by on Find a detailed biography of Gary Doer, Premier and Leader of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba. Doer is also the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the constituency of Concordia.
The Honourable Gary Doer is Manitoba’s 20th Premier and Leader of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba. He was first sworn in as Premier on October 5, 1999. Doer has been a provincial MLA since 1986.
Premier Doer won his third majority government on May 22, 2007. His governing NDP party won 48 percent of the popular vote, and 36 of the province’s 57 seats. There has been a consistent balanced budget under Premier Doer’s leadership coupled with complementary tax cuts in four main areas: personal, business, property, and income (Manitoba’s first corporate income tax cut since the Second World War). Manitoba’s economic strategy is built on support for education and skills training. A progressive tuition and bursary policy has resulted in enrolment increases of almost 30 percent at post-secondary institutions, and new capital investments have delivered improvements to many campuses in the province.
Under Premier Doer’s leadership, the province has a new health care plan that has focused on rebuilding the system through education and the hiring of additional nurses, doctors, and health care professionals. Strategic capital projects, investing in diagnostic equipment and leading-edge technology have also caused progressive results and improved outcomes for patients. In addition, Manitoba’s major cities have been revitalized since the Doer government took office, including the construction of a new downtown arena in Winnipeg, and capital projects at major hospitals in both Brandon and Winnipeg.
Since 1999, the government has made strategic investments in alternative energies like wind power, geothermal, ethanol, and hydrogen that have positioned Manitoba as a world leader in addressing climate change and in the development and exporting of clean, renewable energy. In 2005, BusinessWeek magazine recognized Premier Doer’s vision and leadership, naming him one of the Top 20 world leaders on climate change and clean energy development.
Doer has led the New Democratic Party since 1988, two years after he first won the riding of Concordia. At that time, he was appointed Minister of Urban Affairs, which gave him the opportunity to oversee the creation of The Forks in Winnipeg. He also served as Minister of Crown Investments, Minister responsible for the Telephone Act, and Minister responsible for the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission.
After the 1990 general election, he became Leader of the Opposition. He won the provincial elections in 1999, and 2003, respectively. Doer’s re-election in 2003 garnered him the largest percentage of the popular vote since 1915 (at 49.9 percent) and an increased majority in the provincial legislature.
Doer was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba and was educated at Concordia University in Montreal. He is married to Ginny Devine, with whom he has two daughters. Before entering politics, Doer was the Deputy Superintendent of the Vaughan Street Detention Centre and served as President of the Manitoba Government Employees Association. He was also involved in many community activities that included the Manitoba Special Olympics, and seats on the Board of Directors of the community-owned Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Prairie Theatre Exchange, the Niagara Institute, and the Board of Governors for the University of Manitoba.