Don Rusnak facts for kids

Don Rusnak (born October 5, 1975) is a Canadian politician. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area called Thunder Bay—Rainy River. He was an MP in the House of Commons of Canada from 2015 to 2019. He was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.

About Don Rusnak

Don Rusnak grew up in Northwestern Ontario. His family has strong ties to the Thunder Bay–Rainy River area. His parents are of Ukrainian and Anishinaabe (Ojibway) background.

His Education Journey

Don Rusnak studied Political Science at Lakehead University. He also learned about managing forest resources. Later, he went to law school at the University of Manitoba. He also studied at Osgoode Hall Law School. There, he focused on laws related to Indigenous lands and governments.

Before Becoming an MP

Before he became a politician, Don Rusnak worked in different fields. He worked in the forestry industry. He also worked for the government. He even had his own law practice.

He helped improve healthcare services in Northern Manitoba. As a Crown Prosecutor, he worked on criminal cases in Eastern Alberta. He also served as a leader for Grand Council Treaty No. 3. This is an organization for First Nations communities.

Don Rusnak also spent time volunteering. He helped groups like the Ontario Justice Education Network. He also worked with the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative. This group helps improve education for Indigenous students.

His Time in Federal Politics

Don Rusnak was elected as an MP in the 2015 federal election. He represented the Thunder Bay—Rainy River area. He was the only First Nation MP elected in Ontario at that time.

In September 2017, he was given a special role. He became the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services. This means he helped the Minister with their work. He left this role in August 2018 for family reasons.

In November 2018, he was chosen to run for re-election. However, he later decided not to run again in the 2019 federal election.

Roles in Parliament

While in Parliament, Don Rusnak had several important roles:

• He was part of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs. This group discusses issues important to Indigenous peoples.
• He was also on the Standing Joint Committee of the Library of Parliament.
• He was the Chair of the Indigenous Caucus. This is a group of Indigenous MPs.
• He was a director for the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group. This group helps build good relationships between Canada and Ukraine.