Ken Krawetz

Ken Krawetz
Member of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly for Canora-Pelly
In office June 21, 1995 – April 4, 2016
Preceded by	Riding Established
Succeeded by	Terry Dennis
Minister of Finance
In office June 29, 2009 – May 21, 2015
Preceded by	Rod Gantefoer
Succeeded by	Kevin Doherty
Leader of the Opposition
In office 1996–1999
Preceded by	Ron Osika
Succeeded by	Elwin Hermanson
Interim Leader of the Saskatchewan Party
In office August 11, 1997 – April 20, 1998
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Elwin Hermanson
Personal details
Born	(1951-04-15) April 15, 1951 Canora, Saskatchewan
Political party	Saskatchewan Party (1997–current)
Other political affiliations	Liberal (1995–1997)
Spouse	Gail Krawetz
Residence	Invermay, Saskatchewan

Kenneth Patrick Krawetz (born April 15, 1951) is a Canadian former provincial politician. He was the Saskatchewan Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for the constituency of Canora-Pelly, and was Deputy Premier of Saskatchewan and Deputy Leader of the Saskatchewan Party.

Background

Krawetz was first elected to the Saskatchewan legislature in the 1995 provincial election as a Liberal. He became the Leader of the Opposition in 1996 when Jim Melenchuk was chosen Liberal Party leader as Melenchuk did not have a seat in the legislature. In 1997, Krawetz joined three other Liberal MLAs and four Progressive Conservative MLAs in leaving their respective parties in order to form the new Saskatchewan Party. Krawetz remained as Leader of the Opposition while serving as the interim leader of the Saskatchewan Party, until the election of Elwin Hermanson to the legislature in the 1999 election.

When Brad Wall became leader of the party in 2004, he named Krawetz as Deputy Leader. Following the 2007 provincial election that saw the Saskatchewan Party take power for the first time, Wall appointed Krawetz to the cabinet as Deputy Premier and Minister of Education. In a cabinet shuffle on June 29, 2010, Wall moved Krawetz to the Finance Ministry, while Krawetz retained his post as Deputy Premier.

On April 28, 2014, Krawetz announced that he would not seek a new term in the 2016 election. Krawetz was shuffled out of the cabinet on May 21, 2015, but was given a role as Legislative Secretary on Saskatchewan-Ukraine relations.

Awards

In January 2009, Krawetz was presented with the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise – the highest honour a non-citizen of Ukraine can receive – by Ukraine's president, Viktor Yushchenko, in recognition of Krawetz's efforts in ensuring the passage of the Ukrainian Famine and Genocide (Holodomor Memorial Day) Act (Bill 40) through the Saskatchewan legislature; and in promoting awareness throughout the province of the Holodomor's 75th anniversary during 2007 and 2008.