceutical industry. This industry was popular with American customers, and Gerrard's column was written at a time when the federal government was seeking to impose greater control over the sector.
In April 2007, Gerrard introduced a private member's bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
entitled the Apology Act, to make apologies inadmissible in court as proof of liability or guilt. The bill was modeled after similar legislation in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, and was intended to allow medical professionals to apologize to patients without risking legal charges. It was passed into law with government support in November 2007, and formally took effect in February 2008.
Gerrard has also called for a public inquiry into the New Democratic Party government's alleged role in failing to prevent the financial collapse of the Crocus Investment Fund
Crocus Investment Fund
The Crocus Investment Fund was a Labour Sponsored Venture Capital Corporation in Manitoba, Canada.In 2004-05, the company stopped trading and was forced into receivership following allegations that it misled shareholders and overvalued its assets...
. Following the 2007 election, he took part in an all-party delegation to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
to argue for increased penalties against gang-related criminals and young car thieves. He has also called for a public review of appointees to the Manitoba Hydro
Manitoba Hydro
Manitoba Hydro is the electric power and natural gas utility in the province of Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1961, it is a provincial Crown Corporation, governed by the Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board and the Manitoba Hydro Act. Today the company operates 15 interconnected generating stations. It has...
Board, and has requested a plebiscite on the location of a power line from northern to southern Manitoba.
In October 2007, he introduced a bill to ban retailers from using plastic bag
Plastic bag
A plastic bag, polybag, or pouch is a type of packaging made of thin, flexible, plastic film, nonwoven fabric, or plastic textile. Plastic bags are used for containing and transporting goods such as foods, produce, powders, ice, magazines, comic books, chemicals and waste.Most plastic bags are...
s by 2009. He also criticized the Doer government's decision to build a Manitoba Hydro
Manitoba Hydro
Manitoba Hydro is the electric power and natural gas utility in the province of Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1961, it is a provincial Crown Corporation, governed by the Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board and the Manitoba Hydro Act. Today the company operates 15 interconnected generating stations. It has...
Power line on the west side of Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg...
, and called for the public to be directly consulted on the issue through non-binding referenda.
He called for a provincial moratorium on taser
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
use in 2007, following increased concerns about its safety.
Other
Despite his background as a Chrétien supporter, Gerrard was reported to have endorsed Paul MartinPaul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
's bid for the federal Liberal Party leadership in 2003. He supported Gerard Kennedy
Gerard Kennedy
Gerard Michael Kennedy is a Canadian politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as Ontario's Minister of Education from 2003 to 2006, when he resigned to make an unsuccessful bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada...
's bid in 2006.
Gerrard released a history of the Manitoba Liberal Party in 2006, entitled Battling for a Better Manitoba. A 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....
reviewer described the book as "a generally readable—though sloppy—account of one of the three provincial parties", adding that the book "perhaps should not have been published in its current state".
Table of offices held
Electoral record
All electoral information is taken from Elections CanadaElections Canada
Elections Canada is an independent, non-partisan agency reporting directly to the Parliament of Canada. Its ongoing responsibility is to ensure that Canadians can exercise their choices in federal elections and referenda through an open and impartial process...
and Elections Manitoba
Elections Manitoba
Elections Manitoba is the non-partisan agency of the Government of Manitoba, responsible for the conduct of provincial elections....
. Provincial expenditures refer to candidate expenses.