William Hunter McKnight (July 12, 1940 – October 4, 2019) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

politician who served in the

Canadian House of Commons The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Commons is ...

from 1979 to 1993. During the government of Brian Mulroney, he served in various cabinet roles such as Minister of National Defence and

Minister of Agriculture An agriculture ministry (also called an) agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...

. He also served as the Treaty Commissioner for the Province of

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...

Biography

Born in

Wartime, Saskatchewan Wartime is an unincorporated community and former hamlet, within the Rural Municipality of Monet No. 257, Saskatchewan, Canada. The community is located along Highway 44 approximately 13 km west of Elrose along Canadian National Railway ...

, he served as

Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...

, Minister of National Defence during the first

Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...

Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources The minister of natural resources () is the minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). In addition to NRCan, the minister oversees the federal government's natural resources portfolio ...

and

Minister of Labour Minister of Labour (in British English) or Labor (in American English) is typically a cabinet-level position with portfolio responsibility for setting national labour standards, labour dispute mechanisms, employment, workforce participation, traini ...

in the Progressive Conservative government of

Brian Mulroney Martin Brian Mulroney ( ; born March 20, 1939) is a Canadian lawyer, businessman, and politician who served as the 18th prime minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993. Born in the eastern Quebec city of Baie-Comeau, Mulroney studied political sci ...

. He was sworn into the

Queen's Privy Council for Canada The 's Privy Council for Canada (french: Conseil privé du Roi pour le Canada),) during the reign of a queen. sometimes called Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council (PC), is the full group of personal consultants to the ...

on September 17, 1984. He was the Honorary Chief of the

Muskeg Lake Cree Nation The Muskeg Lake Cree Nation ( cr, script=Cans, ᒪᐢᑫᑯ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ, ) is a Cree First Nation band government in Marcelin, Saskatchewan, Canada. The Muskeg Lake Cree Nation is affiliated with the Saskatoon Tribal Council, along with ...

. A parcel of commercial land in Saskatoon was named after McKnight by the

in recognition of his role in creating federal policy for Land Claims Settlements. It is known as the McKnight Commercial Centre. McKnight died in Saskatoon on October 4, 2019 at the age of 79.

Airbus affair

McKnight testified on the first day of the

Airbus Affair The Airbus affair refers to allegations of secret commissions paid to members of the Government of Canada during the term of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney (1984–93), in exchange for then- crown corporation Air Canada's purchase of a large number ...

inquiry on 30 March 2009.

Honours

He was a Member of the

Saskatchewan Order of Merit The Saskatchewan Order of Merit (french: Ordre du Mérite de la Saskatchewan) is a civilian Award, honour for merit in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Instituted in 1985 by Lieutenant Governor of Saska ...

References

External links

Agriculture and Agri-Food Biography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McKnight, Bill 1940 births 2019 deaths Businesspeople from Saskatchewan Farmers from Saskatchewan Members of the 24th Canadian Ministry Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Saskatchewan Members of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit Progressive Conservative Party of Canada MPs Defence ministers of Canada Canadian Ministers of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada

Biography

Airbus affair

Honours

Archives

References

External links