Fonds F 463 - Don Cody fonds

Donald William Cody was born on March 28, 1936 in Pilger, Saskatchewan to Edward and Rosella (Wirtz) Cody. He worked as a telegraph operator and agent for Canadian Pacific Railways Co. before embarking on a career in insurance.

Cody worked as a claims adjuster for Saskatchewan Government Insurance in Regina from 1963 to 1967. He then worked at Co-op Insurance Services Ltd. as a claims examiner and Saskatchewan claims supervisor. He attended the Associateship Insurance Institute of Canada and was a member of the Saskatchewan Association of Insurance Adjustors and Insurance Institute of Canada.

Cody was first elected to the Saskatchewan Legislature in 1971 and served as a New Democratic Party (NDP) MLA for the Watrous constituency until 1975, when he was defeated in the provincial general election in the Qu'Appelle riding. Cody was re-elected in the Kinistino constituency in the 1978 general election and held the seat until 1982.

Cody served in the Allan Blakeney Government as Minister of Co-operation and Co-operative Development (1974-1975, 1979-1982); and Minister of Telephones (1978-1982). He was Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (1974-1975, 1978-1979); Saskatchewan Telecommunications (1978-1982); Saskatchewan Transportation Company (1978-1982); Office of the Rentalsman (1979-1980); Rental Appeal Commission (1979-1980); Provincial Mediation Board (1979-1980); Legislative Review Committee (1980-1982); Saskatchewan Government Printing Company (1980-1982); and Saskatchewan Forest Products Corporation (1980-1982).

Cody lost his seat in the 1982 provincial general election to Bernard Boutin (Progressive Conservative). After leaving provincial politics, Cody moved to Prince Albert and became owner of Buns Master Bakery. He served as mayor of Prince Albert from 1994 to 2003.

Cody currently (2006) continues to reside in Prince Albert.

Cody married Joan Eileen Germsheid on July 3, 1961. They have two children: Scott and Garnet.

John Rissler Messer was born on May 26, 1941 at Tisdale, Saskatchewan to William Frederick and Margaret Elizabeth (Rissler) Messer. He received his primary education in Tisdale and attended high school in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Messer worked in real estate in Vancouver before attending the University of British Columbia and University of Saskatchewan. He established a farm near Tisdale and was active in the local community. He served as secretary of the Tisdale Wheat Pool Committee and director of the Evington Rural Telephone Company.

Messer was first elected to the Saskatchewan Legislature in 1967 and served as a New Democratic Party (NDP) member for Kelsey (1967-1971), Tisdale-Kelsey (1971-1975) and Kelsey-Tisdale (1975-1980).

Messer served in the Allan Blakeney Government as Minister of Agriculture (1971-1975); Minister of Industry and Commerce (1975-1976); and Minister of Mineral Resources (1976-1980). He was Minister Responsible for numerous agencies, boards, commissions and crown corporations, including Saskatchewan Economic Development Corporation (1975-1976); Saskatchewan Power Corporation (1975-1980); Saskatchewan Trading Corporation (1975-1976); Saskatchewan Research Council (1975-1976); Saskatchewan Forest Products Corporation (1976-1980); Saskatchewan Mining Development Corporation (1976-1978); Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (1978-1980) and Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Corporation (1978-1980).

Messer resigned from Cabinet on December 16, 1980. Neal Hardy (Progressive Conservative) was elected MLA for Kelsey-Tisdale in a 1980 by-election. Messer returned to provincial politics in 1990 as provincial secretary of the Saskatchewan NDP and was active in the party's 1991 election campaign. He served as president of Saskatchewan Power Corporation (SaskPower) from 1991 to 1998, after which time he returned to Tisdale to farm. He was elected president of Ducks Unlimited Canada for 2003-2004, and served as its chairman of the Board of Directors in 2006.

Messer currently (2009) continues to reside in Tisdale and represents Saskatchewan on the Board of Directors of Ducks Unlimited Canada.

Jack Messer married Joanne Bryson on April 14, 1960. They have three children: Annette, William and Michael.

Wesley Albert Robbins was born in Laura, Saskatchewan on August 14, 1916 to Norman and Charlotte Jane Robbins. He was raised on the family farm and received his primary and secondary education in the area. Robbins attended Teachers' College and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1957.

Robbins was a teacher at Elk Valley School (1938-1940) and Jerome School (1940-1941) and an accountant at Federated Co-operatives Ltd in Saskatoon from 1941 to 1954. He was Secretary-Manager of the Co-operative Superannuation Society from 1954 to 1973. Robbins was involved with the Saskatoon Credit Union, serving as a director, president (1961-1963) and member of the credit and educational committees of the organization.

Robbins was first elected to the Saskatchewan Legislature in 1964 and served as a Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) member for the Saskatoon City constituency until 1967. Robbins also served as a New Democratic Party (NDP) member for the Saskatoon Nutana Centre (1971-1975) and Saskatoon Nutana (1975-1982) constituencies.

Robbins served in the Allan Blakeney Government as Minister of Finance (1973-1975); Minister of Co-operation and Co-operative Development (1975, 1977-1979); Minister of Consumer Affairs (1975, 1979-1980); Minister of Health (1975-1977); Minister of Revenue (1977-1978); and Minister of Revenue, Supply and Services (1978-1982). He was Minister Responsible for numerous agencies, boards and commissions including Board of Revenue Commissioners; Public Service Superannuation Board; Saskatchewan Development Fund; Saskatchewan Government Insurance; and Saskatchewan Computer Utility Corporation.

Robbins did not run in the 1982 provincial general election. He returned to Saskatoon and retired shortly thereafter.

Wes Robbins died in Saskatoon on March 12, 2008.

Robbins married Marion Nichol on June 14, 1946. They had three children: Barbara, James and Janis.

Born August 28, 1944 on a farm near Caron, Saskatchewan, Edward Blain 'Ned' Shillington received his early education at Grayburn Public School. He attended St. Louis High School in Moose Jaw, and graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with Bachelor degrees in Arts and Law in 1967. Shillington articled in Regina and practiced law in Moosomin from 1968-1971 prior to entering politics.

After a failed attempt to win a seat for the New Democratic Party in Moosomin in 1970, Shillington was appointed Executive Assistant to the Attorney-General in 1971, and served in this position until 1975.

First elected to the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly as a New Democratic Party member for Regina Centre Constituency in 1975, Shillington later served as MLA for the Regina Churchill-Downs and Regina Northeast Constituency until his retirement in July 1999.

He has held numerous Cabinet portfolios in the Blakeney and Romanow Governments: Minister of Co-operation and Co-operative Development (1975-1977), Minister of Consumer Affairs (1975-1976), Minister of Government Services (1976-1978), Minister of Culture and Youth (1977-1980), Minister of Education (1978-1979), Associate Minister of Finance (1992,1995), Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Property Management Corporation (1992), Associate Minister of Finance (1992, 1995), Minister of Labour (1992-1995), Minister of Justice and Attorney General (1995), Minister of Intergovernmental Relations (1995-1996), Provincial Secretary (1995-1998), and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (1996-1997).

After leaving politics Shillington worked as a consultant on legislative process for PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Regina. In June 2000 he became Vice-President of Points West Consulting Inc. responsible for the Alberta Region. He held that position until May 31, 2002, when he became an investment manager of a privately owned investment fund.

Shillington married Sonia (Koroscil) in 1970; they have two children, Ryan and Tara. The Shillingtons currently (2010) reside in Calgary, Alberta where Shillington is a private securities investor.

Neil Erland Byers was born on December 7, 1928 in Fertile, Saskatchewan to Newton and Kathleen (McDonald) Byers. He received his early education in Fertile and Frobisher and attended Moose Jaw Normal School. Byers earned a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Saskatchewan.

Prior to his entry into provincial politics, Byers worked as a teacher with the Department of Indian Affairs (1952-1954) and in Foam Lake. He served as vice-councilor for the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation and president of the Shamrock Teachers' Superintendency Association. Byers also worked for seven years as a hail adjuster for the Co-operative Hail Insurance Company of Saskatchewan.

Byers ran unsuccessfully in the 1964 and 1967 provincial general elections in the Kelvington constituency. He was first elected to the Saskatchewan Legislature in a June 25, 1969 by-election and served as a New Democratic Party (NDP) MLA for Kelvington (1969-1975) and Kelvington-Wadena (1975-1982).

Byers held various Cabinet portfolios in the Allan Blakeney Government: Minister of Highways and Transportation (1971-1972); Minister of Telephones (1971-1972, 1975-1978); Minister of the Environment (1972-1978); Minister of Co-operation and Co-operative Development (1972-1974); and Minister of Northern Saskatchewan (1978-1979). He was Minister Responsible for various agencies, boards and commissions including Saskatchewan Telecommunications (1975-1978); Liquor Board (1975-1978); and Liquor Licensing Commission (1975-1978).

Byers resigned from Cabinet on June 19, 1979 and lost his seat in the 1982 provincial general election to Sherwin Petersen (Progressive Conservative). Following his political career, Byers operated a potato farm on the family land near Frobisher, was a hail adjuster, and taught adult basic education.

Neil Byers died at Regina on July 3, 2020.

Byers married Margaret Engelke on November 8, 1952. They have six children: Douglas, Valerie, Eleanor, Sandra, Roland and Candyce.

Eiling Kramer was born on July 14, 1914 near North Battleford, Saskatchewan to Minne Dowe and Jacobina (Kopinga) Kramer. He received his elementary and secondary education in the North Battleford area and completed a study course from the New York School of Journalism by correspondence. Prior to his election into provincial politics, Kramer was a rancher in the Highworth area. In 1942, he acquired the Round Hill Ranch, where he raised registered Hereford cattle. Kramer also worked as an auctioneer and in 1949 he established Kramer Auctions in North Battleford.

Active in the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), Kramer was appointed CCF organizer of northwestern Saskatchewan in 1946. He was also involved in the organization of the Saskatchewan Farmers' Union in 1950 and served as its vice-president (1951-1952).

Kramer was first elected to the Saskatchewan Legislature in 1952 and served as a CCF MLA for the Battlefords until 1967. He served the Battlefords as a New Democratic Party (NDP) member from 1967 to 1980. Kramer is the longest serving member in the history of Saskatchewan's Legislative Assembly, having served 28 consecutive years.

Kramer was Minister of Natural Resources (1962-1964) in the Woodrow Lloyd Government. He served in the Allan Blakeney Government as Minister of Natural Resources (1971-1972); Minister of Co-operation and Co-operative Development (1971-1972); and Minister of Highways and Transportation (1972-1980). He was Minister Responsible for the Saskatchewan Transportation Company (1972-1976) and Highway Traffic Board (1979-1980).

Kramer retired from political life on December 16, 1980. David Miner (NDP) was elected MLA for the Battlefords in a 1980 by-election. After his retirement, Kramer returned to North Battleford. He moved to Regina shortly before his death there on May 5, 1999.

Eiling Kramer married Dorothy Johnston on December 15, 1944. They had eight children: Carol, Neil, Clair, Leslie, Dorothy, Coleen, Timothy, Barbarie and Jennifer.