Alan Lagimodiere
{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| honorific-suffix =
| image =
| imagesize =
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| office1 = Minister of Natural Resources and Northern Development
| term_start1 = June 6, 2022
| term_end1 = June 9, 2022
| premier1 = Heather Stefanson
| predecessor1 = Scott Fielding
| successor1 = Greg Nesbitt
| office = Minister of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations
| term_start = July 15, 2021
| term_end = January 30, 2023
| predecessor = Eileen Clarke
| successor = Eileen Clarke
| premier = Brian Pallister
Kelvin Goertzen
Heather Stefanson
| office2 = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Selkirk
| term_start2 = April 19, 2016
| term_end2 = September 5, 2023
| predecessor2 = Greg Dewar
| successor2 = Richard Perchotte
| party = Progressive Conservative
| birth_date = 1957
| birth_place = The Pas, Manitoba
| nationality =
| occupation = Veterinarian
Hotelier
| alma_mater = University of Manitoba (BS, MBA)
University of Saskatchewan (DVM)
}}
Alan Dean Lagimodiere is a Canadian provincial politician who served as the representative for the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Selkirk. Prior to his run for the Manitoba Legislature he was a hotelier and veterinarian. Soon after his election to a second term he was named the Minister of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations, though upon his appointment he was criticized for his vocal defense of the Canadian residential school system.
Early life
Lagmodiere was born and raised in Northern Manitoba in the community of The Pas. He is Métis and a member of Manitoba's Metis Nation. Lagmodiere holds a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture from the University of Manitoba, and later both a Master of Business Administration and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Saskatchewan.{{cite web |url=https://www.pcmanitoba.com/alan_lagimodiere |title=Alan Lagimodiere |publisher=PCManitoba.com |accessdate=July 15, 2021}}
Business career
Lagmodiere began his career in Selkirk, Manitoba as a veterinarian and businessperson.{{cite news |url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/Former-trustee-Hrynyk-throws-hat-into-ring-to-run-for-NDP-in-St-Johns-367514311.html |publisher=Winnipeg Free Press |title=Three candidates to seek nomination for NDP in St. Johns |author=Kristin Annable |date=February 4, 2016}} He has been a member of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association, and the Manitoba Hotel Association through his co-ownership of a group of local hotels.
Electoral career
Lagmodiere who was elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for the riding of Selkirk in the 2016 election.{{cite news|title=Manitoba election results|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/2647832/manitoba-election-results-2016-a-live-riding-by-riding-breakdown-of-the-vote/|accessdate=20 April 2016|work=Global News|date=19 April 2016}} He had previously run for the PC nomination in 2014 against fellow candidate David Horbas, whom he replaced at the last minute in the 2016 after Horbas was dismissed from running an additional time (Horbas claimed he was not informed of the decision mid-campaign).{{cite news |title=Tories have new candidate in Selkirk |author=Zach Samborski |publisher=Interlake Spectator |date=February 3, 2016 |url=https://winnipegsun.com/2016/02/03/tories-have-new-candidate-in-selkirk}} He is a member of the Progressive Conservative party, and defeated NDP incumbent and long-term MLA Greg Dewar in the election. He was re-elected in the 2019 provincial election. In 2021 Lagimodiere was appointed to the position of Minister of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations.{{cite news|title=PREMIER ANNOUNCES ADJUSTMENTS TO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL|url=https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=51743&posted=2021-07-15|work=Province of Manitoba Press Release|date=17 July 2021}}
=Defence of the Canadian residential school system=
In the minutes following his appointment as the minister in charge of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations,{{cite news |url=https://ca.news.yahoo.com/manitoba-indigenous-minister-says-residential-172518649.html |title=New Manitoba Indigenous minister says residential school system believed 'they were doing the right thing' |date=July 15, 2021 |publisher=CBC via Yahoo News}} Lagimodiere made comments defending the Canadian residential school system,{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/alan-lagimodiere-comments-residential-schools-1.6104189 |title=New Manitoba Indigenous minister says residential school system believed 'they were doing the right thing' |author=Sarah Petz |publisher=CBC News |date=July 15, 2021}} and was criticized for his support of this tool of genocide.{{cite news |url=https://winnipeg.citynews.ca/2021/07/15/manitoba-new-indigenous-minister-alan-lagimodiere-residential-schools-defence/ |title=Manitoba's new Indigenous minister faces backlash for defence of residential schools in first press conference |publisher=City News |author=Dilshad Burman and Courtney Theriault |date=July 15, 2021}} In a confrontation, Lagimodiere was corrected by NDP Leader Wab Kinew, who informed him that, "it was the express intent of residential schools to kill the Indian in the child—it is not cultural relativism, it is not revisionist history for us to say that that was wrong."{{cite news |url=https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/you-can-t-be-out-here-defending-residential-schools-opposition-leader-calls-out-manitoba-s-new-indigenous-relations-minister-1.5510619 |title='You can't be out here defending residential schools': Opposition leader calls out Manitoba's new Indigenous relations minister |publisher=CTV News |author=Danton Unger |date=July 15, 2021}}
President of the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF), David Chartrand, (of which Lagimodiere is a member of the MMF), later stated:
{{Blockquote
|text=It is very disappointing for me to see one of my Metis citizens really bow down to somebody else's (way of) how they see the world. That is completely opposite of what we see, and for Lagimodiere to give up on his people, abandon his people, sit silent all these years hoping he is going to be appointed to minister, shutting down his principles, and definitely shutting down his nation.{{cite news |url=https://chvnradio.com/articles/mmf-president-disturbed-by-ministers-residential-school-comments |title=MMF President disturbed by Minister's residential school comments |author=Taylor Brock |date=July 15, 2021 |publisher=CHVN Radio}}}}
Lagimodiere later stated he felt his claim for the virtuousness of the residential schools was misunderstood and chose not to apologize for the fourteen minute introductory speech that he had provided on his views.{{cite news |url=https://www.brandonsun.com/local/indigenous-reconciliation-minister-sparks-controversy-just-minutes-after-swearing-in-574840482.html |publisher=Brandon Sun |title=New Indigenous reconciliation minister delivers disastrous debut |author=Dylan Robertson |date=July 15, 2021}} In response, Chief Sheldon Kent of Black River First Nation stated that the minister's, "comments were harmful, retriggering anger and discontent among our people. There was no good intention at Indian residential schools to promote and it is catastrophically irresponsible to suggest otherwise," while calling for his resignation.{{cite news |title=First Nations leaders decry 'racist political propaganda' by Manitoba government, call for resignation |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/treaty5-summit-residential-schools-comments-pallister-lagimodiere-1.6108012 |author=Darren Bernhardt |publisher=CBC News |date=July 19, 2021}}
Personal life
Electoral record
{{2019 Manitoba general election/Selkirk}}
{{2016 Manitoba general election/Selkirk}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Goertzen ministry}}{{Stefanson ministry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lagimodiere, Alan}}
Category:People from Selkirk, Manitoba
Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba MLAs
Category:Franco-Manitoban people
Category:University of Manitoba alumni
Category:University of Saskatchewan alumni
Category:Canadian veterinarians
Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba