Don Mazinkowski: a prairie pragmatist

With all the talk these days from some Alberta "conservatives" about going it alone or maybe even joining the US, it’s worth remembering an Albertan who really cared about Canada and worked within Canada and made a real difference.

Donald Frank Mazankowski, or "Maz" as everyone called him, was a big deal in Canadian politics for over twenty years. Born July 27, 1935 in the farming community of Viking, Alberta, Maz was a true Prairie pragmatist. He built a career that took him from local business owner all the way to Deputy Prime Minister. His life was all about serving the public, understanding what regular Canadians cared about, and being surprisingly good at bringing people together in the often messy world of politics.

Maz's upbringing in rural Alberta shaped who he was. His parents were Polish immigrants who first went to the United States before settling in Canada. He grew up on a farm and went to a one-room schoolhouse. This early life taught him the value of hard work and gave him a practical, no-nonsense way of looking at things. Before getting into politics, Maz and his brother had a successful automobile and farm equipment dealership in Innisfree and later in Vegreville – the heart of the area he'd represent in Parliament for 25 years.

They say he met then Prime Minister John Diefenbaker at a political event, and this sparked his interest in getting involved. He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Vegreville in 1968. He understood what voters cared about, and his down-to-earth, friendly personality made him popular. His long time buddy, Larry Ruptash, handled day-to-day concerns in the constituency so Maz could focus more on the national picture.

Pretty soon, people in the party noticed Maz's abilities. He climbed the ranks, becoming the head of the Progressive Conservative caucus from '73 to '76. That gave him some solid experience in navigating the ins and outs of Parliament and getting different folks to agree on things. In Joe Clark's short-lived government (1979-1980), Maz got his first cabinet job as Minister of Transport and was also responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board. These roles showed how well he understood the issues facing farmers in Western Canada.

But things really took off for Maz during Brian Mulroney's time as Prime Minister (1984-1993). He held a number of important cabinet positions, each needing serious leadership and smart thinking. He was Transport Minister again (1984-1986), continuing to deal with the country's big transportation problems. He was good at handling complicated stuff, and people in all parties respected him for it. From '86 to '93, he was the Deputy Prime Minister, basically Mulroney's right-hand man, playing a huge role in pushing the government's plans forward.

In 1987, Maz was appointed President of the Treasury Board, which oversees the government's spending. His reputation for being careful with money and committed to good government made him a good fit. He became even more central to the Mulroney government when he was named Minister of Finance in '91, a job he held until he retired from politics in '93.

As Finance Minister, Maz had to deal with the big debate around the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which was a hot topic back then – a real political battle. Even though over 80% of the voters in his constituency were opposed to the new tax, Mazankowski voted for it. He said it was his job to think about what was good for Canada as a whole, not just follow what local voters wanted.

During these years, Maz played an important role in two projects that touched my life in a significant way. On the one hand was work toward the Lloydminster Bi-Provincial Upgrader in Lloydminster. Such a project had been dreamed about within the oil industry, and specifically by Husky Energy for more than 25 years. The late 1980’s finally saw it come to fruition. Maz was central to the discussions that led to the ultimate go-ahead on the project in 1988. Industry had been reluctant to invest the huge amounts necessary, so Maz and others carved out a role for Government. The final consortium consisted of a defined partnership of Husky Energy and the governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Canada. The project would not have gone ahead without the support of the federal government and Maz was crucial to bringing that about. The Up-grader provided a major economic pillar to the economy of Lloydminster and area which is still true today - almost 40 years later.

[I was part of a team that planned and developed an interpretive centre to explain the history and the various technologies involved in the heavy oil industry. The Centre contained interactive displays of all phases of the heavy oil industry. I did much of the research and almost all of the writing for the display boards that populated the Centre. It operated as part of the Lloydminster Heritage and Cultural Centre for over 20 years before it was scrapped as part of a revamping and reimagining of the Centre.]

Something of an off-shoot of the planning for the Upgrader was work on planning and developing a major new campus for Lakeland College in Lloydminster. Maz was also part of these discussions. When that project came to fruition in 1989, I was hired by Lakeland College to teach History in the University Transfer program. I continued in that capacity for the next 21 years, a major part of my life, the culmination of my academic career, and a major contributor to my economic viability. [Thanks, Maz.]

At the national level, Maz also played a key part in pushing for and getting the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement done. That was a massive deal that changed the Canadian economy. His practical approach and ability to get people on board were important in getting through all the political hurdles.

But Maz's legacy isn't just about specific policies. People respected him for being a decent guy, fair-minded and polite. They called him a "down-to-earth farm boy who got the job done." He always remembered where he came from and never forgot what mattered to regular Canadians. He had a knack for connecting with all sorts of people, no matter their politics.

After leaving federal politics in 1993, Maz stayed involved in public life. There's a story about him going to a local drugstore in Vegreville to buy that day’s newspaper and complaining that they only had yesterday's paper. The clerk reassured him, saying they'd have today's paper tomorrow.

He also served during these years on the boards of several Canadian companies. His experience in government and his understanding of the economy made him a valuable advisor.

However, one of his biggest contributions after politics was in healthcare. In 2001, the Alberta government asked him to head a special commission to review the province's health system and suggest ways to fix it. The "Mazankowski Report" that came out of that was a big deal. It got people talking a lot about the future of public healthcare in Canada. The report basically said that Alberta's existing system was unsustainable without some serious changes to how it was funded and run. It suggested looking at new ways to fund healthcare, giving more power to local health authorities and providers to come up with new ideas, focusing on patients, and getting people to take more responsibility for their own health. This report really cemented his reputation as someone who cared deeply about healthcare in Canada.

To recognize all his years of public service and his ongoing work in health policy, Maz was promoted in the Order of Canada to the highest level, Companion, in 2013. He also was named to the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2003. Fittingly, the main heart institute at the University Hospital in Edmonton is named the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute. Plus, there is also a scholarship in his name at one of my Alma Mater’s, the University of Alberta, for students who have good academic and citizenship credentials.

Don Mazankowski passed away peacefully in October 27, 2020 surrounded by his family here in Sherwood Park, Alberta. People from all political stripes paid tribute to him. He was remembered not just for what he did in government but also for his practical approach and his dedication to serving the public. During his 25 years in Parliament, he helped navigate some of the most important moments in Canadian history, and his leadership in various roles left its mark.

Don Mazankowski's legacy is about his strong belief in Canada and his lasting commitment to making things better for his fellow Canadians. He should be remembered as a true political pragmatist and a deeply loyal Canadian.