Jim Rondeau (born April 6, 1959) is a former politician in
Manitoba
, image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg
, map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada
, Label_map = yes
, coordinates =
, capital = Winn ...
, Canada. He served as a member of the
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba (french: Assemblée législative du Manitoba) is the deliberative assembly of the Manitoba Legislature in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly at provincial gen ...
from 1999 to 2016, and served as cabinet minister in the provincial governments of
Gary Doer
Gary Albert Doer (born 31 March 1948) is a former Canadian politician and diplomat from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He served as Canada's ambassador to the United States from 19 October 2009, to 3 March 2016. Doer previously served as the 20th p ...
and
Greg Selinger
Gregory Francis Selinger (born February 16, 1951) is a Canadian former politician who served as the 21st premier of Manitoba from 2009 until 2016, leading an NDP government. From 1999 to 2009 he was the Minister of Finance in the government of ...
The son of Gaston Joseph Rondeau and Dorothy Jean Finch, he was born in
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749, ...
, and was educated at
John Taylor Collegiate
John Taylor Collegiate is a public high school in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is part of the St. James-Assiniboia School Division and is located at 470 Hamilton Avenue, in the Crestview area of Winnipeg. The school was founded in 1964 and co ...
. He holds a
Bachelor of Education
A Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) is an undergraduate professional degree which prepares students for work as a teacher in schools. In some countries such as Tanzania and Kenya, additional tasks like field work and research are required in order fo ...
degree from the
University of Winnipeg
The University of Winnipeg (UWinnipeg, UW) is a public research university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and kinesiology and applied health as well as gra ...
and has completed post-baccalaureate studies at the
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba. He was a teacher at
Norway House
Norway House is a population centre of over 5,000 people, some north of Lake Winnipeg, on the bank of the eastern channel of Nelson River, in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The population centre shares the name ''Norway House'' with the north ...
High School from 1981 to 1984 and later taught at Cranberry Portage, before becoming coordinator of the
Frontier School Division
Frontier School Division is the largest geographical school division in Manitoba, Canada, covering most schools in northern Manitoba. With 41 schools operating across Manitoba, the Frontier School Division provides educational services to a larger ...
at the
University of Winnipeg
The University of Winnipeg (UWinnipeg, UW) is a public research university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and kinesiology and applied health as well as gra ...
. Rondeau helped establish several learning centres and libraries throughout the province, and founded a school-to-work transition program for young people from northern Manitoba. He also coached the Winnipeg Eagles
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...
Club, and was coach and manager of the Manitoba Volleyball team in several North American Aboriginal Games.
Politician
Government backbencher
Rondeau was first elected to the Manitoba Legislature in the 1999 provincial election with a dramatic victory in the west-end Winnipeg riding of
Assiniboia
Assiniboia District refers to two historical districts of Canada's Northwest Territories. The name is taken from the Assiniboine First Nation.
Historical usage
''For more information on the history of the provisional districts, see also Distri ...
, previously regarded as safe for the Progressive Conservative Party. On election night, the final vote totals showed Progressive Conservative incumbent
Linda McIntosh
Linda Laughlin McIntosh (born December 14, 1943) is a former politician in Manitoba, Canada. She was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1990 to 1999, and a cabinet minister for most of this period. Among other awards and recog ...
winning re-election by two votes. After the institutional ballots were counted, however, Rondeau was declared elected by six votes. A recount later reduced his majority to four, and a subsequent judicial ruling struck it down to three.
Rondeau entered the legislature as a
backbench
In Westminster and other parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a member of parliament (MP) or a legislator who occupies no governmental office and is not a frontbench spokesperson in the Opposition, being instead simply a member of the " ...
supporter of Gary Doer's government, and soon became known as a strong constituency worker. He kept a strong interest in educational issues, and was a frequent participant in debates at the St. James-Assiniboia School Board. He represented the provincial government at Manitoba's 2001 Hire a Student Day event, and was appointed to the board of Junior Achievement of Manitoba in 2003 with responsibility for Government, Education and Labor Relations. Rondeau also played an important role in assuring passage of the provincial Canadian Forces Personnel Act.
Rondeau is the first openly
gay
''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'.
While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...
member of the Manitoba legislature, and was the keynote speaker of Winnipeg's 2000
Gay Pride
LGBT pride (also known as gay pride or simply pride) is the promotion of the self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people as a social group. Pride, as opposed to s ...
Parade. He encouraged the Doer government to introduce full legal equality for gay and lesbian couples during its first term, and strongly supported 2002 legislation that ensured full equality for all common-law relationships. He later became a vocal supporter of
same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...
, which was legalized in Canada in 2005. Rondeau has said that his sexual orientation has never been controversial in his constituency, once telling a journalist, "People don't care one way or the other. I'm surprised, pleasantly surprised, that people don't make it an issue."
Rondeau supported
Jack Layton
John Gilbert Layton (July 18, 1950 – August 22, 2011) was a Canadian academic and politician who served as the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) from 2003 to 2011 and leader of the Official Opposition in 2011. He previously sat on To ...
Rondeau's narrow victory in 1999 made his seat a key Progressive Conservative target in the 2003 election, but he was re-elected with 63% of the vote, winning every poll but one. In November 2003, he was appointed as Minister of Healthy Living within the
Department of Health
A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their ow ...
, with special responsibility for Seniors and Healthy Child Manitoba. He became a strong advocate for public awareness and preventative medicine, and indicated that the Doer government would consider removing the provincial sales tax from nutritional supplements and alternative foods.
In December 2003, Rondeau announced that Manitoba would ban all smoking from indoor public places and workplaces within a year. The initiative was described as the most ambitious anti-smoking strategy in Canada, and a February 2004 poll showed that many smokers were considering quitting in light of the ban. Rondeau introduced the anti-smoking bill in March 2004, and the ban came into effect at the beginning of October. The bill exempted tobacco shops as well as native reserves and casinos, which the government argued were outside provincial jurisdiction.
In March 2004, Rondeau announced that the Doer government had signed a $2.5-million contract to create a Prostate Centre at CancerCare Manitoba. He later handled negotiations concerning whether or not the Manitoba government would provide funding for an
abortion
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pre ...
clinic in Winnipeg. Despite some initial reluctance, he announced in July 2004 that the government would fully fund abortions at Jane's Clinic, once owned by
Henry Morgentaler
Henekh "Henry" Morgentaler, (March 19, 1923 – May 29, 2013), was a Polish-born Canadian physician and abortion rights advocate who fought numerous legal battles aimed at expanding abortion rights in Canada. As a Jewish youth during World War ...
. In late April 2004, he announced that the provincial government would pay for child vaccinations against
chicken pox
Chickenpox, also known as varicella, is a highly contagious disease caused by the initial infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV). The disease results in a characteristic skin rash that forms small, itchy blisters, which eventually scab ...
pneumococcus
''Streptococcus pneumoniae'', or pneumococcus, is a Gram-positive, spherical bacteria, alpha-hemolytic (under aerobic conditions) or beta-hemolytic (under anaerobic conditions), aerotolerant anaerobic member of the genus Streptococcus. They are ...
.
Rondeau and
Fort Garry
Fort Garry, also known as Upper Fort Garry, was a Hudson's Bay Company trading post at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers in what is now downtown Winnipeg. It was established in 1822 on or near the site of the North West Company' ...
representative
Kerri Irvin-Ross
Kerri Irvin-Ross is a Canadian former politician in Manitoba. A member of the New Democratic Party, she served as a cabinet minister under premiers Gary Doer and Greg Selinger, including as Selinger's deputy premier from 2015 to 2016.
Irvin-Ro ...
co-chaired public hearings on Manitoba's privacy laws in May 2004. Later in the year, he announced that the government would establish a "Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures" committee of the legislature.
Minister of Industry, Economic Development and Mines
Rondeau was promoted to a full cabinet portfolio on October 12, 2004, as Minister of Industry, Economic Development and Mines. He indicated that Manitoba had the potential for strong economic growth in the mining sector, particularly in light of the need for raw materials in countries such as
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and China. He also announced that he would work to reduce government bureaucracy in the sector, and make it easier for mining projects to get underway. The mining sector reported dramatic growth in 2005, highlighted by a new investment from
Inco
Vale Canada Limited (formerly Vale Inco, CVRD Inco and Inco Limited; for corporate branding purposes simply known as "Vale" and pronounced in English) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Brazilian mining company Vale. Vale's nickel mining and ...
and a new gold mine project in Bissett.
Rondeau launched a farm immigration program in February 2005, making it easier for young farmers to move to Manitoba. He also expanded oil exploration in the province, removing the sales tax for drilling and exploration equipment. Manitoba's oil sector grew at a record level in 2006, with 478 new wells started.
In 2004-05, Rondeau accused the federal government and federal
Health Minister A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services.
Some governments have separate ministers for mental health.
Coun ...
Ujjal Dosanjh
Ujjal Dev Dosanjh ( pa, ਉੱਜਲ ਦੇਵ ਦੁਸਾਂਝ) (), (born September 9, 1947) is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the 33rd premier of British Columbia from 2000 to 2001 and as a Liberal Party of Canada member of ...
of undermining Manitoba's online pharmaceutical industry, which was then shipping large quantities of medication to the
United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
. He argued that the government should compensate Manitoba for lost jobs if it chose to shut down the sector. Rondeau later indicated that he would support a ban on bulk exports to America, but added that government intervention appeared to be unnecessary in any event.
As Industry minister, Rondeau was responsible for overseeing the troubled
Crocus Investment Fund
The Crocus Investment Fund was a Manitoba-based Canadian Labour Sponsored Venture Capital Corporation. In its first four years after incorporation, the fund raised $50 million. In 2005, it was placed in receivership following investigations by Man ...
and faced difficult questions relating to the fund's management in early 2005. He acknowledged that the province was responsible for regulating Crocus, but argued that it had no involvement in the fund's day-to-day operations.
Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mines
After a cabinet shuffle on September 21, 2006, Rondeau was reassigned as Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mines. Soon after his appointment, he announced that the Doer government would spend $70M to clean up the province's abandoned mines.
Rondeau criticized the environmental strategy of
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
government in late 2006, saying that Harper was not moving as assertively as had the previous government of
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin (born August 28, 1938), also known as Paul Martin Jr., is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 21st prime minister of Canada and the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2003 to 2006.
The son o ...
. Notwithstanding this criticism, he indicated in early 2007 that Manitoba's share of a $1.5 billion federal Eco-Trust and Clean Air Fund will be at least $50 million, and could reach $100 million.Mia Rabson, "Province has wish list for federal green cash", ''Winnipeg Free Press'', 15 February 2007, A3. He has said that the money will go to developing hydrogen technology for buses and providing energy efficiency programs for low-income Manitobans.
Rondeau supports a proposed east-west Canadian power grid, and has endorsed the federal government's plan for a national ban on inefficient
incandescent light bulb
An incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is an electric light with a wire filament heated until it glows. The filament is enclosed in a glass bulb with a vacuum or inert gas to protect the filament from oxid ...
s by 2012. In February 2007, he announced that anyone who registers an energy-efficient hybrid vehicle in Manitoba between 15 November 2006 and 15 November 2008 will receive a $2,000 rebate from the provincial government.
Rondeau was re-elected in the 2007 provincial election, as the New Democratic Party won a third consecutive majority government. He retained his position as Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mines, and was also appointed as interim Minister of Competitiveness, Training and Trade, a position he held until February 2008.
Rondeau has said that Manitoba would neither raise Hydro rates nor implement a
carbon tax
A carbon tax is a tax levied on the carbon emissions required to produce goods and services. Carbon taxes are intended to make visible the "hidden" social costs of carbon emissions, which are otherwise felt only in indirect ways like more sev ...
to promote conservation, arguing that the goal could be achieved by other means. He announced a "pause" on further
uranium
Uranium is a chemical element with the symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium is weak ...
exploration permits the following month, after health and environmental concerns were raised by the Northlands Dene First Nation. He has also indicated that the provincial and federal governments will spend over half a million dollars to expand a biodiesel testing laboratory in
Manitoba Hydro
The Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board, operating as Manitoba Hydro, is the electric power and natural gas utility in the province of Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1961, it is a provincial Crown Corporation, governed by the Manitoba Hydro-Electric Boa ...
's East Selkirk plant, and has announced legislation to encourage further growth within the sector.
In late 2007, he wrote an editorial piece in support of a government policy requiring that 8.5% of the total volume of gasoline sold in Manitoba is to be ethanol. The mandate will take effect in 2008. In January 2008, Rondeau announced a tax credit for investments in small and medium-sized businesses.Martin Cash, "New tax credit promotes investment in mid-size businesses", ''Winnipeg Free Press'', 8 January 2008, B4.
Electoral record
All Manitoba divisions were redistributed before the 1999 election.
All electoral information is taken from
Elections Manitoba
Elections Manitoba (french: Élections Manitoba) is the non-partisan agency of the Government of Manitoba responsible for the conduct and regulation of provincial elections in Manitoba.
Its responsibilities are to operate free of political influ ...
. Expenditure entries refer to individual candidate expenses.