# Donald Orchard

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**Donald Warder Orchard** (born April 11, 1946) is a [politician](/source/Politician) in [Manitoba](/source/Manitoba), Canada. He was a member of the [Legislative Assembly of Manitoba](/source/Legislative_Assembly_of_Manitoba) from 1977 to 1995, and was a [cabinet minister](/source/Minister_(government)) in the [Progressive Conservative](/source/Progressive_Conservative_Party_of_Manitoba) governments of [Sterling Lyon](/source/Sterling_Lyon) and [Gary Filmon](/source/Gary_Filmon).[1]

The son of Warder Franklin John Orchard and Muriel Bernice King, he was born in [Miami, Manitoba](/source/Miami,_Manitoba), and was educated at the [University of Manitoba](/source/University_of_Manitoba). He worked as a farmer after graduation, becoming active in the Miami Agricultural Society and the local [Masonic](/source/Masonic) organization. In 1969, he married Edna Jane Simpson.[2]

He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the [provincial election of 1977](/source/1977_Manitoba_general_election), in the safe Conservative seat of [Pembina](/source/Pembina_(Manitoba_riding)). He was re-elected in this riding in the elections of [1981](/source/1981_Manitoba_general_election), [1986](/source/1986_Manitoba_general_election), [1988](/source/1988_Manitoba_general_election) and [1990](/source/1990_Manitoba_general_election), each time by a comfortable margin.[1][3]

The Progressive Conservatives won the 1977 election under Sterling Lyon, and Orchard was appointed [Minister of Highways and Transport](/source/Manitoba_Minister_of_Highways_and_Transport) on November 15, 1979. He was also appointed Chairman of the [Provisional Land Use Committee](/source/Provisional_Land_Use_Committee) on January 1, 1980, and was given ministerial responsibility for [Manitoba Data Services](/source/Manitoba_Data_Services_(Manitoba_Ministry)) on January 16, 1981. The [social-democratic](/source/Social-democratic) [New Democratic Party](/source/New_Democratic_Party_of_Manitoba) won the 1981 election, and Orchard resigned from cabinet on November 30, 1981.[1]

The Progressive Conservatives won a minority government in 1988 under [Gary Filmon](/source/Gary_Filmon), and Orchard was appointed [Minister of Health](/source/Manitoba_Minister_of_Health) on May 9 of that year (despite the fact that he attempted to remove Filmon as party leader in 1986). He held this portfolio until September 10, 1993, when he was appointed [Minister of Energy and Mines](/source/Manitoba_Minister_of_Energy_and_Mines) with responsibility for the [Manitoba Hydro Act](/source/Minister_responsible_for_the_Manitoba_Hydro_Act). He did not seek re-election in 1995, and resigned from cabinet on March 20 of that year.[1]

As Health Minister, Orchard banned Medicare coverage from [Henry Morgentaler](/source/Henry_Morgentaler)'s private [abortion](/source/Abortion) clinic.[4] This decision provoked criticism from both sides of the abortion debate; some wanted the clinic closed entirely, while others wanted full funding.

Orchard was a rural populist, on the right wing of the Progressive Conservative Party. In 2003, he supported cooperation between the [Canadian Alliance](/source/Canadian_Alliance) with the [Progressive Conservative Party of Canada](/source/Progressive_Conservative_Party_of_Canada) in the [Portage—Lisgar](/source/Portage%E2%80%94Lisgar) riding, before the two parties were formally merged.[5]

## References

1. ["MLA Biographies - Living"](https://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/members/mla_bio_living.html#o). Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Retrieved 2014-03-03.

1. Normandin, Pierre G (1979). *Canadian Parliamentary Guide*

1. ["Pembina"](http://www.cbc.ca/manitobavotes2003/riding/028/). *Manitoba Votes 2003*. CBC News. Retrieved 2014-03-03.

1. Ollerhead, Lianne (May 1993). ["Abortion in Canada: Legislative Limbo and the Morgentaler Factor"](http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/origins/download/origins%20-%20may%201993%20-%20abortion%20in%20canada.pdf). *Origins*. Ohio State University. Retrieved 2014-03-03.

1. ["Right ready to unite"](http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/historic/31396679.html). Winnipeg Free Press. October 16, 2003. Retrieved 2014-03-03.

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