Ken MacMaster
Encyclopedia
Kenneth MacMaster is a politician
in Manitoba
, Canada
. He was a Progressive Conservative
member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1977 to 1981, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of Sterling Lyon
.
MacMaster first ran for public office in the federal election of 1965
, as a New Democrat
in the northern Manitoba riding of Churchill
. He received 3306 votes, finishing third behind Tory
Robert Simpson
and Liberal
Francis Bud Jobin. At the time of the election, he described his occupation as "mine mechanic".
He later left the NDP for the Progressive Conservatives, and was elected for the riding of Thompson in the provincial election of 1977
, defeating incumbent New Democrat
Ken Dillen
by 916 votes. The Tories under Sterling Lyon
won this election; as the sole Tory MLA from the province's north, MacMaster was appointed Minister of Northern Affairs on October 24, 1977, with responsibility for Renewable Resources and Transportation. He was relieved of the latter two responsibilities on October 20, 1978, and was named Minister of Labour and Manpower with responsibility for the Civil Service Commission. He was dropped as Northern Affairs minister on November 15, 1979, but kept his other responsibilities until the Lyon government was defeated in the election of 1981
.
MacMaster was himself defeated in the 1981 election, losing to New Democrat Steve Ashton
by 72 votes. He has not sought a return to political life since this time, but is very involved in community activities and projects in the Lac du Bonnet area. MacMaster is also a private consultant, providing services such as mediation, public speaking, and arbitration.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
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 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:...
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 1977 to 1981, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of Sterling Lyon
Sterling Lyon
Sterling Rufus Lyon, PC, OC was a lawyer, cabinet minister, and the 17th Premier of Manitoba, Canada from 1977 to 1981. His government introduced several fiscally-conservative measures, and was sometimes seen as a local version of the government of Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom...
.
MacMaster first ran for public office in the federal election of 1965
Canadian federal election, 1965
The Canadian federal election of 1965 was held on November 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 27th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson was re-elected with a larger number of seats in the House...
, as a New Democrat
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
in the northern Manitoba riding of Churchill
Churchill (electoral district)
Churchill is a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1935. It covers northern Manitoba, a vast wilderness area dotted with small municipalities and First Nations reserves...
. He received 3306 votes, finishing third behind Tory
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....
Robert Simpson
Robert Simpson (Manitoba politician)
Robert Simpson was a Progressive Conservative party member of the Canadian House of Commons. He was born in Cannington Manor, Saskatchewan and became a clerk and miner by career.He was first elected at the Churchill riding in...
and Liberal
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 :...
Francis Bud Jobin. At the time of the election, he described his occupation as "mine mechanic".
He later left the NDP for the Progressive Conservatives, and was elected for the riding of Thompson in the provincial election of 1977
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...
, defeating incumbent New Democrat
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...
Ken Dillen
Ken Dillen
Kenneth George Dillen is a Canadian politician and political activist. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1973 to 1977, serving as a member of the social democratic New Democratic Party...
by 916 votes. The Tories under Sterling Lyon
Sterling Lyon
Sterling Rufus Lyon, PC, OC was a lawyer, cabinet minister, and the 17th Premier of Manitoba, Canada from 1977 to 1981. His government introduced several fiscally-conservative measures, and was sometimes seen as a local version of the government of Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom...
won this election; as the sole Tory MLA from the province's north, MacMaster was appointed Minister of Northern Affairs on October 24, 1977, with responsibility for Renewable Resources and Transportation. He was relieved of the latter two responsibilities on October 20, 1978, and was named Minister of Labour and Manpower with responsibility for the Civil Service Commission. He was dropped as Northern Affairs minister on November 15, 1979, but kept his other responsibilities until the Lyon government was defeated in the 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...
.
MacMaster was himself defeated in the 1981 election, losing to New Democrat Steve Ashton
Steve Ashton
Steve Ashton is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He is a long-serving member of the Manitoba legislature, and is currently a cabinet minister in the New Democratic Party government of Greg Selinger....
by 72 votes. He has not sought a return to political life since this time, but is very involved in community activities and projects in the Lac du Bonnet area. MacMaster is also a private consultant, providing services such as mediation, public speaking, and arbitration.