Donald Morris McGregor (April 25, 1923 in Lenore, 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...

 – July 25, 2003) was 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 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 1962 to 1981.

McGregor was educated in Lenore schools, and served in the Royal Canadian Navy

Royal Canadian Navy

The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...

. He later owned a farm in Kenton, Manitoba

Kenton, Manitoba

Kenton is a community in Manitoba, Canada. It is located in the Rural Municipality of Woodworth, about an hour's drive west of Brandon, Manitoba. The first permanent settlement of the area began in 1881, following the westward expansion of the borders of the province of Manitoba. The settlement was...

, and became a freemason.

He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1962

Manitoba general election, 1962

Manitoba's general election of December 16, 1962 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a second majority victory for the Progressive Conservative Party under the leadership of Dufferin Roblin...

, defeating his 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 :...

 opponent Malcolm McGregor

Malcolm McGregor

Malcolm McGregor was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 55 films between 1922 and 1936. He was born in Newark, New Jersey and died in Hollywood, California....

 by a strong majority in the southwestern riding of Virden. He was re-elected with a comfortable majority 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...

, and supported the governments of Dufferin Roblin

Dufferin Roblin

Dufferin "Duff" Roblin, PC, CC, OM was a Canadian businessman and politician. Known as "Duff," he served as the 14th Premier of Manitoba from 1958 to 1967. Roblin was appointed to the Canadian Senate on the advice of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. In the government of Brian Mulroney, he served as...

 and Walter Weir

Walter Weir

Walter C. Weir was a politician who served as the 15th Premier of Manitoba from 1967 to 1969.Weir was born in High Bluff, Manitoba, and worked as a funeral director. He served as chairman of the Minnedosa Hospital Board from 1955 to 1957, and of the Minnedosa Town Council from 1958 to 1959...

 as a backbench MLA. 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...

, he defeated incumbent Liberal MLA Earl Dawson

Earl Dawson

Earl Phillip Dawson was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1966 to 1969....

 by 590 votes after redistribution forced them to compete against one another.

McGregor was re-elected by more comfortable majorities in the elections of 1973

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...

 and Manitoba general election, 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...

. He did not serve in the cabinet

Cabinet (government)

A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...

 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...

, and retired from the legislature in 1981. McGregor was known as an aggressive defender of his constituents' interests throughout his time in office, and was often regarded as a political maverick.