Les Benjamin
Encyclopedia
Leslie Gordon Benjamin (April 29, 1925 in Medicine Hat, Alberta
- June 16, 2003 in Regina, Saskatchewan
) was a Canadian
Member of Parliament
. Benjamin was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in 1968
as a New Democratic Party
MP from Saskatchewan
. In parliament, as the NDP's Transport critic, he often clashed with Otto Lang
over the Crow Rate
that allowed subsidized rail transport for prairie farmers and was an opponent of deregulation
. He retired from parliament in 1993.
When Ronald Reagan
addressed the Parliament of Canada
in 1987, Benjamin heckled him by crying "he's mad!"http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-73-676-3871/politics_economy/presidents/clip7
Benjamin was of Welsh
heritage with his father's family coming to Canada from the Rumney Valley.
Prior to entering politics, Benjamin worked variously as a railway station agent, telegrapher and secretary.
Medicine Hat, Alberta
Medicine Hat, known to locals as "The Hat", is a city of 61,097 people located in the southeastern part of the province of Alberta, Canada. It is enclaved within Cypress County along with the nearby Town of Redcliff, although neither is part of the county....
- June 16, 2003 in Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. Benjamin was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in 1968
Canadian federal election, 1968
The Canadian federal election of 1968 was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 28th Parliament of Canada...
as a New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
MP from Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. In parliament, as the NDP's Transport critic, he often clashed with Otto Lang
Otto Lang
Otto Emil Lang, PC, OC, QC, is a Canadian politician.In 1963, he was appointed Dean of Law at the University of Saskatchewan, the youngest person to be appointed to that position, and served until 1969....
over the Crow Rate
Crow Rate
The "Crow Rate" or "Crow's Nest Freight Rate" was a rail transportation subsidy imposed on the Canadian Pacific Railway by the Canadian government, benefiting farmers on the Canadian Prairies and manufacturers in central Canada.-Origin:...
that allowed subsidized rail transport for prairie farmers and was an opponent of deregulation
Deregulation
Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or...
. He retired from parliament in 1993.
When Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
addressed the Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
in 1987, Benjamin heckled him by crying "he's mad!"http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-73-676-3871/politics_economy/presidents/clip7
Benjamin was of Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
heritage with his father's family coming to Canada from the Rumney Valley.
Prior to entering politics, Benjamin worked variously as a railway station agent, telegrapher and secretary.
Sources
- Appreciation of Les Benjamin by Bill BlaikieBill BlaikieWilliam Alexander "Bill" Blaikie, PC is a Canadian politician. He has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba since April 2009, representing the Winnipeg division of Elmwood as a member of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba, and Minister of Conservation and Government House Leader...