Clarence Baker

{{short description|Canadian politician}}

{{for|the comic-book artist Clarence Matthew Baker|Matt Baker (artist)}}

{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| office = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Lac Du Bonnet

| predecessor = Sam Uskiw

| successor = Darren Praznik

| term_start = March 18, 1986

| term_end = April 26, 1988

| party = New Democratic

| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|07|07}}

| birth_place = Cromwell, Manitoba

| death_date = {{death date and age|2006|10|15|1928|07|07}}

| occupation = Farmer, politician

}}

Clarence Baker (July 7, 1928 – October 15, 2006) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1986 to 1988, representing the riding of Lac Du Bonnet for the New Democratic Party.{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/members/mla_bio_deceased.html#B0 |publisher=Legislative Assembly of Manitoba |title=MLA Biographies - Deceased}}

The son of Anton and Pauline Baker, Baker was born in the municipality of Cromwell, Manitoba, and worked as a farmer before entering political life. In 1951, he married Ilene Weidman.{{cite news |url=http://passages.winnipegfreepress.com/passage-details/id-113175/name-Clarence_Baker/ |title=Clarence Baker |newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press |date=October 18, 2006 |accessdate=2014-04-28}} He was a delegate to the Manitoba Pool Elevators for thirty years, and was named Manitoba Farmer of the Year in 1984. Baker served as Reeve of Brokenhead from 1976 to 1998,{{cite web |url=http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/municipalities/brokenhead.shtml |title=Brokenhead |work=Manitoba Municipalities |publisher=Manitoba Historical Society}} was a councillor for two, and served on the Union of Manitoba Municipalities for five years. He also served on the local hospital board for nine years, including three years as chair.{{cite web |url=http://news.gov.mb.ca/news/archives/1987/02/1987-02-20-baker,_maloway_to_move,_second_throne_speech.pdf |title=Baker, Maloway to move, second throne speech |publisher=Government of Manitoba |date=February 20, 1987 |accessdate=2014-04-28}}

In the provincial election of 1986, Baker was elected to the Manitoba legislature for Lac Du Bonnet, defeating Darren Praznik of the Progressive Conservative Party by 302 votes.{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/manitobavotes2003/riding/022/ |title=Lac Du Bonnet |work=Manitoba Votes 2003 |publisher=CBC News |accessdate=2014-04-28}} He was not appointed to the cabinet of Howard Pawley, and was defeated by Praznik in the 1988 election.

Baker later returned to municipal politics, and was re-elected as reeve of Brokenhead. He died in 2006.