Alan Lagimodiere

Alan Lagimodiere
Minister of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations
In office July 15, 2021 – January 30, 2023
Premier	Brian Pallister Kelvin Goertzen Heather Stefanson
Preceded by	Eileen Clarke
Succeeded by	Eileen Clarke
Minister of Natural Resources and Northern Development
In office June 6, 2022 – June 9, 2022
Premier	Heather Stefanson
Preceded by	Scott Fielding
Succeeded by	Greg Nesbitt
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Selkirk
In office April 19, 2016 – September 5, 2023
Preceded by	Greg Dewar
Succeeded by	Richard Perchotte
Personal details
Born	1957 The Pas, Manitoba
Political party	Progressive Conservative
Alma mater	University of Manitoba (BS, MBA) University of Saskatchewan (DVM)
Occupation	Veterinarian Hotelier

Alan Dean Lagimodiere is a Canadian provincial politician who served as the representative for the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Selkirk. Prior to his run for the Manitoba Legislature he was a hotelier and veterinarian. Soon after his election to a second term he was named the Minister of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations, though upon his appointment he was criticized for his vocal defense of the Canadian residential school system.

Early life

Lagmodiere was born and raised in Northern Manitoba in the community of The Pas. He is Métis and a member of Manitoba's Metis Nation. Lagmodiere holds a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture from the University of Manitoba, and later both a Master of Business Administration and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Saskatchewan.

Business career

Lagmodiere began his career in Selkirk, Manitoba as a veterinarian and businessperson. He has been a member of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association, and the Manitoba Hotel Association through his co-ownership of a group of local hotels.

Electoral career

Lagmodiere who was elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for the riding of Selkirk in the 2016 election. He had previously run for the PC nomination in 2014 against fellow candidate David Horbas, whom he replaced at the last minute in the 2016 after Horbas was dismissed from running an additional time (Horbas claimed he was not informed of the decision mid-campaign). He is a member of the Progressive Conservative party, and defeated NDP incumbent and long-term MLA Greg Dewar in the election. He was re-elected in the 2019 provincial election. In 2021 Lagimodiere was appointed to the position of Minister of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations.

Defence of the Canadian residential school system

In the minutes following his appointment as the minister in charge of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations, Lagimodiere made comments defending the Canadian residential school system, and was criticized for his support of this tool of genocide. In a confrontation, Lagimodiere was corrected by NDP Leader Wab Kinew, who informed him that, "it was the express intent of residential schools to kill the Indian in the child—it is not cultural relativism, it is not revisionist history for us to say that that was wrong."

President of the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF), David Chartrand, (of which Lagimodiere is a member of the MMF), later stated:

It is very disappointing for me to see one of my Metis citizens really bow down to somebody else's (way of) how they see the world. That is completely opposite of what we see, and for Lagimodiere to give up on his people, abandon his people, sit silent all these years hoping he is going to be appointed to minister, shutting down his principles, and definitely shutting down his nation.

Lagimodiere later stated he felt his claim for the virtuousness of the residential schools was misunderstood and chose not to apologize for the fourteen minute introductory speech that he had provided on his views. In response, Chief Sheldon Kent of Black River First Nation stated that the minister's, "comments were harmful, retriggering anger and discontent among our people. There was no good intention at Indian residential schools to promote and it is catastrophically irresponsible to suggest otherwise," while calling for his resignation.

Personal life

Lagimodiere is married to his wife Judy Lagimodiere, with whom he has four children.

Electoral record

2019 Manitoba general election: Selkirk
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Alan Lagimodiere	4,872	51.84	-4.5	$26,525.81
	New Democratic	Mitch Obach	3,329	35.42	+8.1	$23,914.53
	Green	Tony Hill	716	7.62	+1.2	$256.70
	Liberal	Philip Olcen	482	5.13	-2.9	$0.00
Total valid votes			9,399	99.38	+0.72
Rejected			59	0.62
Turnout			9,458	59.25
Eligible voters			15,964
	Progressive Conservative hold		Swing		-6.3
Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (2019). Statement of Votes for the 42nd Provincial General Election, September 10, 2019 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. "Candidate Election Returns". Elections Manitoba. Elections Manitoba. Retrieved 2 March 2020.

2016 Manitoba general election: Selkirk
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Alan Lagimodiere	4,686	55.51	16.13	$53,655.73
	New Democratic	Greg Dewar	2,366	28.03	-28.00	$37,793.36
	Liberal	Stefan Jones	1,390	16.47	11.87	$14,356.00
Total valid votes			8,442	98.66	–
Rejected			114	1.35
Eligible voters / turnout			14,570	58.72	3.95
Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (2016). Statement of Votes for the 41st Provincial General Election, April 19, 2016 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. "Election Returns: 41st General Election". Elections Manitoba. 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2018.