Kevin Chief Explained

Kevin Chief
Office:Manitoba Minister of Jobs and the Economy
Term Start:November 4, 2014
Term End:May 3, 2016
Premier:Greg Selinger
Predecessor:Theresa Oswald
Successor:Cliff Cullen As Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade
Office1:Manitoba Minister of Children and Youth Opportunities
Term Start1:January 13, 2012
Term End1:November 4, 2014
Premier1:Greg Selinger
Predecessor1:new portfolio
Successor1:Melanie Wight
Office2:Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Point Douglas
Term Start2:October 4, 2011
Term End2:January 9, 2017
Predecessor2:George Hickes
Successor2:Bernadette Smith
Birth Place:Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Party:New Democrat
Alma Mater:University of Winnipeg

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

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

| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"|Liberal gain from New Democrats|align="right"|

Notes and References

  1. News: NDP keeps urban strongholds . Bartley . Kives . Winnipeg Free Press . October 5, 2011 . B3 . June 30, 2012 .
  2. Web site: MLA Biographies - Living . Legislative Assembly of Manitoba . June 30, 2012.
  3. Web site: Kevin Chief Wins Award For Exceptional Community Service . University of Winnipeg . 29 January 2010 . 15 February 2020.
  4. News: Geraldine Malone . Kelly . Nearly half of youth incarcerated across Canada are Indigenous: Statistics Canada . The Globe and Mail . 24 June 2018 . 15 February 2020.
  5. Web site: Adam Smoluk awarded Al Cerilli Scholarship Award . On Screen Manitoba . 15 February 2020.
  6. Web site: Thompson . Sam . Upcycled Winnipeg wedding dress project now adding suits to the mix . Global News . 15 February 2020.
  7. Web site: Rady Faculty of Health Sciences . University of Manitoba . 15 February 2020.
  8. Web site: In pictures: 'Meet Canada's Top 20 Under 20' . The Globe and Mail . 5 June 2013 . 15 February 2020.
  9. Web site: A new era in support for young people . The Winnipeg Foundation . 15 February 2020.
  10. News: Winnipeg byelection campaign has star power . CBC News . November 15, 2010 . June 30, 2012 .
  11. News: Foot soldiers key to Winnipeg North . Larry . Kusch . Winnipeg Free Press . November 27, 2010 . A6 . June 30, 2012 .
  12. News: Lamoureux wins battle of Kevins . Larry . Kusch . Paul, Alexandra . Winnipeg Free Press . November 30, 2010 . A3 . June 30, 2012 .
  13. Sharon Blady's supporters rally in Kirkfield Park . New Democratic Party of Manitoba . March 25, 2011 . https://archive.today/20130116065954/http://todaysndp.ca/news/sharon-blady-s-supporters-rally-kirkfield-park . dead . January 16, 2013 . June 30, 2012 .
  14. News: He didn't just win their votes, he won their hearts . Dan . Lett . Winnipeg Free Press . November 5, 2011 . June 30, 2012 .
  15. News: Manitoba premier shuffles his cabinet, creates new youth department . Canadian Press . Global News . January 13, 2012 . June 30, 2012 .
  16. News: Premier Greg Selinger replaces 5 cabinet ministers in government revolt. CBC News. November 4, 2014.
  17. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/kevin-chief-wont-run-for-ndp-leadership-394331551.html "Kevin Chief won't run for NDP leadership"
  18. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/kevin-chief-resigns-1.3896978 "Point Douglas MLA Kevin Chief resigns seat"
  19. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/kevin-chief-resigns-as-mla-410112645.html "Kevin Chief officially resigns as MLA"