# Ron Osika

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Canadian politician

The Honourable Ronald Osika ECS 22nd Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan In office December 6, 1999 – February 7, 2001 Preceded by Glenn Hagel Succeeded by Myron Kowalsky Leader of the Opposition (Saskatchewan) In office November 12, 1995 – November 24, 1996 Preceded by Lynda Haverstock Succeeded by Ken Krawetz Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for Melville In office June 21, 1995 – November 5, 2003 Preceded by Evan Carlson Succeeded by riding merged into Melville-Saltcoats Personal details Born (1939-02-27) February 27, 1939 (age 87) Hafford, Saskatchewan Party Liberal (1995-2001) NDP (since 2003)

**Ronald (Ron) Osika** (born February 27, 1939) is a former Canadian politician, who served in the [Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan](/source/Legislative_Assembly_of_Saskatchewan) from 1995 to 2003.

The son of Polish immigrants, he was born on a homestead near [Hafford](/source/Hafford%2C_Saskatchewan), [Saskatchewan](/source/Saskatchewan), and educated in [The Battlefords](/source/Battleford%2C_Saskatchewan).[1] A former officer in the [Royal Canadian Mounted Police](/source/Royal_Canadian_Mounted_Police), Osika's first foray into politics was an unsuccessful bid for a [Reform Party](/source/Reform_Party_of_Canada) nomination in 1992.[2]

He was first elected from [Melville](/source/Melville_(provincial_electoral_district)) as [Liberal](/source/Liberal_Party_of_Saskatchewan) MLA in the [Saskatchewan legislature](/source/Saskatchewan_legislature) in the [1995 provincial election](/source/1995_Saskatchewan_general_election)[2] that saw the Liberals go from a single seat to 11 to form the [official opposition](/source/Official_opposition). Osika served as interim [Leader of the Opposition](/source/Leader_of_the_Opposition_(Saskatchewan)) in November 1995 after [Lynda Haverstock](/source/Lynda_Haverstock) was forced to resign as leader by her caucus.[3] He remained leader until November 1996 when [Jim Melenchuk](/source/Jim_Melenchuk) was chosen as Haverstock's permanent replacement. The [1999 provincial election](/source/1999_Saskatchewan_general_election) reduced [Roy Romanow](/source/Roy_Romanow)'s [NDP](/source/Saskatchewan_NDP) to a [minority government](/source/Minority_government) while also reducing the Liberals to [third party](/source/Third_party_(politics)) status with four MLAs. The Liberals agreed to enter into a [coalition government](/source/Coalition_government) and Osika became [Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan](/source/Speaker_of_the_Legislative_Assembly_of_Saskatchewan) from 1999 until February 2001 when he joined Calvert's [Cabinet](/source/Executive_Council_of_Saskatchewan) as Municipal Affairs minister.[4][5] In October 2001, the Liberal Party elected [David Karwacki](/source/David_Karwacki) as its new leader. He ordered the Liberal MLAs to leave the coalition government but Osika and Melenchuk refused and became Independents signing a new coalition agreement with Calvert in late 2001.[6] In early 2002, Osika became Government Relations Minister and at various times had additional responsibilities for aboriginal affairs, [SaskWater](/source/SaskWater), the [Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority](/source/Saskatchewan_Liquor_and_Gaming_Authority) and the [Saskatchewan Property Management Corporation](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saskatchewan_Property_Management_Corporation&action=edit&redlink=1). He ran for re-election as an NDP candidate in the [2003 provincial election](/source/2003_Saskatchewan_general_election) but was defeated in the riding of [Melville-Saltcoats](/source/Melville-Saltcoats).[7]

Osika turned to municipal politics after his defeat and was mayor of [Fort Qu'Appelle](/source/Fort_Qu'Appelle%2C_Saskatchewan) from 2005 to 2016 when he chose not to seek another term.[8]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["CPA Activities: The Canadian Scene"](http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Sites/LOP/Infoparl/english/issue.asp?param=74&art=168). *Canadian Parliamentary Review*. 2000. Retrieved 2009-12-04.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-cp_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-cp_2-1) "Former Liberals in coalition government formally join Saskatchewan NDP", *Canadian Press*, September 5, 2003

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Canadian Press, "Osika to lead Saskatchewan Liberals", *Globe and Mail*, November 16, 1995

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** "Swearing-in ceremony for new premier, cabinet", *Canadian Press*, February 9, 2001

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** "Saskatchewan Liberal Ron Osika decides to stay in coalition cabinet with NDP", *Canadian Press*, October 30, 2001

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** "Sask premier Calvert confirms coalition deal with two former Liberal MLAs" *Canadian Press*, November 7, 2001

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Parker, James, "NDP wins narrow Sask. victory: Party wins fourth consecutive term with razor-thin two-seat majority ", *Edmonton Journal*, November 6, 2003

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** "Osika returns", *Canadian Press*, April 28, 2005

v t e Saskatchewan Progress Party (Saskatchewan Liberal Party 1905 to 2023) Party leaders Brett D. McDonald (NWT) ¤ Scott Martin Dunning Gardiner Patterson Tucker A. McDonald Thatcher Steuart Malone Goodale Haverstock Osika Melenchuk Karwacki Proto Bater Gallagher Lamoureux Jijian Anwar Rudachyk Walters Bruce Peters Leadership elections 1946 1954 1959 1971 1976 1989 1996 2001

v t e Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan MacNutt Sutherland Sheppard Mitchell Scott Robinson Bryant Leslie Parker Agar Johnston Darling Wood Dewhurst Snedker Dewhurst Brockelbank Swan Tusa Rolfes Hagel Osika Kowalsky Toth D'Autremont Tochor Docherty Weekes

v t e Cabinet of Premier of Saskatchewan Lorne Calvert (2001–2007) Lorne Calvert Graham Addley Pat Atkinson Chris Axworthy Joan Beatty Buckley Belanger Lon Borgerson Eric Cline Joanne Crofford David Forbes Keith Goulet Glenn Hagel Doreen Hamilton Ron Harper Deb Higgins Judy Junor Eldon Lautermilch Pat Lorje Janice MacKinnon Warren McCall Jim Melenchuk Sandra Morin John Nilson Ron Osika Peter Prebble Frank Quennell Clay Serby Maynard Sonntag Len Taylor Andrew Thomson Kim Trew Harry Van Mulligen Mark Wartman Kevin Yates

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ron Osika](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Osika) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Osika?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.