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Buckley Belanger
Secretary of State (Rural Development)
Assumed office
May 13, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney
Preceded by Kody Blois
Member of Parliament
for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River
Assumed office
April 28, 2025
Preceded by Gary Vidal
Member of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly
for Athabasca
In office
June 21, 1995 – August 15, 2021
Preceded by Frederick John Thompson
Succeeded by Jim Lemaigre
Mayor of Île-à-la-Crosse
In office
1988–1994
Personal details
Born (1960-03-21) March 21, 1960 (age 65)
Île-à-la-Crosse, Saskatchewan, Canada
Political party Liberal
Other political
affiliations
Saskatchewan New Democratic (1998–2021)
Saskatchewan Liberal (until 1998)
Spouse Rebecca Pederson
Residences Île-à-la-Crosse, Saskatchewan
Occupation Journalist

Harold "Buckley" Belanger (born March 21, 1960) is a Canadian politician. He is currently the Secretary of State for Rural Development, a role he started in May 2025. Belanger is a Member of Parliament (MP) for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River in Saskatchewan. He was elected to the House of Commons in the 2025 federal election.

Belanger is a member of the Métis people and belongs to the Liberal Party of Canada. Before becoming a federal MP, he was involved in provincial politics. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Athabasca from 1995 to 2021. He first joined the Saskatchewan Liberal Party and later switched to the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP) in 1998.

In 2021, Belanger left his provincial role to run for a federal seat as a Liberal. He did not win that election but ran again in 2025 and was successful. He is currently the only Liberal MP from Saskatchewan, a province where the Conservative Party is very strong.

Buckley Belanger's Political Journey

Starting in Saskatchewan Politics

Buckley Belanger began his political career in Saskatchewan. He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 1995 provincial election. At that time, he was a member of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party.

In 1998, he decided to join the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP). After changing parties, he ran in a special election (called a by-election) for his seat. He won by a very large margin, showing strong support from voters. After this, he quickly became a minister in the government led by Premier Roy Romanow. Belanger was re-elected in every provincial election until 2020.

During his time as an MLA, Belanger held important roles in the provincial government. He served as the minister for the Environment and Resource Management. He was also an associate minister for Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs and the minister of Northern Affairs. These roles allowed him to work on important issues for Saskatchewan.

Before he became an MLA, Belanger was the mayor of Île-à-la-Crosse from 1988 to 1994. He also worked as a journalist and administrator for MBC Radio. In August 2021, he resigned from the provincial legislature to run in the federal election. He ran as a Liberal candidate but was not elected. He later served as mayor of Île-à-la-Crosse again in 2024.

Moving to Federal Politics

Buckley Belanger first ran in a federal election in 2021. He was the Liberal Party candidate for the riding of Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River. He was not successful in that election.

However, the Liberal Party chose him again to be their candidate for the same riding in the 2025 federal election. This time, he won the election. On May 13, 2025, he was appointed as the Secretary of State for Rural Development. This means he helps lead efforts to improve life in rural areas of Canada.

Buckley Belanger's Personal Life

Buckley Belanger is a proud member of the Métis community. He is married to Rebecca Pederson. They have three adult daughters.

Election Results

Buckley Belanger has participated in many elections throughout his career. Here are some of his recent results.

Federal Election Results

In the 2021 federal election for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, Buckley Belanger ran as a Liberal. He placed second in that election.

Provincial Election Results

Buckley Belanger won several provincial elections for the Athabasca riding.

In the 2020 provincial election, he won with 56.81% of the votes. In the 2016 provincial election, he won with 64.7% of the votes. In the 2011 provincial election, he won with 63.79% of the votes. In the 2007 provincial election, he won with 59.41% of the votes. In the 2003 provincial election, he won with 69.99% of the votes. In the 1999 provincial election, he won with 84.38% of the votes. In a special by-election in 1998, he won with 93.64% of the votes. In his first provincial election in 1995, he won with 45.59% of the votes.

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