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Biography & Autobiography Political

Mike Starr of Oshawa

A Political Biography

by (author) Myron Momryk

Publisher
University of Ottawa Press
Initial publish date
Jan 2018
Category
Political
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9780776625935
    Publish Date
    Jan 2018
    List Price
    $29.99

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Description

Mike Starr had a remarkable career in Canadian politics.
In June 1957, he was appointed Minister of Labour in John Diefenbaker’s cabinet and created a sensation, especially among Canadian ethnocultural groups. He made political history as the “rst Ukrainian Canadian appointed to federal cabinet. As Minister of Labour, Starr was faced with numerous national problems, including seasonal unemployment, regional disparities, union negotiations and emerging militant nationalism in Quebec.
When the Diefenbaker government was defeated in the 1963 federal election, Starr returned to his earlier role as Member of Parliament. With the changing Canadian political environment, he was defeated by a tiny margin in the 1968 federal election. Starr continued his distinguished career of public service from 1968 to 1980. He promoted the increasing involvement of ethnocultural groups in Canada political life. In recent decades, it has become a political norm to have members of various ethnocultural and visible minority groups elected to the House of Commons, and appointed to Cabinet and other senior government positions. For breaking this barrier, Mike Starr was indeed a pioneer in Canadian politics.

About the author

Myron Momryk is a retired archivist from Library and Archives Canada where he worked in the Multicultural Archives Program for twenty-five years. Prior to this tenure, he was the History Officer in the Multiculturalism Directorate, Department of the Secretary of State (now Heritage Canada).

Myron Momryk's profile page

Excerpt: Mike Starr of Oshawa: A Political Biography (by (author) Myron Momryk)

He is an old friend and a doughty foe. We on this side, and I am sure that this is true of members of the House on whatever side they may sit, appreciate his quiet, sincere and effective service to his party, to Parliament and to his country. — Prime Minister Lester Pearson