James Erwin Downey (born August 10, 1942) is a 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 was 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 1977 to 1999, and served as a cabinet minister in the Progressive Conservative governments of

Sterling Lyon Sterling Rufus Lyon (January 30, 1927 – December 16, 2010) was a Canadian lawyer, cabinet minister, and the 17th premier of Manitoba from 1977 to 1981. His government introduced several fiscally-conservative measures, and was sometimes seen a ...

and

Gary Filmon Gary Albert Filmon (born August 24, 1942) is Canadian politician from Manitoba. He was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba from 1983 to 2000, and served as the 19th premier of Manitoba from 1988 to 1999. Political care ...

Early life

Downey was born in Melita, Manitoba. He served as an Air Cadet, and received an Agriculture Diploma from 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.

Manitoba politics

Downey was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1977, scoring a fairly easy victory in the southwestern rural riding of

Arthur Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more wi ...

(generally regarded as a safe seat for the party). Lyon's Progressive Conservatives defeated the New Democratic Party under

Edward Schreyer Edward Richard Schreyer (born December 21, 1935) is a Canadian politician, diplomat, and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 22nd since Canadian Confederation. Schreyer was born and educated in Manitoba, and was first electe ...

in this election, and Downey was appointed as

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 ...

on October 24, 1977. He held this position until November 30, 1981, when the NDP returned to power. Downey himself was easily re-elected in the 1981 election, defeating his NDP opponent by over 3500 votes. Despite a credible challenge from the new

Confederation of Regions Party The Confederation of Regions Party (CoR) was a right-wing politics, right-wing federal list of political parties in Canada, political party in Canada founded in 1984 by Elmer Knutson. It was founded as a successor to the Western Canada Federation ...

, Downey was again re-elected without too much difficulty in the 1986 provincial election. Two years later, he faced a stronger challenge from

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

Douglas Mosset, but still retained his seat by over 2000 votes. The Progressive Conservatives under Gary Filmon formed a minority government after this election, and Downey returned to cabinet on May 9, 1988 as Minister of Northern Affairs with responsibility for Native Affairs, the Manitoba Natural Resources Development Act, A.E. McKenzie Co. Ltd., the Manitoba Oil and Gas Corporation Act and the Communities Economic Development Fund Act. On April 21, 1989 he was also named minister responsible for Seniors. Downey was again re-elected in the general election of 1990, defeating Liberal

Glen McKinnon Glen McKinnon (born 16 December 1937) is a Canadian educator and politician from Manitoba. He represented the federal electoral district of Brandon—Souris in the House of Commons of Canada from 1993 to 1997 as a member of the Liberal Party. He ...

(later a federal MP) by 2688 votes. He was named

Deputy Premier A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, ...

on September 27, 1990, and on February 5, 1991 was named as Minister of Rural Development. After a cabinet shuffle on January 14, 1992, Downey was named Minister of Northern and Native Affairs and Minister of Energy and Mines. He was transferred again on September 10, 1993, this time to the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism with responsibility for the Communities Development Corporation Act. Downey was again re-elected without difficulty in the 1995 provincial election, and continued to serve as Deputy Premier and Industry Minister until February 5, 1999. He did not seek re-election later in the year, but instead served as campaign manager for the Progressive Conservatives in their loss to

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 ...

's New Democrats. (He had played the same role for the party in their successful campaign of 1995.) In 2000, Downey endorsed Tom Long's bid to lead the newly formed

Canadian Alliance The Canadian Alliance (french: Alliance canadienne), formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance (french: Alliance réformiste-conservatrice canadienne), was a centre-right to right-wing federal political party in Canada that existed ...

party (''National Post'', 10 May 2000). In 2004, he endorsed

Belinda Stronach Belinda Caroline Stronach (Born May 2, 1966) is a Canadian businesswoman, philanthropist and a former Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of Canada from 2004 to 2008. Originally elected as a Conservative, she later crossed the fl ...

for leader of the new Conservative Party of Canada. Downey ran for a directorship on the

Canadian Wheat Board The Canadian Wheat Board (french: Commission canadienne du blé, links=no) was a marketing board for wheat and barley in Western Canada. Established by the Parliament of Canada on 5 July 1935, its operation was governed by the Canadian Wheat Bo ...

in 2002, campaigning against the board's monopoly status. He lost to incumbent Bill Nicholson, who supports the current system.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Downey, Jim Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba MLAs 1942 births Living people Deputy premiers of Manitoba