Chris Axworthy
KC
Member of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly
for Saskatoon Fairview
In office
June 28, 1999 – March 17, 2003
Preceded byBob Mitchell
Succeeded byAndy Iwanchuk
Member of Parliament
for Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar
Saskatoon—Clark's Crossing (1988–1997)
In office
November 21, 1988 – June 1, 1999
Preceded byRay Hnatyshyn[1]
Succeeded byDennis Gruending
Personal details
Born(1947-03-10)March 10, 1947
Plymouth, England
DiedAugust 11, 2023(2023-08-11) (aged 76)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Political party

Christopher S. Axworthy, KC (March 10, 1947 – August 11, 2023) was a Canadian politician and academic.

Law professor

After teaching law at the University of New Brunswick and Dalhousie Law School, Chris Axworthy came to Saskatoon in 1984 as the founding executive director of the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives and as a professor of law at the University of Saskatchewan.[2] In 2003 he returned to the University of Saskatchewan as a professor of law, where he taught until the spring of 2008.[3]

In the spring of 2008, he was appointed Dean of Robson Hall at the University of Manitoba for a five-year term beginning on July 1, 2008.[4] He was also the President of the Institute of Parliamentary and Political Law.

In May 2010, Axworthy assumed the position as the Founding Dean of Law at Thompson Rivers University's new law school, which opened in Fall 2011. On July 15, 2013, he resigned this position.[5][6]

Political career

Axworthy was elected as a Saskatchewan Member of Parliament for the New Democratic Party in 1988 and was re-elected in 1993 and 1997.

Axworthy resigned from the House of Commons on June 1, 1999, to join the cabinet of then Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow. He was elected as an MLA in a by-election as the Saskatchewan NDP MLA for the constituency of Saskatoon-Fairview with 64% of the vote.[7] He was also re-elected three months later in a general election that same year. He served as Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.[3] After Romanow stepped down, Axworthy ran against Lorne Calvert for the provincial NDP leadership convention and finished second.[8][9] Axworthy, who was still serving as Justice Minister, resigned as MLA in January 2003.[10]

Although he had been an NDP member for his entire political career, Axworthy announced his bid for the Liberal nomination in the riding of Saskatoon—Wanuskewin on March 5, 2004. He received 32.58% of the vote, but lost to incumbent Conservative MP, Maurice Vellacott. He lost to Vellacott a second time in the 2006 federal election.

Personal life and death

Axworthy was born in Plymouth, England on March 10, 1947.[2] He died from cancer on August 11, 2023, at the age of 76.[11][12]

Electoral results

Federal

2006 Canadian federal election: Saskatoon—Wanuskewin
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Maurice Vellacott 17,753 49.39 +2.74 $62,331.71
Liberal Chris Axworthy 8,655 24.08 −8.50 $52,437.43
New Democratic Jim Maddin 7,939 22.09 +4.27 $35,098.35
Green Don Cameron 1,292 3.59 +0.63 $880.29
Christian Heritage Dale Sanders 307 0.85 −0.90 $1,552.99
Total valid votes 35,946 100.00
Total rejected ballots 96 0.27 +0.03
Turnout 36,042 67.35 +7.63
Electors on the lists 53,513
2004 Canadian federal election: Saskatoon—Wanuskewin
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Maurice Vellacott 15,109 46.64 −11.09 $66,433.82
Liberal Chris Axworthy 10,553 32.58 +15.76 $72,269.97
New Democratic Priscilla Settee 5,770 17.81 −6.42 $38,635.22
Green David Greenfield 960 2.96 +1.75 $25.00
Total valid votes 32,392 100.00
Total rejected ballots 76 0.23 −0.03
Turnout 32,468 59.72 −1.90
Electors on the lists 54,366
Percentage change figures are factored for redistribution. Conservative Party percentages are contrasted with the combined Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative percentages from 2000.
Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.
1997 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % Expenditures
New Democratic Chris Axworthy 12,095 43.72 $56,131
Reform Elwin Hermanson 9,011 32.57 $33,126
Liberal Tanyss Munro 4,438 16.04 $37,991
Progressive Conservative Richard Gabruch 1,931 6.98 $11,361
Canadian Action Rick Barsky 191 0.69 $1,760
Total valid votes/Expense limit 27,666 100.00 $58,640
Total rejected ballots 113 0.41
Turnout 27,779 59.9
1993 Canadian federal election: Saskatoon—Clark's Crossing
Party Candidate Votes
New Democratic Chris Axworthy 11,587
Reform Frederick Wesolowski 10,376
Liberal Roy Norris 10,226
Progressive Conservative Peter McCann 3,668
National Henry Garman 604
Natural Law Patrick James Coulterman 185
Independent Rhys Frostad 109
Canada Party Shawn Cawley 71
1988 Canadian federal election: Saskatoon—Clark's Crossing
Party Candidate Votes
New Democratic Chris Axworthy 19,889
Progressive Conservative Ray Hnatyshyn 14,847
Liberal Bill Patrick 6,554
Green Keith A. Morvick 222

Provincial

1999 Saskatchewan general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  NDP Chris Axworthy 2,653 56.68 -7.55
Saskatchewan Sandra Rees 1,137 24.29 +3.11
Liberal Barry Anderson 649 13.86 +1.67
  Prog. Conservative Gwen Katzman 153 3.27 -
New Green Lynn Oliphant 89 1.90 -0.50
Total 4,681 100.00
June 28, 1999 By-Election: Saskatoon Fairview
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  NDP Chris Axworthy 1,871 64.23 -0.56
Saskatchewan Harry Meyers 617 21.18 *
Liberal Barry Anderson 355 12.19 -12.70
New Green Neil Sinclair 70 2.40 *
Total 2,913 100.00

References

  1. ^ Saskatoon West
  2. ^ a b Roberts, David. Why Chris Axworthy feels at home. The Globe and Mail. October 30, 1999. p. A22
  3. ^ a b College of Law: Faculty and Staff Directory. Chris Axworthy.
  4. ^ University of Manitoba: Faculty of Law Archived June 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Dean of TRU Law School resigns without explanation".
  6. ^ Gardiner, Heather (July 22, 2013). "Tension marks TRU law dean's exit". Canadian Lawyer. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  7. ^ NDP retains two ridings. The Globe and Mail. June 29, 1999. p. A5.
  8. ^ Adams, Paul. Race tests Saskatchewan NDP. The Globe and Mail. January 26, 2001. p. A4
  9. ^ Girard, Daniel. Calvert's first job to renegotiate coalition. The Toronto Star. January 29, 2001. p. A06.
  10. ^ "Saskatchewan justice minister quits". CBC News. January 21, 2003. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  11. ^ Cairns, John (August 14, 2023). "Former MP, provincial cabinet minister Chris Axworthy has died". SaskToday. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  12. ^ "Former MP, MLA Chris Axworthy dies after battle with cancer". Saskatoon StarPhoenix. August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.

External links

Saskatchewan provincial government of Lorne Calvert Cabinet posts (3) Predecessor Office Successor Pat Lorje Minister of Aboriginal AffairsOctober 12, 2001 – January 21, 2003 Ron Osika Ron OsikaRoy Romanow Minister of Intergovernmental AffairsDecember 5, 2002 – January 21, 2003February 8, 2001 – March 26, 2002 Ron OsikaRon Osika cont'd from Romanow Ministry Minister of Justice and Attorney GeneralFebruary 8, 2001 – January 21, 2003 John Nilson Saskatchewan provincial government of Roy Romanow Cabinet post (1) Predecessor Office Successor John Nilson Minister of Justice and Attorney GeneralSeptember 30, 1999 – February 8, 2001 cont'd into Calvert Ministry
Cabinet of Premier of Saskatchewan Lorne Calvert (2001–2007)
Cabinet of Premier of Saskatchewan Roy Romanow (1991–2001)
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