REGINA – Former Saskatchewan Premier Allan Blakeney has died at the age of 85.
Saskatchewan NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter issued a statement today that Blakeney succumbed following short battle with cancer.
Blakeney served as Saskatchewan’s tenth premier from 1971 to 1982.
Blakeney had been a professional public servant in the government of Tommy Douglas.
He decided to enter elected politics in 1960 and was at the centre of the creation of medicare in Saskatchewan, serving as minister of health during its introduction.
Premier Dexter offers condolences
Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter calls the death today of Allan Blakeney, following a short battle with cancer, a great loss.
Blakeney, who was born in Nova Scotia and served as premier of Saskatchewan from 1971 to 1982, was 85.
Dexter says Blakeney played a crucial role in the introduction of medicare and was a trusted adviser to many Canadian premiers.
He says Blakeney may have spent many years in Saskatchewan, but he never forgot where he was born, spending as much time as he could at his Nova Scotia home in Petite Riviere.
Comments