Allan Blakeney facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Allan Blakeney PC OC SOM QC FRSC
Blakeney in 2009
10th Premier of Saskatchewan
In office June 30, 1971 – May 8, 1982
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Lieutenant Governor	Stephen Worobetz George Porteous Irwin McIntosh
Preceded by	Ross Thatcher
Succeeded by	Grant Devine
Leader of the Opposition
In office July 4, 1970 – June 30, 1971
Preceded by	Woodrow Lloyd
Succeeded by	David Steuart
In office May 8, 1982 – November 7, 1987
Preceded by	Eric Berntson
Succeeded by	Roy Romanow
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for Regina City
In office June 8, 1960 – April 22, 1964 Serving with Charles C. Williams, Marjorie Cooper, Edward C. Whelan
Preceded by	Clarence Melvin Fines
Succeeded by	District divided
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for Regina West
In office April 22, 1964 – October 11, 1967 Serving with Marjorie Cooper
Preceded by	District divided
Succeeded by	District abolished
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for Regina Centre
In office October 11, 1967 – June 11, 1975
Preceded by	District created
Succeeded by	District renamed
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for Regina Elphinstone
In office June 11, 1975 – March 21, 1988
Preceded by	District renamed
Succeeded by	Dwain Lingenfelter
President of the New Democratic Party
In office 1969–1971
Preceded by	James Renwick
Succeeded by	Donald C. MacDonald
Personal details
Born	Allan Emrys Blakeney (1925-09-07)September 7, 1925 Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
Died	April 16, 2011(2011-04-16) (aged 85) Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Political party	New Democratic Party
Spouse	Anne Gorham
Children	4

Allan Emrys Blakeney (September 7, 1925 – April 16, 2011) was an important Canadian politician. He served as the tenth Premier of Saskatchewan from 1971 to 1982. The Premier is the leader of the provincial government, similar to how the Prime Minister leads the country.

Blakeney was born in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. He later moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, and worked for the provincial government. He then decided to run for office with the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), which later became the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP). He became the leader of the NDP in Saskatchewan in 1970. Overall, he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan (MLA) from 1960 to 1988. An MLA is like a representative for a specific area in the province.

Before becoming Premier, Blakeney played a big part in creating Canada's first public health insurance program, known as Medicare, in 1962. This program helps make sure everyone can get medical care. As Premier, Blakeney's government was known for how it managed natural resources. His government took control of the potash industry, which means the government owned and ran it. They also created new crown corporations, which are companies owned by the government, like SaskOil. Blakeney was also a key person in discussions about bringing the Canadian Constitution (Canada's main set of laws) home to Canada from Britain in the early 1980s. He also helped create the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which protects the rights of all Canadians. After leaving politics, Blakeney taught and wrote about law for over 20 years.

Early Life and Education

Allan Blakeney was born in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, on September 7, 1925. He went to Dalhousie University in Halifax, where he studied history and political science. He then earned a law degree from Dalhousie Law School, where he was a top student.

He won a special scholarship called a Rhodes Scholarship. This allowed him to study at Queen's College, Oxford in England. While there, he played for the Oxford University Ice Hockey Club. He studied politics, philosophy, and economics. Even though his family was more conservative, his time in law school and seeing how England was building its welfare state (where the government helps meet people's needs) made him believe that government could play a role in helping citizens.

After finishing his studies in Oxford, Blakeney returned to Canada. In 1950, he passed his law exam in Nova Scotia. That same year, he got married and moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, to work for the provincial government. He was interested in Saskatchewan because of the new ideas from Tommy Douglas's CCF government. Douglas's government was the first social democratic government elected in North America. Blakeney initially thought he would only stay in Saskatchewan for a couple of years, but he found the work interesting. He became a senior government official during the 1950s. His first wife, Molly, passed away in 1957. He married his second wife, Anne, in 1959, and they had four children.

Early Political Career (1960–1971)

Becoming an MLA

By the end of the 1950s, Blakeney decided to become a politician himself. He first ran as a CCF candidate in the 1960 election. At that time, some areas elected more than one MLA. Blakeney was one of four MLAs elected for Regina City. He continued to represent a Regina area in the Legislative Assembly until he retired in 1988.

Blakeney served as a cabinet minister in the governments led by Tommy Douglas and, later, Woodrow Lloyd. A cabinet minister is a politician who leads a specific government department. He was the Minister of Education, Provincial Treasurer (in charge of the province's money), and most importantly, Minister of Health. In this role, he helped put Medicare into action in Saskatchewan. This was a difficult time, as it led to the 1962 Saskatchewan doctors' strike, where doctors protested the new system.

In 1969, Blakeney was elected as the national president of the federal NDP party. He held this position until 1971.

Leading the NDP

In 1964, the CCF party lost the election to Ross Thatcher's Liberals. This defeat, after many years in power and the tough fight over Medicare, led to changes in the party. In 1967, the party officially changed its name to the NDP.

In 1970, Woodrow Lloyd decided to step down as leader. Blakeney decided to run for the leadership. He wanted to continue the party's work of building a strong social safety net. Blakeney won the leadership race, and his victory was seen as a win for the party's main ideas. Once he became leader, Blakeney worked to unite the party.

Premier of Saskatchewan (1971–1982)

Blakeney's first election plan as leader was called "A New Deal for People." It promised many social programs and government involvement in the economy. It also supported workers' rights and aimed to improve health and social services, including dental care for children and housing. In the 1971 provincial election, Blakeney's NDP defeated Thatcher's Liberals. They won with their highest ever share of the popular vote.

One of Blakeney's main goals was to build a strong cabinet and a skilled civil service (government workers). He believed in making decisions based on facts and trusted his cabinet ministers. His government quickly made changes to labour laws, making it easier for workers to form unions and bargain for better conditions. The NDP also set up legal aid, which helps people get legal advice, and the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, which protects people's rights.

One of the government's first and most debated ideas was creating a Land Bank for farmland. This bank would buy available land and then lease it to young farmers. This was an effort to help family farms and rural areas. Blakeney's government also created programs to keep crop prices stable and improve rural life.

Resource Development

Blakeney's government believed that developing the province's natural resources was key to achieving its goals. When the Energy Crisis hit in the 1970s, causing energy prices to rise, resource development became even more important. Blakeney believed that the people of Saskatchewan, not just big companies, should benefit most from these resources.

The NDP created new crown corporations like SaskOil, which explored for oil, and the Saskatchewan Mining Development Corporation, which developed the province's large uranium reserves. The province also disagreed with the federal government over how to tax resources. Saskatchewan's most important decision was to take control of the potash industry in 1976. This meant the government bought and ran the potash mines. While this was a big change, the province managed to buy the mines without having to take them by force.

Blakeney's government also created a Department of the Environment and set up rules for environmental assessments of projects.

Like previous CCF premiers, Blakeney focused on careful money management. The government's spending on social programs was largely paid for by its new resource projects and high royalties (payments from resource companies). Blakeney's government often had extra money in its budget. He also created a Heritage Fund to save money from resource revenues for future economic challenges. Because of this strong record, Blakeney's NDP was re-elected easily in the 1975 and 1978 provincial elections.

Constitutional Changes

Because of his legal background, Blakeney was very interested in Canada's Constitution. He played a big part in the talks between the federal government and the provinces that led to the Patriation of the Canadian Constitution in 1982. Patriation meant that Canada could change its own Constitution without needing approval from the British Parliament.

One of Blakeney's goals was to make sure the Constitution recognized the provinces' rights over their natural resources. He worked closely with Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed to achieve this. These rights were included in Section 92A of the Constitution.

Blakeney was also very important in creating Section 33 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This section is known as the "notwithstanding clause." It allows governments to pass laws even if they might go against certain parts of the Charter, showing that elected governments have a key role in making laws. Blakeney and his team also made sure that Section 35, which protects Indigenous rights, was included in the Constitution.

Later Political Career (1982–1988)

Blakeney ran for a fourth term in the 1982 provincial election. However, his government was defeated by Grant Devine's Progressive Conservatives. The NDP lost many of its seats.

Several things contributed to this defeat. The national economy was struggling. People might have been tired of the long discussions about the Constitution. The party also lost some support from unions, which are usually strong supporters of the NDP. This was partly because of conflicts with hospital workers. The Progressive Conservatives also ran a strong campaign, promising more private business opportunities and tax relief.

Despite the loss, Blakeney decided to stay on as the Leader of the Opposition. He led the party into the 1986 provincial election. Although the NDP won slightly more of the popular vote, the Progressive Conservatives won more seats and formed the government again. This was a disappointing result for Blakeney. In 1987, he announced he would step down as party leader and MLA. Roy Romanow became his successor in November 1987.

After Politics

After leaving politics, Blakeney taught law at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto for two years. He then became a visiting scholar at the University of Saskatchewan School of Law in Saskatoon.

Blakeney also worked as a consultant for the Romanow government in the 1990s. He served on several boards, including the board of Cameco, a uranium company. He was also a past president of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, an organization that works to protect people's rights and freedoms.

In the 1990s, Blakeney advised the African National Congress in South Africa as they prepared for their first national elections in 1994. He helped them understand how federal political systems work. He also spent time in Russia and Kyrgyzstan, advising their governments.

Blakeney co-wrote a book called Political Management in Canada in 1992, sharing his experiences in government. He also published his own memoirs in 2008.

Death

Allan Blakeney passed away on April 16, 2011, at his home in Saskatoon. He died from complications related to cancer. Many important people attended his memorial, including federal NDP leaders and former provincial premiers.

Honours

Blakeney received many honours for his work. In 1992, he was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is one of Canada's highest civilian honours, given for outstanding achievement. He was recognized for his work as Premier, his contributions to public administration, and his role in introducing Medicare.

In 2000, he received the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, and in 2001, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He also received honorary degrees from several universities.

In 2017, an adult education campus in Regina was renamed the Allan Blakeney Adult Campus in his honour. There is also a memorial for him in Wascana Centre, near the Saskatchewan Legislative Building.

Legacy

Allan Blakeney was deeply involved in Saskatchewan politics for many years, from the 1950s to the 1990s. He played a very important role in how the province developed politically and socially. His influence also reached beyond Saskatchewan.

Within Saskatchewan, Blakeney's government is seen as the last true social democratic government in the tradition of the CCF. His government's "creative ideas" helped shape the province's political systems. This can be seen in Saskatchewan's continued support for its crown corporations, which were a major focus for Blakeney. His government has even been called "the most innovative in Canadian history."

Beyond Saskatchewan, Blakeney is widely recognized, especially for his work in health care and constitutional matters. He played a critical role in dealing with the doctors' strike and putting Medicare into action in Saskatchewan. Just a few years later, Canada adopted Medicare across the country. Blakeney was also crucial in the talks that led to the Patriation of the Canadian Constitution in 1982. His legacy is especially noted in Sections 35 (Indigenous rights) and 92A (provincial resource rights), as well as Section 33 (the notwithstanding clause) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Blakeney believed the notwithstanding clause was important because it allowed elected governments to have the final say on certain laws, rather than appointed courts.

See also

• List of premiers of Saskatchewan