Sam Uskiw
Encyclopedia
Samuel Uskiw is a politician and political fundraiser in Manitoba, Canada
. He was a New Democratic
member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1966 to 1986, and served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Edward Schreyer
and Howard Pawley
. Subsequently, he left the New Democrats and became a fundraiser for their leading rival, the Progressive Conservative Party
.
Uskiw worked as a potato farmer and meat cutter before entering political life, and served as a Junior President of the Manitoba Farmers Union in 1961-62. He was also a school trustee from 1959 to 1965.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1966
, replacing Edward Schreyer (who had left for Canadian House of Commons
) in the rural riding of Brokenhead. He was easily re-elected in the redistributed riding of Lac Du Bonnet in the 1969 election
, by which time Schreyer had returned to provincial politics to lead the NDP to its first-ever election victory. Uskiw supported Scheyer over Sidney Green in the leadership convention which preceded the election.
Uskiw served as Minister of Agriculture from July 15, 1969 to October 24, 1977, the entirety of Schreyer's tenure in office. He also served as Minister of Cooperative Development from May 6, 1971 to December 23, 1974. Some have argued that Schreyer tried to forestall Uskiw's leadership ambitions by keeping him in the same ministry for several years.
As Agriculture Minister, Uskiw was responsible for overseeing several initiatives and subsidy programs. He argued that rural taxation was disproportionately high, and favoured shifting education taxes from land to homeownership. He also brought forward legislation to provide for a publicly owned land system to relieve farmers of the burden of investment (this was an optional, not a mandatory program). Although the NDP made some minor rural gains in the 1973 election
, however, the party's core support remained urban. Uskiw himself was easily re-elected in the 1973 election, and in the election of 1977
, in which the Schreyer government lost power to the Tories under Sterling Lyon
.
In early 1979, Uskiw supported Sidney Green's attempt to become the party's interim leader following Schreyer's resignation. He declined to run for the leadership himself later in the year, despite efforts by supporters such as Herb Schulz and Harry Shafransky
to mobilize a candidacy. He also refused to endorse the successful campaign of Howard Pawley
, despite the fact that he and Pawley had been allies in the Schreyer ministry. Uskiw was uncomfortable with the direction of the party under Pawley's leadership, particularly as regards its increased ties to the labour movement.
In 1981, there was considerable speculation that Uskiw would leave the NDP to join Green's new Progressive Party, thereby giving them official party status in the legislature. He ultimately refused, and claimed that he would try to change the NDP's policies from within. While he did not leave the NDP, he expressed his disapproval of the party's leftward turn under Pawley at several public forums.
Uskiw was re-elected in the election of 1981
, in which the NDP under Pawley formed a majority government. He was named Minister of Government Services and Minister of Highways and Transportation on November 30, 1981. He was relieved of the former position on August 20, 1982, and of the latter on November 4, 1983, when he was appointed Minister of Business Development and Tourism with responsibility for the Manitoba Telephone System Act. Following another cabinet shuffle on January 30, 1985, he was named Minister of Natural Resources.
Uskiw did not run for re-election in 1986, and in fact supported the Progressive Conservative candidate in Lac Du Bonnet (who was defeated). He personally joined the Tories after the election, and soon became one of the party's leading consultants and financial contributors (there was a period when he was the party's largest personal donor). Uskiw also spoke at meetings of Green's Progressive Party, in which he argued that demands from the trade union movement had undermined his ministerial independence during the Pawley years.
He has not sought a return to active politics since 1986. In the 1990s, he chaired a commission overseeing changes to the province's Personal Injury Protection Plan.
While in office, Uskiw supported the expansion of nuclear power in Manitoba.
Although he is no longer a member of the New Democratic Party, Uskiw supported Edward Schreyer
's bid to return to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2006 federal election
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 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...
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 1966 to 1986, and served as a cabinet minister in the governments 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....
and 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:...
. Subsequently, he left the New Democrats and became a fundraiser for their leading rival, the Progressive Conservative Party
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:...
.
Uskiw worked as a potato farmer and meat cutter before entering political life, and served as a Junior President of the Manitoba Farmers Union in 1961-62. He was also a school trustee from 1959 to 1965.
He 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...
, replacing Edward Schreyer (who had left for Canadian House of Commons
Canadian 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 rural riding of Brokenhead. He was easily re-elected in the redistributed riding of Lac Du Bonnet in the 1969 election
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...
, by which time Schreyer had returned to provincial politics to lead the NDP to its first-ever election victory. Uskiw supported Scheyer over Sidney Green in the leadership convention which preceded the election.
Uskiw served as Minister of Agriculture from July 15, 1969 to October 24, 1977, the entirety of Schreyer's tenure in office. He also served as Minister of Cooperative Development from May 6, 1971 to December 23, 1974. Some have argued that Schreyer tried to forestall Uskiw's leadership ambitions by keeping him in the same ministry for several years.
As Agriculture Minister, Uskiw was responsible for overseeing several initiatives and subsidy programs. He argued that rural taxation was disproportionately high, and favoured shifting education taxes from land to homeownership. He also brought forward legislation to provide for a publicly owned land system to relieve farmers of the burden of investment (this was an optional, not a mandatory program). Although the NDP made some minor rural gains in the 1973 election
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...
, however, the party's core support remained urban. Uskiw himself was easily re-elected in the 1973 election, and in the 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...
, in which the Schreyer government lost power to 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...
.
In early 1979, Uskiw supported Sidney Green's attempt to become the party's interim leader following Schreyer's resignation. He declined to run for the leadership himself later in the year, despite efforts by supporters such as Herb Schulz and Harry Shafransky
Harry Shafransky
Harry Shafransky was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as a New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1969 to 1977.Shafransky worked as a teacher before entering politics...
to mobilize a candidacy. He also refused to endorse the successful campaign of 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:...
, despite the fact that he and Pawley had been allies in the Schreyer ministry. Uskiw was uncomfortable with the direction of the party under Pawley's leadership, particularly as regards its increased ties to the labour movement.
In 1981, there was considerable speculation that Uskiw would leave the NDP to join Green's new Progressive Party, thereby giving them official party status in the legislature. He ultimately refused, and claimed that he would try to change the NDP's policies from within. While he did not leave the NDP, he expressed his disapproval of the party's leftward turn under Pawley at several public forums.
Uskiw was re-elected 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...
, in which the NDP under Pawley formed a majority government. He was named Minister of Government Services and Minister of Highways and Transportation on November 30, 1981. He was relieved of the former position on August 20, 1982, and of the latter on November 4, 1983, when he was appointed Minister of Business Development and Tourism with responsibility for the Manitoba Telephone System Act. Following another cabinet shuffle on January 30, 1985, he was named Minister of Natural Resources.
Uskiw did not run for re-election in 1986, and in fact supported the Progressive Conservative candidate in Lac Du Bonnet (who was defeated). He personally joined the Tories after the election, and soon became one of the party's leading consultants and financial contributors (there was a period when he was the party's largest personal donor). Uskiw also spoke at meetings of Green's Progressive Party, in which he argued that demands from the trade union movement had undermined his ministerial independence during the Pawley years.
He has not sought a return to active politics since 1986. In the 1990s, he chaired a commission overseeing changes to the province's Personal Injury Protection Plan.
While in office, Uskiw supported the expansion of nuclear power in Manitoba.
Although he is no longer a member of the New Democratic Party, Uskiw supported 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....
's bid to return to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2006 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...