Kevin Chief

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Kevin Chief
Manitoba Minister of Jobs and the Economy
In office
November 4, 2014 – May 3, 2016
PremierGreg Selinger
Preceded byTheresa Oswald
Succeeded byCliff Cullen As Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade
Manitoba Minister of Children and Youth Opportunities
In office
January 13, 2012 – November 4, 2014
PremierGreg Selinger
Preceded bynew portfolio
Succeeded byMelanie Wight
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Point Douglas
In office
October 4, 2011 – January 9, 2017
Preceded byGeorge Hickes
Succeeded byBernadette Smith
Personal details
Born1974 (age 49–50)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Political partyNew Democrat
Alma materUniversity of Winnipeg
Websitekevinchief.ca

Kevin Chief is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in the 2011 election.[1] He represented the electoral district of Point Douglas from 2011 to 2017 as a member of the New Democratic Party caucus.[2]

In 2010, Chief was named a recipient of the Future Leaders of Manitoba award in the community service category.[3] Other notable recipients include indigenous activist Michael Redhead Champagne,[4] Canadian filmmaker and director Adam Smoluk,[5] community leader Hannah Pratt,[6] surgeon and university associate professor Dr. Jordan Hochman,[7] president of Manitoba SwimAbility Cameron Krisko,[8] and young philanthropist Ben Sabic.[9]

Political career[edit]

Chief ran for a seat to the House of Commons of Canada in a by-election held on November 29, 2010.[10] The election was hotly contested between Chief, who ran under the federal NDP banner, and former Manitoba MLA Kevin Lamoureux, who ran under the federal Liberal banner.[11] On election night, Chief finished a close second behind Lamoureux in the field of seven candidates.[12]

After his defeat, Chief opted not to run for a second time federally, instead going for a provincial Manitoba NDP nomination.[13] He ran in the electoral district of Point Douglas in the 2011 Manitoba general election and won, defeating four other candidates to hold the seat for his party and win his first term in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.[14] On January 13, 2011, he was made minister responsible for the newly created Department of Children and Youth Opportunities.[15]

On November 3, 2014, Chief was appointed as Minister of Jobs and the Economy after the resignation of then-Minister Theresa Oswald, along with four other ministers, resigned from cabinet over concerns about Premier Greg Selinger's leadership.[16]

Chief retained his seat in the 2016 general election and was touted as a leading candidate to succeed Selinger as NDP leader. However, he announced in September 2016 that he would not run for the leadership of the party.[17]

He announced in December 2016 that he would resign his seat in the legislature for family reasons.[18] His resignation became official on January 9, 2017.[19]

Electoral record[edit]

By-election on November 29, 2010

resignation of Judy Wasylycia-Leis on April 30, 2010

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Kevin Lamoureux 7,303 46.3 +37.08
New Democratic Kevin Chief 6,508 41.2 −21.41
Conservative Julie Javier 1,645 10.4 −11.95
Green John Harvie 114 0.7 −4.05
Pirate Jeff Coleman 94 0.6 N/A
Communist Frank Komarniski 71 0.4 −0.27
Christian Heritage Eric Truijen 45 0.3 N/A
Total valid votes 15,780
Total rejected ballots
Turnout 30.8
  Liberal gain from New Democrats


2011 Manitoba general election: Point Douglas
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Kevin Chief 3,806 73.28 +6.92 $18,567.73
Progressive Conservative John Vernaus 917 17.65 +5.68 $19,915.21
Liberal Mary Lou Bourgeois 257 4.95 −9.77 $5,383.65
Green Teresa Pun 176 3.39 −1.92 $17.48
Communist Darrell Rankin 38 0.73 −0.91 $312.12
Total valid votes 5,194
Rejected and declined votes 28 0.54 -0.18
Turnout 5,222 44.04 +3.90
Electors on the lists 11,858
New Democratic hold Swing +0.62
2016 Manitoba general election: Point Douglas
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Kevin Chief 2,839 57.80 -15.08
Liberal Althea Guiboche 956 19.46 +14.54
Progressive Conservative Marsha Street 811 16.51 -1.05
Green Alberteen Spence 247 5.02 +1.65
Communist Frank Komarniski 58 1.18 +0.45
Total valid votes 4,911 100.0  
Eligible voters
Source: Elections Manitoba[20]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Kives, Bartley (October 5, 2011). "NDP keeps urban strongholds". Winnipeg Free Press. B3. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  2. ^ "MLA Biographies - Living". Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  3. ^ "Kevin Chief Wins Award For Exceptional Community Service". University of Winnipeg. 29 January 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  4. ^ Geraldine Malone, Kelly (24 June 2018). "Nearly half of youth incarcerated across Canada are Indigenous: Statistics Canada". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Adam Smoluk awarded Al Cerilli Scholarship Award". On Screen Manitoba. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  6. ^ Thompson, Sam. "Upcycled Winnipeg wedding dress project now adding suits to the mix". Global News. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Rady Faculty of Health Sciences". University of Manitoba. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  8. ^ "In pictures: 'Meet Canada's Top 20 Under 20'". The Globe and Mail. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  9. ^ "A new era in support for young people". The Winnipeg Foundation. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Winnipeg byelection campaign has star power". CBC News. November 15, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  11. ^ Kusch, Larry (November 27, 2010). "Foot soldiers key to Winnipeg North". Winnipeg Free Press. A6. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  12. ^ Kusch, Larry; Paul, Alexandra (November 30, 2010). "Lamoureux wins battle of Kevins". Winnipeg Free Press. A3. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  13. ^ "Sharon Blady's supporters rally in Kirkfield Park" (Press release). New Democratic Party of Manitoba. March 25, 2011. Archived from the original on January 16, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  14. ^ Lett, Dan (November 5, 2011). "He didn't just win their votes, he won their hearts". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  15. ^ "Manitoba premier shuffles his cabinet, creates new youth department". Global News. Canadian Press. January 13, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  16. ^ "Premier Greg Selinger replaces 5 cabinet ministers in government revolt". CBC News. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  17. ^ "Kevin Chief won't run for NDP leadership". Winnipeg Free Press, September 21, 2016.
  18. ^ "Point Douglas MLA Kevin Chief resigns seat". CBC News, December 14, 2016.
  19. ^ "Kevin Chief officially resigns as MLA". Winnipeg Free Press, January 9, 2017.
  20. ^ "Candidates: 41st General Election". Elections Manitoba. 29 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.

External links[edit]