Bill Blaikie Wins Parliamentarian of the Year

In a political world of sound bites, anonymity and cynicism, Bill Blaikie stands out with his unhurried oratory, church basement intimacy and CCF dreaming. He's the NDP MP for Elmwood-Transcona and parliamentary deputy speaker.

He embodies the perennial frustrations and occasional small triumphs of old-school parliamentarians. A graduate of the University of Winnipeg in philosophy and religious studies, he is an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Best orator

For Blaikie, federal politics was a way to fight for something bigger than himself. That belief was summed up in his defiant reaction to one of Jack Layton’s rhetorical riffs during a debate.

He responded that “politics does happen outside the House,” but that’s no excuse to slacken standards of civility and moral indignation.

That stance shaped his approach to parliamentary life, which was marked by a rare mix of warmth and firmness. He will be missed. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh paid tribute to the MP for Elmwood-Transcona with a speech that lauded his dedication to quality healthcare and his love of nature. He also highlighted his trademark wit and good sense of humour. In fact, his recitation of the Address to the Haggis was embellished by bagpipe music.

Most knowledgeable

Blaikie carries with him a worldview informed by his faith. His childhood church experience of youth groups and seven years of perfect Sunday school attendance helped him develop a sincere, cohesive understanding of Christian theology. His post-secondary education likewise transformed his thinking.

He took the social gospel of the early 1900s, which applied Christian ethics to poverty, inequality and racism, and adapted it for 21st century Canada. As NDP health critic, he fought hard to prevent doctors from charging extra for care that is covered by provincial insurance programs.

Despite losing a 2003 bid for NDP leadership to Jack Layton, the ordained United Church minister became deputy speaker of Parliament, a job that allows him to step back from partisan political debates. He also wrote the memoir The Blaikie Report - An Insider's Look at Faith and Politics (2011).

Most congenial

In a political world of slick, camera-ready politicians, Blaikie was always on the side of the people. He was a fighter for social justice and a defender of the underdog.

The social restlessness of the late sixties wrought profound changes in his thinking. He listened to Tommy Douglas and MJ Coldwell speak at the NDP convention in 1971 and shifted parties.

He became the NDP health critic and worked hard to ensure a better health care system for working people. He was proud of pushing the Trudeau government to pass the Canada Health Act in 1984.

Blaikie, a former Manitoba NDP leader and provincial cabinet minister, retired from federal politics in 2008. He went back to Manitoba, where he served as an MLA for Elmwood-Transcona and as the province’s minister of conservation.

Hardest working

As a member of parliament for almost three decades, Blaikie has played an important role in some of Canada's most significant political decisions, including the creation of the Medicare Act. He takes inspiration from public intellectuals such as counter-culture prophet Theodore Roszak, French Christian anarchist Jacques Ellul and Canadian theologians Douglas Hall and Jim Wallis.

The NDP MP from Elmwood-Transcona also holds honorary doctorates from the University of Winnipeg and Victoria University, and wrote a political memoir entitled The Blaikie Report - An Insider's Look at Faith and Politics (2011). He's also a familiar face in the media, with frequent appearances on television and radio.

Blaikie retired from federal politics after the 2019 election and his son Daniel now represents the riding in Ottawa. He says he has no regrets and is gratified to see both his son and daughter, who is the NDP's national president, pursue careers in politics.

Most effective

A Manitoba native, Blaikie fought for the interests of the people in his riding of Transcona. Those efforts helped shape the Canada Health Act. Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew lauded the former MP as "a lion of our party" and said he was a tireless advocate for people everywhere.

In a political world full of slick, camera-ready politicians, Blaikie was an exception. The tall, bulky man rejected the politics of image-making. He was a defender of moral values and the social gospel, and he stood up for the rights of the poor and the oppressed.

The former minister of the United Church of Canada was a giant in his time as an MP. His unwavering commitment to social justice and his legendary knowledge of Parliament will be missed, MPs agree.