Wally McKenzie

Who was Wally McKenzie?

James Wallace McKenzie was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1966 to 1986.

McKenzie was the son of homesteaders who had moved to Manitoba from Ontario. In the 1930s, he earned extra money by performing in dance bands. He did not attend university, and worked as a grain byer after leaving high school. McKenzie served in the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1941 to 1945, and returned to his old job following the conclusion of World War II. When his employer was bought out by Pool elevators, he opened a grocery store in Inglis, Manitoba.

From 1955 to 1963, he was a member of the Inglis town council. He also served as President of the North Central Hockey League in 1965.

He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1966, in the riding of Roblin, defeating New Democrat Joseph Perchaluk by just over 200 votes. He did not serve in the cabinets of Dufferin Roblin or Walter Weir, and sat as a backbench MLA on the government side for the next three years.

In the provincial election of 1969, McKenzie narrowly defeated fellow incumbent Mike Kawchuk of the NDP in the redistributed riding of Roblin. The NDP under Edward Schreyer formed government after this election, and McKenzie moved to the opposition benches. He was re-elected by an increased margin in the 1973 election, due in part to the fact that there was no Liberal candidate in the race.