Deb Higgins
Mayor of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
In office
2012–2016
Preceded byGlenn Hagel
Succeeded byFraser Tolmie
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
In office
September 16, 1999 – October 10, 2011
Preceded byLorne Calvert
Succeeded byGreg Lawrence
ConstituencyMoose Jaw Wakamow
Personal details
Born1954 (age 69–70)
Political partyNew Democratic Party
Residence(s)Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
OccupationLabour organizer

Debra Elaine Higgins is a Canadian politician.[1] She was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for the constituency of Moose Jaw Wakamow from 1999 to 2011 and served as the mayor of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan from 2012 to 2016.

Political career

Higgins got her start in politics when she became involved with the United Food and Commercial Workers union in 1982 while working at a Safeway grocery store. She later served as the President of the UFCW Manitoba Provincial Council from 1993 to 1999, during which period she also served as a table officer for the Moose Jaw & District Labour Council.[2]

NDP MLA

Higgins was first elected to the provincial legislature as a member of the New Democratic Party in the 1999 election, and she was re-elected in the 2003 and 2007 elections. She served in the cabinet of Premier Lorne Calvert, first as the Minister of Labour and later as the Minister of Learning.[3] After the defeat of the NDP government in the 2007 election, Higgins has served as the NDP critic for municipal affairs, liquor and gaming, and women's issues.[3]

In 2008 Calvert retired, triggering the 2009 NDP leadership race. On January 30, 2009, Higgins announced her bid to succeed Calvert at the party's June 2009 leadership convention. Higgins ran on the theme of party renewal and poverty reduction.[2] She was joined in the race by former Saskatchewan NDP President Yens Pedersen, former Deputy Premier Dwain Lingenfelter, and Saskatoon doctor Ryan Meili. Higgins secured 14% of votes on the first ballot and was eliminated; although both Higgins and Pedersen, who withdrew after the first ballot, endorsed Meili ahead of the second ballot, Lingenfelter was elected leader.[4] After the race, Lingenfelter named Higgins Deputy Leader.[5]

Higgins ran in the 2011 election, but she lost her seat to rookie Saskatchewan Party candidate Greg Lawrence in an election that saw the NDP reduced to an historic low of 9 seats in the legislature.[6][7] Lingenfelter also lost his seat in the election and resigned as leader, triggering another leadership race. Higgins decided not to run again for the leadership, advocating instead for younger members to step into contention for the role. Higgins chaired the leadership election, which resulted in Cam Broten being elected.[8]

Mayor of Moose Jaw

In September 2012, Higgins announced she would be entering municipal politics and running to become the next mayor of Moose Jaw.[9] On October 23, 2012, Higgins was elected mayor, defeating Fraser Tolmie in a tight race and becoming the first female mayor in Moose Jaw's history.[10][11]

Higgins ran for reelection in 2016. She was again running against Tolmie, along with three other candidates in a crowded field. The ballot also included a referendum on funding for replacing local water and sewer mains, which led to a high turnout. Higgins was unseated by Tolmie, who secured 53.5% of the vote.[12]

Electoral record

2016 Moose Jaw mayoral election
Candidate Votes %
Fraser Tolmie 5,94953.5
Deb Higgins 3,46931.2
3 other candidates 1,70515.3
Total 11,123100.00
2012 Moose Jaw mayoral election
Candidate Votes %
Deb Higgins 5,23953
Fraser Tolmie 4,64547
Total 9,884100.00
2011 Saskatchewan general election: Moose Jaw Wakamow
Party Candidate Votes%±%
SaskatchewanGreg Lawrence3,06449.10+12.40
New DemocraticDeb Higgins2,86345.88-6.45
Progressive ConservativeTom Steen2093.35+0.51
GreenDeanna Robilliard1041.67-0.59
Total 6,240100.00
2007 Saskatchewan general election: Moose Jaw Wakamow
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticDeb Higgins3,88752.33-10.27
SaskatchewanGwen Beitel2,72636.70+6.37
LiberalSharice Billett Niedermayer4365.87-0.24
Progressive ConservativeTom Steen2112.84-
GreenLarissa Shasko1682.26+1.30
Total 7,428100.00
2003 Saskatchewan general election: Moose Jaw Wakamow
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticDeb Higgins4,39462.60+8.68
SaskatchewanGwen Beitel2,12930.33-2.46
LiberalRobert Cosman4296.11-5.46
New GreenMarcela Gall670.96*
Total 7,019100.00
1999 Saskatchewan general election: Moose Jaw Wakamow
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticDeb Higgins3,11153.92-9.03
SaskatchewanDoris Dunphy1,89232.79*
LiberalMarlin Belt66811.57-14.54
Progressive ConservativeVanessa Slater991.72-9.22
Total 5,770100.00

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Members of the Legislative Assembly" (PDF). p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 19, 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Deb Higgins". Saskatchewan New Democratic Party. Archived from the original on 2012-04-28.
  3. 1 2 "Higgins runs for NDP leadership". CBC News. 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
  4. ↑ "Saskatchewan New Democrats choose Dwain Lingenfelter as leader | CBC News". CBC. 2009-06-06. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  5. ↑ "Sask NDP Start To Rebuild". Discover Moose Jaw. 2011-11-18. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  6. ↑ "NDP Optimistic After Humbling Defeat". DiscoverMooseJaw. 2011-11-08. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  7. ↑ Graham, Jennifer (2011-11-07). "Saskatchewan NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter crushed by Wall". Global News. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  8. ↑ "1st candidate declares in Sask. NDP leadership race | CBC News". CBC. 2012-09-05. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  9. ↑ "Deb Higgins enters Moose Jaw mayoral race". CTV News. 2012-09-14. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
  10. ↑ "Higgins elected first female mayor". Moose Jaw Times-Herald. 2012. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  11. ↑ "Deb Higgins new mayor of Moose Jaw". CBC News. 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
  12. ↑ Robinson, Ashley (2016-10-27). "Busy night in southern Saskatchewan as three cities vote in new mayors". LeaderPost. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
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