Grant Devine

Donald Grant Devine, SOM ( born July 5, 1944 in Regina, Saskatchewan ) is a Canadian politician. He was on May 8, 1982 to November 1, 1991 Prime Minister of the Province of Saskatchewan. From 1979 to 1992 he was chairman of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan. His reign was marked by extensive privatization of state enterprises, but also of record- high budget deficits and a political scandal.

Studies and provincial policy

Devine grew up on a farm near Moose Jaw. After leaving school, he studied agricultural science at the University of Saskatchewan. Later he continued his studies at the University of Alberta and at Ohio State University. In 1976, he earned a doctorate in agricultural economics. He led a farm and taught from 1976 to 1979 agricultural economics at the University of Saskatchewan.

In the 1970s, Devine joined the Progressive Conservative Party, which sought to establish itself as an alternative to the social democratic New Democrats and followed a populist course. In 1978 he stood as a candidate in elections to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for the seat in the constituency of Saskatoon Nutana - but without success. In November 1979 he was elected as the new party chairman, in the following year he narrowly failed in a by-election in Estevan.

Prime minister

During the campaign for the elections in April 1982 Devine promised that he would abolish the fuel tax, lower mortgage rates significantly and end the decades practiced state interventionism. The Progressive Conservatives increased their share of the vote by almost 16 % and triggered the New Democrats as the strongest from. Devine himself had been elected in Estevan and was sworn in on May 8, 1982 as the new prime minister; he was the first Conservative Prime Minister since James Thomas Milton Anderson, who in 1929 had formed a coalition government.

A first of Devine's acts was a statement that Saskatchewan " for the economy open" and the socialist era is now over. The government issued a private company for three years, the royalties on new oil sources and lowered the fees for existing. She sat through controversial reforms in education, social assistance and the labor law. In the elections of October 1986, the Progressive Conservatives had suffered losses, but were able to hold the absolute majority scarce.

The world market prices for oil and agricultural products fell sharply during Devine's second term of office, which had a negative impact on the economic development of Saskatchewan. Added to this was that the government had borrowed heavily before the election in order to secure the favor of the rural population. Thus, the deficit was in the fiscal year 1986/87 $ 1.2 billion instead of the budgeted 389 million. The financial crisis had massive cuts in the state workforce and in providing services that result, the government sold many state-owned enterprises. Nevertheless, the national debt as much as ever amounted in 1992 to over 15 billion dollars. In the elections of October 1991, the ruling party came only ten seats and had the power left to the New Democrats. Devine was deselected and handed over his office on 1 November 1991, Roy Romanow.

Following the resignation

In the years after the election defeat 12 deputies were accused of Devine's party for corruption and sentenced six of them. They had conceded too much expense money during the second term $ 837,000 and diverted fraudulently to a front company. Devine himself was not involved in the scandal, because of numerous omissions his reputation was yet struck.

In October 1992, Devine resigned as party chairman. In 2004, he announced his intention, for the Conservative Party of Canada candidate for a seat in the House of Commons. However, the party declared him persona non grata and refused him the right to accept nomination. As Devine announced that he will compete as an independent, he was expelled from the party. He achieved the second best result in the constituency of Souris - Moose Mountain.