Donald Craik

Donald Craik (August 26, 1931 – September 2, 1985) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1966 to 1981, and served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Walter Weir and Sterling Lyon.

Born in Baldur, Manitoba, Craik was educated at the University of Manitoba and the University of Minnesota, earning his Master of Science and Master of Education degrees. He worked as a mechanical engineer and associate professor of engineering after his graduation. He was the chairman of the St. Vital School Board from 1962 to 1964, and director the Manitoba Research Council from 1964 to 1966. Craik also worked as a consulting engineer in Winnipeg from 1966 until his death. He married the former Shirley Hill and they had three children: Judy (1958), Polly (1961), and Donna (1964). During the 1970s, Craik opened Fine Line Telephone Answering and Secretarial Services.

He was elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1966, scoring a relatively easy victory in the Winnipeg riding of St. Vital. Despite his youth and relative inexperience, he was appointed to cabinet on November 7, 1967, as Minister of Mines and Natural Resources. On September 24, 1968, he was named Minister of Youth and Education with responsibility for the Public Libraries Act and the Legislative Library Act.

As education minister, Craik passed legislation allowing aboriginal Canadians to vote (and be elected to) local school boards. He credited a private member's bill from NDP MLA Sidney Green as the inspiration for this legislation.

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