Jim Pankiw

Jim Pankiw (born August 7, 1966) is a Canadian politician and former Member of Parliament.

Pankiw served two terms in the Canadian House of Commons, representing Saskatoon—Humboldt in Saskatchewan from 1997 until 2004 as a member of the Reform Party of Canada, the Canadian Alliance, the Democratic Representative Caucus and finally as an independent MP.

Early life

Pankiw was raised by his father George in Unity, Saskatchewan. His mother died when he was young. After training as a chiropractor, Pankiw was first elected to Parliament in the 1997 federal election as a member of the Reform Party. He won a plurality of just 220 votes over Dennis Gruending of the New Democratic Party.

Controversy

In 2000, Pankiw wrote a letter to the president of the University of Saskatchewan, Peter MacKinnon, condemning the university's affirmative action policies and comparing its supporters to those of the Ku Klux Klan. The letter led to a heated debate between Pankiw and Saskatchewan Liberal cabinet minister Jack Hilson on the university campus.

At the time of the 2000 election, Pankiw was a member of Reform's successor, the Canadian Alliance. He ran into opposition during his on-campus debate with the Liberal candidate, former MP Morris Bodnar. Owing to strong support from the rural areas of the constituency, Pankiw won re-election with a plurality of 6,360 votes.

Expulsion

By 2001,...
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