Ron Osika
Encyclopedia
Ronald Osika (born 1939) is a Saskatchewan politician.
He was born in Hafford, Saskatchewan
and educated in The Battlefords. A former officer in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
, Osika's first foray into politics was an unsuccessful bid for a Reform Party
nomination in 1992.
He was first elected from Melville
as Liberal MLA in the Saskatchewan legislature in the 1995 provincial election
that saw the Liberals go from a single seat to 11 to form the official opposition. Osika served as interim Leader of the Opposition
in November 1995 after Lynda Haverstock
was forced to resign as leader by her caucus. He remained leader until November 1996 when Jim Melenchuk
was chosen as Haverstock's permanent replacement. The 1999 provincial election
reduced Roy Romanow
's NDP to a minority government
while also reducing the Liberals to third party
status with four MLAs. The Liberals agreed to enter into a coalition government
and Osika became Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
from 1999 until February 2001 when he joined Calvert's Cabinet
as Municipal Affairs minister. In October 2001, the Liberal Party elected David Karwacki
as its new leader. He ordered the Liberal MLAs to leave the coalition government but Osika and Melenchuk refused and became Independents signing a new coalition agreement with Calvert in late 2001. In early 2002, Osika became Government Relations Minister and at various times had additional responsibilities for aboriginal affairs, SaskWater
, the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority
and the Saskatchewan Property Management Corporation. He ran for re-election as an NDP candidate in the 2003 provincial election but was defeated in the riding of Melville-Saltcoats
.
Osika turned to municipal politics after his defeat and has been mayor of Fort Qu'Appelle
since 2005.
He was born in Hafford, Saskatchewan
Hafford, Saskatchewan
-Education:The Hafford community was served firstly by the Whiteberry School District which constructed their school building over two years 1906-1908, opening in 1909 followed by the Rus School District opening 1910. In this area, the Alberton School District, Gooseberry School District, Slawa...
and educated in The Battlefords. A former officer in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
, Osika's first foray into politics was an unsuccessful bid for a Reform Party
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
nomination in 1992.
He was first elected from Melville
Melville (provincial electoral district)
Melville was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, Canada. Located in southeastern Saskatchewan, this constituency was created before the 8th Saskatchewan general election in 1934. It was the riding of Premier James Garfield Gardiner...
as Liberal MLA in the Saskatchewan legislature in the 1995 provincial election
Saskatchewan general election, 1995
The Saskatchewan general election of 1995 was the twenty-third provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on June 21, 1995 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
that saw the Liberals go from a single seat to 11 to form the official opposition. Osika served as interim Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Saskatchewan)
A list of parliamentary opposition leaders in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, from 1906 to the present. There was no designated Leader of the Opposition for the sessions of 1921 and 1922.In the period 1925-1929 C.E. Tran and J.T.M...
in November 1995 after Lynda Haverstock
Lynda Haverstock
- External links :***...
was forced to resign as leader by her caucus. He remained leader until November 1996 when Jim Melenchuk
Jim Melenchuk
Jim Melenchuk is a Canadian politician. He represented the electoral district of Saskatoon Northwest in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1999 to 2003....
was chosen as Haverstock's permanent replacement. The 1999 provincial election
Saskatchewan general election, 1999
The Saskatchewan general election of 1999 was the twenty-fourth provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on September 16, 1999 to elect members of the 24th Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
reduced Roy Romanow
Roy Romanow
Roy John Romanow, PC, OC, QC, SOM is a Canadian politician and the 12th Premier of Saskatchewan ....
's NDP to a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
while also reducing the Liberals to third party
Third party (politics)
In a two-party system of politics, the term third party is sometimes applied to a party other than the two dominant ones. While technically the term is limited to the third largest party or third oldest party, it is common, though innumerate, shorthand for any smaller party.For instance, in the...
status with four MLAs. The Liberals agreed to enter into a coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
and Osika became Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan is the presiding officer of the Saskatchewan legislature.-Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan:*Thomas MacNutt 1906-1908*William Charles Sutherland 1908-1912...
from 1999 until February 2001 when he joined Calvert's Cabinet
Executive Council of Saskatchewan
The Executive Council of Saskatchewan is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
as Municipal Affairs minister. In October 2001, the Liberal Party elected David Karwacki
David Karwacki
David Karwacki , Canadian politician, was Leader of the Saskatchewan Liberals between October 2001 and December 2007....
as its new leader. He ordered the Liberal MLAs to leave the coalition government but Osika and Melenchuk refused and became Independents signing a new coalition agreement with Calvert in late 2001. In early 2002, Osika became Government Relations Minister and at various times had additional responsibilities for aboriginal affairs, SaskWater
SaskWater
SaskWater is a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Saskatchewan and supplies water, wastewater and related services to municipalities, industries and farms. In turn, municipalities supply water to their residents. SaskWater has operations in Moose Jaw, Watrous, Prince Albert, Saskatoon,...
, the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority
Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority
The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority is a Treasury Board Crown Corporation responsible for the distribution, control and regulation of alcoholic beverages and most gambling in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It runs the government monopoly on liquor sales and gambling in...
and the Saskatchewan Property Management Corporation. He ran for re-election as an NDP candidate in the 2003 provincial election but was defeated in the riding of Melville-Saltcoats
Melville-Saltcoats
Melville-Saltcoats is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, Canada. Located in southeastern Saskatchewan, this constituency was created through the Representation Act, 1994 by combining the district of Saltcoats with part of the constituency of Melville.The...
.
Osika turned to municipal politics after his defeat and has been mayor of Fort Qu'Appelle
Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan
These figures do not include the substantial population living along the shores of the Fishing Lakes.-Origins:The current site is the third Fort Qu'Appelle. The first was a North West Company trading post , also in the valley but near what is now the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border...
since 2005.