Denis Rocan

Who is Denis Rocan?

Denis Rocan is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1986 to 2007, and served as speaker of the assembly from 1988 to 1995. Rocan was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party, but became an independent in 2007.

Rocan was born to a French Canadian family in Somerset, Manitoba and was raised in north-end Winnipeg. He is also métis by background and a direct descendant of Jean-Baptiste Lagimodière and Marie-Anne Gaboury. He was educated at Sacré-Coeur in Winnipeg, Somerset Collegiate and Otterburne College. He is fluently bilingual in English and French. Rocan worked as a farmer before entering political life, and also operated a building and moving company and a grain business. He is a Shriner and a freemason, as well as a member of the Royal Canadian Legion.

He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1986 provincial election, winning the rural, southern constituency of Turtle Mountain. Rural seats in southern Manitoba are generally considered safe for the Progressive Conservative party, and Rocan was elected by more than 2,000 votes over his nearest opponent. The New Democratic Party won the election, and Rocan served as a member of the opposition.