Longtime Manitoba politician Bill Blaikie dead after long battle with cancer
Bill Blaikie, a longtime Manitoba New Democrat whose political career spanned more than three decades and included terms in both the House of Commons and Manitoba's legislature, has died. He was 71.
Blaikie died on Saturdayin Winnipeg, following a battle with metastatic kidney cancer, according to a Facebook post by his son, Daniel Blaikie.
Blaikie was first elected in 1979, as the member of Parliament forthe riding of Winnipeg-Birds Hill. Afterthat riding was dissolved in 1987, Blaikie won four elections in the new riding ofWinnipeg-Transcona, and two more afterit was renamed Elmwood-Transconain 2004. He did not seek re-election in 2008.
The following year, he entered provincial politics, winning the Elmwood seat for the then-governing NDP in a 2009 byelection. He was appointed to premier Greg Selinger's cabinet, serving as conservation minister and government House leader until 2011, when he retired from politics.
During his time in Ottawa, Blaikie sought the leadership of the federal NDP, losing to Jack Layton in 2003.
Daniel Blaikie, left, with his father, Bill Blaikie. Daniel Blaikie was elected in 2015 as the NDP MP for the Elmwood-Transcona riding his father previously represented. (Jim Still)
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