Don Mazankowski facts for kids

Donald Frank Mazankowski (July 27, 1935 – October 27, 2020) was an important Canadian politician. He served as a cabinet minister for two prime ministers, Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney. He was even the Deputy Prime Minister under Brian Mulroney.

After leaving politics in 1993, Mazankowski worked as a consultant. He also joined the boards of several large companies.

Growing Up in Alberta

Donald Frank Mazankowski was born in Viking, Alberta, on July 27, 1935. His parents, Frank and Dora, came to Canada from the United States in 1921. They were of Polish descent.

After finishing high school, Mazankowski moved to Chicago. He worked there as a dispatcher for a trucking company. Later, he returned to Alberta and started his own gas station in Innisfree. He and his brother Ray also opened a car dealership near Vegreville.

First Steps into Politics

Mazankowski's first experience in public service was as a trustee for a local school board. He did this for five years. This experience made him want to get more involved in politics.

In 1968, he decided to run for the Progressive Conservative Party in his local area, Vegreville. He won the nomination. In the federal election that same year, he was elected to the House of Commons of Canada. This meant he became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Vegreville.

A Career in Canadian Politics

Mazankowski held several important jobs in the Canadian government. During the short time that Joe Clark was prime minister, Mazankowski was the Minister of Transport. This job involves looking after things like roads, railways, and airports.

When the Progressive Conservatives won the 1984 election with Brian Mulroney as prime minister, Mazankowski became Minister of Transport again. In 1986, he was given an even bigger role. He became the Deputy Prime Minister. This is a very senior position, helping the prime minister run the country. He also became the Government House Leader. This meant he helped manage the government's business in Parliament.

Key Role in Trade Agreements

Mazankowski became one of the most well-known faces of the government. He was a strong supporter of important trade deals. These included the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). These agreements made it easier for Canada to trade goods with the United States and Mexico.

In April 1991, Mazankowski was given another major job. He became the Minister of Finance. In this role, he was in charge of the country's money and economy. He replaced Michael Wilson in this position.

Life After Parliament

Don Mazankowski left politics on June 7, 1993. When Kim Campbell became the new prime minister, Gilles Loiselle took over as Finance Minister. Mazankowski did not run in the 1993 election. After leaving politics, he went back to working in the private sector. He joined the boards of several organizations, including the University of Alberta.

Helping with Health Care

In 2001, the Premier of Alberta, Ralph Klein, asked Mazankowski for help. He asked him to lead a group called the Premier's Advisory Council on Health. This group was tasked with looking at Alberta's health care system. They had to suggest ways to make it better.

The Council released its report, known as the Mazankowski report, in January 2002. The Alberta government accepted all of the suggestions. The report focused on giving people more choices in their health care.

Supporting the Conservative Party

Mazankowski also played an important part in bringing together two political parties in 2003. These were the Progressive Conservative Party and the Canadian Alliance. He strongly supported the creation of the new Conservative Party of Canada.

Don Mazankowski passed away on October 27, 2020, when he was 85 years old.

Special Honours

Mazankowski received many special honours for his service to Canada.

In 1992, he was given the special title of "Right Honourable." This title is usually given to prime ministers or chief justices. It shows how highly he was respected.

In 2000, Mazankowski was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is one of Canada's highest civilian honours. In 2013, he was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada, an even higher level. He was also inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2003.

Archives

You can find many of Donald Mazankowski's historical papers and records at Library and Archives Canada.