Chris Axworthy

Chris Axworthy QC
Saskatchewan Minister of Aboriginal Affairs
In office 2001–2003
Premier	Lorne Calvert
Preceded by	Pat Lorje
Succeeded by	Ron Osika (acting) Eldon Lautermilch
Saskatchewan Minister of Justice and Attorney General
In office 1999–2003
Premier	Roy Romanow Lorne Calvert
Preceded by	John Nilson
Succeeded by	John Nilson (acting) Eric Cline
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
In office 1999–2003
Preceded by	Bob Mitchell
Succeeded by	Andy Iwanchuk
Constituency	Saskatoon Fairview
Member of the House of Commons of Canada
In office 1997–1999
Preceded by	new constituency
Succeeded by	Dennis Gruending
Constituency	Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar
In office 1988–1997
Preceded by	new constituency
Succeeded by	constituency abolished
Constituency	Saskatoon—Clark's Crossing
Personal details
Born	March 10, 1947 Plymouth, United Kingdom
Political party	Liberal Party of Canada (2004–present) New Democratic Party (1988–2004)

Christopher S. Axworthy, QC (born March 10, 1947, Plymouth, United Kingdom)^[1] is a Canadian politician.

After teaching law at the University of New Brunswick and Dalhousie Law School, Chris Axworthy came to Saskatoon in 1984 as the founding executive director of the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives and as a professor of law at the University of Saskatchewan.^[1] In 2003 he returned to the University of Saskatchewan as a professor of law, where he taught until the spring of 2008.^[2] In the spring of 2008, he was appointed as Dean of Robson Hall (Faculty of Law - University of Manitoba) for a five-year term beginning on July 1, 2008.^[3] He is also the President of the Institute of Parliamentary and Political Law. In May 2010, Axworthy assumed the position as the Founding Dean of Law at Thompson Rivers University's new law school, which opened in Fall 2011. On July 15, 2013 he resigned this position.^[4]

Political career

He was elected as a Saskatchewan Member of Parliament for the New Democratic Party in 1988 and was re-elected in 1993 and 1997.

He resigned from the House of Commons on June 1, 1999 to join the cabinet of then Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow. He was elected as an MLA in a by-election as the Saskatchewan NDP MLA for the constituency of Saskatoon-Fairview with 64% of the vote.^[5] He was also reelected three months later in a general election that same year. He served as Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.^[2] After Romanow stepped down, Axworthy ran against Lorne Calvert for the provincial NDP leadership convention and finished second.^[6][7]

Although he was an NDP member for his political career, he announced his bid for the Liberal nomination in the riding of Saskatoon—Wanuskewin on March 5, 2004. He received 32.58% of the vote, but lost to incumbent Conservative MP, Maurice Vellacott. He lost to Vellacott a second time in the 2006 federal election.

References

1. Roberts, David. Why Chris Axworthy feels at home. The Globe and Mail. October 30, 1999. p. A22
2. College of Law: Faculty and Staff Directory. Chris Axworthy.
3. University of Manitoba: Faculty of Law
4. http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/20130716/KAMLOOPS0101/130719887/-1/KAMLOOPS/dean-of-tru-law-school-resigns-without-explanation
5. NDP retains two ridings. The Globe and Mail. June 29, 1999. p. A5.
6. Adams, Paul. Race tests Saskatchewan NDP. The Globe and Mail. January 26, 2001. p. A4
7. Girard, Daniel. Calvert's first job to renegotiate coalition. The Toronto Star. January 29, 2001. p. A06.

External links

• Canadian parliamentary profile
• Chris Axworthy – Parliament of Canada biography
• University of Manitoba profile