Ken Dillen facts for kids

Ken Dillen (born April 29, 1938 – died April 20, 2020) was a Canadian politician. He was also a political activist. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1973 to 1977. During this time, he was part of the New Democratic Party (NDP). This party supports social democratic ideas. Later in his life, his political views changed. He even ran for election again in 2011. This time, he was a candidate for the Manitoba Liberal Party.

Ken Dillen's Early Life and Work

Ken Dillen was born on the Serpent River Indian Reserve. This reserve is located in Cutler, Ontario. He went to school in Ontario. He also attended the Canadian Army Apprentice Training School. This school was in Camp Borden.

He trained to become an ironworker. An ironworker builds things using metal. After moving to Manitoba, he became a leader in a union. He was the president of United Steel Workers local 6166. In the 1970s, he was also a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation. This group supports Métis people in Manitoba.

Serving as a Legislator

Ken Dillen was elected to the Manitoba legislature in 1973. This happened during the 1973 Manitoba general election. He won by a small number of votes. He beat Anna Derby from the Progressive Conservative Party. This election was for the northern area called Thompson. He was important because he was one of the first MLAs in many years with an Indigenous background.

The New Democratic Party won the election. They formed a majority government under Edward Schreyer's leadership. Ken Dillen became a government backbencher. This means he was a member of the ruling party but not a minister. He worked as a legislative assistant for Premier Schreyer. In the 1977 Manitoba general election, he lost his seat. He was defeated by Ken MacMaster, a Progressive Conservative candidate.

Later Career and Changing Views

After leaving the legislature, Dillen moved to Saskatchewan. He held several different jobs there. One job was overseeing uranium mining operations. He was also part of groups like the Interprovincial Association on Native Employment. He was also a member of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Even though he started in the labour movement and the New Democratic Party, his views changed. He began to support the "right-to-work" movement. This movement is against unions that require all workers to join. In 2004, he even called the Saskatchewan NDP "communistic." He said this because they wanted to unionize part-time workers. He also liked the ideas of Milton Friedman. Friedman was an economist who wrote Capitalism and Freedom.

Ken Dillen also had strong opinions on other topics. He was against gun control. He did not support the Canadian Wheat Board. He also opposed the Kyoto Accord, which was about climate change. He spoke out against efforts to ban pit bull dogs in Ontario.

In the late 2000s, he worked for the Prairie Centre Policy Institute. He later moved back to Manitoba. In 2011, he ran for election again in Thompson. This time, he ran as a Liberal candidate. He finished third in the election. Steve Ashton from the NDP won the seat. Ken Dillen passed away in Cutler, Ontario, on April 20, 2020. He was almost 82 years old.

Electoral record