- Ron MacKinley
Ronald W. "Ronnie" MacKinley is a
Prince Edward Island Liberalpolitician , and a current member of theLegislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island .Before running for office, MacKinley worked as a farmer in
Cornwall, Prince Edward Island . Apart from owning and operating his own personal farm, he co-owns MacKinley Brothers beef farm with his mother and his son. He is married, and has three children, and two grandchildren.MacKinley has served as vice-chair of the Elliot River CIC; as a director of the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture and of the P.E.I. Farm Centre. In addition to this, he is a former member of the Canadian Horticultural Council Labour Board and Uniform Legislation Board, as well as a former Queens County Chair for the P.E.I. Potato Producers' Association.
MacKinley has enjoyed a long political career, especially for a Canadian politician who has never served in Cabinet. He was first elected to represent his riding in a 1985
by-election , and has served continuously ever since, for a career of more than 20 years (his riding was changed to. He is easily the longest-serving member of the current Legislature. In the 2003 election, MacKinley had the second-largest margin of victory, and was also one of only two MLAs to have a victory margin of over 1000 votes.In the 2000 provincial election, MacKinley was the sole Liberal MLA elected, and also the only Opposition MLA. As a result of this, he served as Leader of the Opposition and "
de facto " Liberal leader until 2003, when he was replaced in both capacities byRobert Ghiz . MacKinley has served as Opposition Critic for Transportation and Public Works, Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture; he was the Chairman of the importantPublic Accounts Committee of the legislature, which must always be chaired by a member of the Opposition.On
12 June 2007 , MacKinley assumed office as Minister of Transportation and Public Works, serving under PEI PremierRobert Ghiz .References
* [http://www.gov.pe.ca/phone/makebio.php3?number=2440 Ron MacKinley's Prince Edward Island government biography]
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