By Canadian Press

25 years in Parliament

Don Mazankowski, former Alberta MP and cabinet minister, dies at 85

Oct 28, 2020 | 1:04 PM

OTTAWA — Don Mazankowski, a former Alberta MP and cabinet minister, has died at the age of 85.

Speaker Anthony Rota announced the news in the House of Commons today and MPs held a moment of silence in his memory.

The son of Polish immigrants, Mazankowski served in several top cabinet positions including finance and agriculture under Brian Mulroney and transport under Joe Clark.

During his 25 years in Parliament, Mazankowski also served as president of Treasury Board, government House leader, minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board and privatization minister.

Mulroney once called Mazankowski, who was first elected to the Commons in 1968 and served a sprawling rural riding east of Edmonton, his “minister of everything.”

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In 2003, Mazankowski was involved in behind-the-scenes talks to broker a deal to unite the former Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative parties.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2020.

The Canadian Press