- Roy Romanow
Infobox Prime Minister
honorific-prefix =The Honourable
name = Roy John Romanow
honorific-suffix = PC OC QC SOM
caption =
order1 = 12th
office1 = Premier of Saskatchewan
term_start1 = 1991
term_end1 = 2001
lieutenant_governor1 =Sylvia Fedoruk ,Jack Wiebe ,Lynda Haverstock
predecessor1 =Grant Devine
successor1 =Lorne Calvert
office2 = Leader of the Opposition
term_start2 = 2004
term_end2 =November 20 ,2007
predecessor2 =Allan Blakeney
successor2 =Grant Devine
party = New Democrats
birth_date = birth date and age |1939|08|12
birth_place =Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
death_date =
death_place =
party = New Democrats
spouse = Elanore Romanow
religion = |Roy John Romanow PC OC QC SOM (born
August 12 ,1939 inSaskatoon, Saskatchewan ) is a Canadian politician and formerPremier ofSaskatchewan (1991–2001).He was first elected to the
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan in the 1967 provincial election in the riding ofSaskatoon Riversdale . From 1971 to 1982, he served asdeputy premier of Saskatchewan. In 1982 he was defeated by Joanne Zazalenchuk a 22 year old retail employee. From 1987 to 2001, he was leader of theSaskatchewan New Democratic Party . Riversdale remains one the poorest and most crime ridden urban ridings in Saskatchewan.Romanow was well-acquainted with
Pierre Trudeau , Prime Minister from 1968–1979 and 1980–1984. He remains a close friend ofJean Chrétien , who was prime minister from 1993 to 2003.During the 1981 discussions over
patriation of theCanadian constitution ,Attorney-General ofOntario Roy McMurtry , Chrétien and Romanow worked out the final details of Canada's new constitution, resulting in the famous late-nightKitchen Accord . Romanow objected strongly to any protections on private property in the newCharter of Rights and Freedoms , and none were included.On
November 7 ,1987 , Romanow replacedAllan Blakeney as leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party. When the party won the 1991 provincial election, he became Premier of Saskatchewan.Romanow's government was more conservative than previous NDP administrations, and was considered a practitioner of what became known as the Third Way in the mold of the
British Labour Party underTony Blair . Romanow, who inherited a $14 billion dollar debt from the previous Conservative government, [David Roberts, Romanow cuts spending, hikes taxes. Globe and Mail. p. A6. March 19, 1993.] eliminated the annual budgetary deficit by closing hospitals, [David Roberts, A radical prescription for health-care reform, Globe and Mail, pp. A1,A6, July 21, 1994.] cutting services and raising taxes. [ [http://www.fcpp.org/main/publication_detail.php?PubID=585 FCPP Publications :: Janice MacKinnon, Romanow's Finance Minister ] ] Romanow's government also had the benefit of substantially lower interest rates at a national level than did his predecessor in the 1980s. The Romanow NDP explained the cutbacks to the left wing of the party by claiming Romanow's range of political action was limited by the large debt accumulated by previous governments.However, while supporters of the New Democratic Party contend that before Grant Devine came to power the province had a balanced budget (i.e. no public debt) under the previous NDP governments, the NDP's opponents have always contended that the governments of Allan Blakeney, in which Romanow had been Deputy Premier, had hidden large debts in Saskatchewan's Crown corporations.Fact|date=November 2007
In the 1999 provincial election, the NDP was re-elected to a third consecutive term, but was reduced to a minority of seats in the legislature. Romanow along with
Dwain Lingenfelter negotiated an agreement to form acoalition government with theSaskatchewan Liberal Party , appointing several Liberals toCabinet . Romanow retired in 2001, and was replaced as leader of the NDP and Premier byLorne Calvert .The federal Liberals, and especially Jean Chrétien, had long tried to encourage Romanow to run federally as a Liberal, but he always refused.
On
April 4 ,2001 , Romanow was appointed to head theRoyal Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada by Governor GeneralAdrienne Clarkson , on the advice of Prime MinisterJean Chrétien . He released theRomanow Report in 2002, which outlined suggestions to improve the health care system.On
November 13 ,2003 he was sworn in as a member of theQueen's Privy Council for Canada by Governor General Clarkson, again on the advice of Prime Minister Chrétien.In 2003, he was made an Officer of the
Order of Canada and was awarded theSaskatchewan Order of Merit . Romanow's official portrait was unveiled at Saskatchewan's Legislative Assembly in 2005, when he received the Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan from Lieutenant Governor Dr. Lynda Haverstock.References
External links
* [http://www.gr.gov.sk.ca/protocol/honours/SOM_romanow.htm Article on Saskatchewan Order of Merit Appointment]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.