Lorne Calvert

Lorne Albert Calvert ( born December 24, 1952 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan ) is a Canadian politician and minister in the United Church of Canada. From 8 February 2001 to 21 November 2007 he was Prime Minister of the Province of Saskatchewan. He is since 1986 a deputy in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, since 2001 Chairman of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP ). As such, he is since his resignation as Prime Minister Leader of the Opposition. Expected in June 2009, he will leave the party chairmanship.

Occupation and provincial policy

Calvert grew up in Moose Jaw. After school, he studied economics at the University of Saskatchewan, then theology at the seminary of St Andrews College in Saskatoon. A year after marrying Betty Sluzalo followed 1976, the ordination to the clergy of the liberal dominated United Church of Canada. He then led congregations in various small towns in Saskatchewan and from 1979 to 1986 Zion United Church in Moose Jaw.

Influenced by his father, who had for many years supported the social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, Calvert joined the successor party to the NDP. In the elections to the Legislative Assembly in 1986, he successfully ran in the constituency of Moose Jaw South, where he vehemently spoke out against the planned construction of a casino. 1991 and 1995 he was confirmed in the constituency of Moose Jaw Wakamow. 1992 appointed him prime minister Roy Romanow to the minister responsible for SaskPower and SaskEnergy state-owned enterprises, 1995 to Minister of Health.

Prime minister

At the elections in 1999, Calvert did not occur, since it is a two-year break took to spend more time with his family. On January 27, 2001, he was elected as the new chairman of the NDP, on February 8, he took over from retiring Romanov, the head of government. A month later, he won the by-election in Saskatoon Riversdale constituency earlier Romanovs. Since the NDP did not have the absolute majority of seats, he led a coalition government with the Saskatchewan Liberal Party.

In the elections of November 2003, the NDP could set a seat and ordered now with 30 of 58 seats on the barest absolute majority. Calvert led Romanovs course continued, positioned the NDP continue in the middle of the political spectrum and operated a prudent fiscal policy. The opposition Saskatchewan Party, which had previously pursued a more conservative course, now also moving towards the center and could leave the NDP in opinion polls, especially in rural areas behind.

Other activities

On 7 November 2007, the NDP lost more than 7% share of the vote in the elections. Calvert came two weeks later as head of government and handed over the office to Brad Wall. The federal New Democratic Party asked Calvert, whether he would run in the general election of 2008. However, this declined the offer, but promised to get involved in the election campaign. On 16 October 2008, he announced his imminent resignation as chairman of the NDP Saskatchewan. His successor was elected on June 6, 2009.