Dwain Lingenfelter

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Dwain Lingenfelter
Lingenfelter at the 2011 Leaders' Debate
Leader of the Opposition of Saskatchewan
In office
June 6, 2009 – November 7, 2011
Preceded byLorne Calvert
Succeeded byJohn Nilson (Interim)
Leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
In office
June 6, 2009 – November 7, 2011
Preceded byLorne Calvert
Succeeded byJohn Nilson (Interim)
Member of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly
for Regina Douglas Park
In office
September 21, 2009 – October 10, 2011
Preceded byHarry Van Mulligen
Succeeded byRuss Marchuk
Member of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly
for Regina Elphinstone
In office
May 4, 1988 – July 10, 2000
Preceded byAllan Blakeney
Succeeded byWarren McCall
Member of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly
for Shaunavon
In office
October 18, 1978 – September 19, 1986
Preceded byEiliv Anderson
Succeeded byTed Gleim
Personal details
Born (1949-02-27) February 27, 1949 (age 75)
Shaunavon, Saskatchewan
Political partyNew Democratic Party
Residence(s)Shaunavon, Saskatchewan
Alma materUniversity of Saskatchewan
ProfessionBusiness executive
Farmer

Dwain Lingenfelter (born February 27, 1949) is a former Canadian politician from Shaunavon, Saskatchewan. He was a New Democratic Party Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1978 to 1986, 1988 to 2000, and 2009 to 2011. He led the Saskatchewan NDP from 2009 to 2011, when he also served as leader of the Opposition.

Lingenfelter had a long political career in Saskatchewan and served in the cabinets of Allan Blakeney and Roy Romanow; he was the Opposition House Leader from 1982 to 1986, and also served as Deputy Premier to Romanow. In 2011, Lingenfelter became the first provincial NDP leader in Saskatchewan to lose his own seat in an election, and he retired from politics. Outside of politics, Lingenfelter has served on a variety of corporate and non-profit boards, and has directed CypressView Land, a farming and ranching business, since the 1990s.

Early life, family, and career[edit]

Lingenfelter grew up on a family farm near Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, where his grandfather began homesteading in 1911.[1] Lingenfelter grew up in a large family with eight other siblings. He attended Shaunavon High School and went on to earn a political science degree from the University of Saskatchewan. While in school, Lingenfelter played bass in a rock band. While working on his political science degree, Lingenfelter continued to farm and worked as a customs officer.[2] He has remained in the farming business, running CypressView Land, a farming and ranching business near Shaunavon.[3] CypressView owns over 26,000 acres and partners with Monette Farms, which is considered one of the province's "mega-farms".[4]

Lingenfelter is married to Rubiela, with whom he has two children.[2] He also has three children from another marriage.[1]

Political career[edit]

NDP MLA (1978–2000)[edit]

Lingenfelter was first elected to the Legislature in his home constituency of Shaunavon in the 1978 election. The NDP under Allan Blakeney won its third consecutive majority government in the election. In 1980, Lingenfelter joined the cabinet when he was appointed Minister of Social Services. The NDP were swept from power in the 1982 election by Grant Devine's Progressive Conservative Party; Lingenfelter was one of only nine NDP members elected. From 1982 to 1986, he served as the Opposition House Leader.

Lingenfelter lost his re-election bid in the 1986 election. In 1987, Lingenfelter ran and won the race for the presidency of the Saskatchewan NDP. However, with the Devine PCs winning a second majority government in 1986, Blakeney stepped down as NDP leader and retired from politics. Lingenfelter decided to run in the by-election to succeed Blakeney as MLA for Regina Elphinstone; he was successful, and re-joined the legislature in 1988 under new NDP leader Roy Romanow. Lingenfelter again served as Opposition House Leader, and was Opposition Critic on privatization at a time when Devine's government was attempting to privatize a range of public assets.[5] In 1989, the NDP staged a walk-out at the Legislature, successfully derailing the government's attempt to privatize SaskEnergy.[6]

After being re-elected in the 1991 election, which resulted in a large NDP majority, Lingenfelter returned to cabinet when he was named Minister of Economic Development. During the 1990s, Lingenfelter also served as the Minister responsible for the Crown Investments Corporation and Minister of Agriculture, as well as Deputy Premier and Government House Leader.[5]

The NDP was reduced to a minority government in the 1999 election, narrowly fending off the fledgling Saskatchewan Party and forming a coalition government with the Liberals. In 2000, Romanow announced that he would be retiring, triggering a leadership race that would lead directly to the premier's office.[7] As deputy premier, Lingenfelter had long been viewed as a likely candidate to succeed Romanow.[8] However, earlier in 2000, Lingenfelter announced that he would be resigning to pursue private sector opportunities, suggesting he would be taking work in the oil industry.[9][10] Romanow described Lingenfelter's resignation as a "huge loss for me, for our party, for our government and for the people of our province."[10] Lingenfelter became vice-president of Government Relations for Calgary-based energy company Canadian Occidental Petroleum in September 2000.[5]

NDP leader (2009–2011)[edit]

Romanow's successor, Lorne Calvert, announced his retirement in 2008, a year after losing the 2007 election to Brad Wall's Saskatchewan Party.[11] Two weeks after Calvert's announcement, Lingenfelter became the first declared candidate in the leadership race.[12] He was joined in the race by former party president Yens Pedersen, MLA Deb Higgins, and doctor Ryan Meili. Lingenfelter was considered the frontrunner, and by Spring 2009 had opened a wide lead in fundraising over his rivals ahead of the June 6 leadership election.[13] However, Lingenfelter courted controversy when it was revealed that his campaign had signed up hundreds of new party members without their knowledge, and paid for 1,100 memberships. Lingenfelter blamed the issue on an "over exuberant" volunteer, while Pedersen called for him to quit the race.[14] Lingenfelter stayed in the race, receiving a high number of caucus and union endorsements. On June 6, 2009, he was elected the new NDP leader, defeating Meili on the final ballot with 55% of the vote; the win made Lingenfelter the oldest leader in Saskatchewan NDP history.[15]

Lingenfelter announcing his NDP leadership candidacy in 2008.

After the leadership vote, MLA Harry Van Mulligen resigned his Regina Douglas Park seat to allow Lingenfelter to run in a by-election there.[16] Lingenfelter won the by-election on September 21.[17] As Opposition leader in the legislature, Lingenfelter became known for having heated exchanges with Premier Wall.[18]

2011 provincial election[edit]

Lingenfelter led the NDP into the 2011 provincial election. Polls ahead of the election suggested that Wall's Saskatchewan Party was heavily favoured to form another majority government, and the results bore this out. On November 7, the NDP was reduced to just nine seats, its worst showing since 1982.[19] Lingenfelter also became the first NDP leader to lose his own seat in an election, and he tendered his resignation on election night, effective immediately.[20] Lingenfelter later admitted that he felt "rusty and made lots of mistakes" during the campaign, but also that despite putting forward a good platform he did not expect to defeat what was a relatively new and popular Wall government.[21]

After Lingenfelter's resignation, the NDP executive chose John Nilson to serve as interim party leader until a new leader was chosen.[22] In 2013, the party elected Cam Broten as its new leader.[23]

After politics[edit]

Lingenfelter has since 2001 focused on his CypressView farming business; he has also taken contract positions in the Alberta energy industry, including a two-year contract with TransAlta from 2015 to 2017 working on renewable energy development.[21] He has also taken up board positions in the non-profit sector, including with the Nature Conservancy of Canada and, as in 2021, the Canadian Wildlife Foundation.[3]

Electoral results[edit]

2011 Saskatchewan general election: Regina Douglas Park
Party Candidate Votes %
Saskatchewan Russ Marchuk 4,411 52.00
New Democratic Dwain Lingenfelter 3,507 41.34
Green Victor Lau 565 6.66
Total valid votes 8,483 100.00
2009 by election: Regina Douglas Park
Party Candidate Votes %
New Democratic Dwain Lingenfelter 3,115 50.25
Saskatchewan Kathleen Peterson 2,613 42.15
Green Victor Lau 471 7.60
Total valid votes 6,199 100.00
1999 Saskatchewan general election: Regina Elphinstone
Party Candidate Votes %
New Democratic Dwain Lingenfelter 2,689 51.07
Saskatchewan Jo Ann Mohr 1,168 22.18
Liberal Robert Ermel 1,109 21.06
New Green John W. Warnock 243 4.62
Progressive Conservative Brenda Rossow 56 1.06
Total valid votes 5,265 99.99
1995 Saskatchewan general election: Regina Elphinstone
Party Candidate Votes %
New Democratic Dwain Lingenfelter 4,042 67.06
Liberal Gord Wasteste 1,520 25.22
Progressive Conservative Jo Ann Mohr 465 7.72
Total valid votes 6,027 100.00
1991 Saskatchewan general election: Regina Elphinstone
Party Candidate Votes %
New Democratic Dwain Lingenfelter 6,505 72.02
Liberal Cliff Chatterson 1,673 18.52
Progressive Conservative Don Racette 854 9.46
Total valid votes 9,032 100.00
1988 by election: Regina Elphinstone
Party Candidate Votes %
New Democratic Dwain Lingenfelter 4,309 77.33
Progressive Conservative Myrna Petersen 694 12.46
Liberal Ron Eistetter 569 10.21
Total valid votes 5,572 100.00
1986 Saskatchewan general election: Shaunavon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Progressive Conservative Ted Gleim 3,311 47.70% +11.35
  NDP Dwain Lingenfelter 2,968 42.76% +4.19
Liberal Jules Larochelle 662 9.54% -0.38
Total 6,941 100.00%
1982 Saskatchewan general election: Shaunavon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  NDP Dwain Lingenfelter 2,897 38.57% +0.56
  Progressive Conservative John Bleackley 2,730 36.35% +7.00
Western Canada Concept Barry W. Dixon 1,139 15.16% –
Liberal Gratton Murray 745 9.92% -22.72
Total 7,511 100.00%
1978 Saskatchewan general election: Shaunavon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  NDP Dwain Lingenfelter 2,778 38.01% --
Liberal Eiliv "Sonny" Anderson 2,385 32.64% --
  Prog. Conservative Jim Lacey 2,145 29.35% --
Total 7,308 100.00%

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Graham, Jennifer (10 October 2011). "Politics, farming run deep for Saskatchewan NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter". Global News. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Dwain Lingenfelter". Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original on 28 August 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
  3. ^ a b Miller, Jacob (6 October 2021). "Dwain Lingenfelter appointed to Canadian Wildlife Foundation Board". Global News. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  4. ^ Magnan, André; Davidson, Melissa; Desmarais, Anette Aurélie (2023). "'They call it progress, but we don't see it as progress': farm consolidation and land concentration in Saskatchewan, Canada". Agriculture and Human Values. 40: 283 – via Springer.
  5. ^ a b c "Dwain Lingenfelter fonds". Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  6. ^ Pitsula, James M.; Rasmussen, Ken (1990). Privatizing a Province: The New Right in Saskatchewan. Vancouver: New Star Books. pp. 194–196. ISBN 0-921586-09-4.
  7. ^ "Romanow quits politics 'forever'". CBC News. 26 September 2000. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  8. ^ Mandryk, Murray (25 June 2012). "Calvert's legacy may yet shine through". Regina Leader-Post. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Deputy Premier resigns from politics". CBC News. 4 July 2000. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  10. ^ a b Roberts, David (5 July 2000). "Romanow's key lieutenant announces resignation". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  11. ^ "Former Sask. premier to step down as NDP leader". CBC News. 16 October 2008. Archived from the original on 23 July 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Lingenfelter set to launch NDP leadership bid". CBC News. 28 October 2008. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  13. ^ "Lingenfelter attracting the most NDP leadership cash". CBC News. 29 April 2009. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  14. ^ "Lingenfelter should drop out of NDP race, Pedersen says". CBC News. 6 May 2009. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  15. ^ "Saskatchewan New Democrats choose Dwain Lingenfelter as leader". CBC News. 6 June 2009. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  16. ^ "NDP veteran Van Mulligen to vacate seat for Lingenfelter". CBC News. 8 June 2009. Archived from the original on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  17. ^ "NDP sweeps Sask. byelections". CBC News. 22 September 2009. Archived from the original on 14 December 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  18. ^ O'Connor, Kevin (5 October 2011). "Profile: Dwain Lingenfelter". CBC News. Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  19. ^ Graham, Jennifer (7 November 2011). "Saskatchewan NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter crushed by Wall". Global News. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  20. ^ "NDP's Lingenfelter resigns after losing seat". CBC News. 7 November 2011. Archived from the original on 17 September 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  21. ^ a b Charlton, Jonathan (3 October 2017). "'I was rusty': Former NDP leader Dwain Lingenfelter reflects on 2011 campaign". Saskatoon StarPhoenix. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  22. ^ "Former cabinet minister John Nilson chosen as Sask. NDP interim leader". The Globe and Mail. The Canadian Press. 19 November 2011. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  23. ^ Couture, Joe (9 March 2013). "Cam Broten elected as new leader of Saskatchewan NDP". The StarPhoenix. Saskatoon. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013.
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