Peter Fox (May 31, 1921 – July 3, 1989) was a

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

, Canada. He was a

New Democratic Party The New Democratic Party (NDP; , ) is a federal political party in Canada. Widely described as social democratic,The party is widely described as social democratic: * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Editors of ''Encyclopædia Britann ...

member of the

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba () is the deliberative assembly of the Manitoba Legislature in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly at List of Manitoba genera ...

from 1966 to 1986. From 1971 to 1977, he served as Speaker of the legislature. The son of George Fox and Maria Mildovan, Fox was born in

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

shortly after that country's creation, and moved to Canada with his parents at a young age. He was educated at the

University of Manitoba The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a public research university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1877, it is the first university of Western Canada. Both by total student enrolment and campus area, the University of ...

, and worked as a stationary engineer. Fox served with the Canadian Forces in

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during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and was subsequently a member of the

Royal Canadian Legion The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian veterans' organization founded in 1925. Members include people who served in the military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial or municipal police, Royal Canadian Air, Army and Sea Cade ...

and the ''Winnipeg and Canada German Club''. He was actively involved in the labour movement, was a vice-president of the Winnipeg and District Labour Council during the 1960s.''Winnipeg Free Press'', 5 February 1969, p. 35. Fox returned to his job at

Canada Packers Maple Leaf Foods Inc. is a Canadian multinational consumer-packaged meats and food production company. Its head office is in Mississauga, Ontario. History Maple Leaf Foods is the result of the 1991 merger between Canada Packers and Maple ...

after the war. In 1948, he married Nancy Grant. Fox was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1966, defeating Progressive Conservative incumbent James Mills by 836 votes in the east-end

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

riding of Kildonan (he had previously defeated Russell Doern to win his party's nomination). Along with most other members of the NDP caucus, he supported

Edward Schreyer Edward Richard Schreyer (born December 21, 1935) is a Canadian politician, diplomat, and statesman who served as the 22nd governor general of Canada from 1979 to 1984. He previously served as the 16th premier of Manitoba from 1969 to 1977. Schr ...

's bid to become party leader in 1968–69. The NDP scored an upset victory in the provincial election of 1969, and Fox was easily returned in Kildonan. He was appointed Speaker of the Legislature on August 7, 1971, and retained the position until the NDP were defeated in the 1977 election. He was re-elected without difficulty in the 1973 election, but faced a surprisingly strong challenge from PC candidate James Hanson in 1977. Following Schreyer's resignation as party leader in 1979, Fox was one of eight NDP MLAs who supported the election of Sidney Green as interim leader. He does not appear to have been a strong supporter of

Howard Pawley Howard Russell Pawley (November 21, 1934 – December 30, 2015) was a Canadian politician and professor who was the 18th premier of Manitoba from 1981 to 1988. Prior to his premiership, Pawley served in various ministerial positions after his ...

, Schreyer's successor, but unlike Green and some others did not leave the party during the 1980s. Following electoral redistribution, Fox was re-elected in the new riding of Concordia in the 1981 provincial election. He was not appointed to cabinet, and did not seek re-election in the 1986 provincial election. In late 1986, he was appointed Vice-Chair of the Highways and Transportation Department Licence Suspension Board. He served as a director on Winnipeg's Industrial Development Board and served on the board for Winnipeg Hydro. He died in Winnipeg at the age of 68.

Electoral record (partial)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fox, Peter 1921 births 1989 deaths New Democratic Party of Manitoba MLAs Politicians from Winnipeg Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba University of Manitoba alumni Canadian military personnel of World War II Yugoslav emigrants to Canada 20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba