Pat Lorje represented the riding of Saskatoon Southeast in the Saskatchewan Legislature from 1991 to 2003, and served two stints as a Saskatoon City Councillor, serving a total of 22 years on Council.
22 Facts About Pat Lorje
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Pat Lorje's father, Rod Wilkening, was a pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force who served in the Second World War and re-enlisted during the Korean War; however, he was killed in a car accident before leaving to Korea.
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Pat Lorje was the oldest of four children left to their mother, Phyllis.
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Pat Lorje decided to run because working with women as a psychologist had made her realize that urban design and politics was a significant determinant of mental health.
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Pat Lorje was the founding Chair of Council's Race Relations Committee.
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The 1988 election was the first outside of the ward system since 1972, and Pat Lorje received more than 33,000 votes, topping even Henry Dayday, who was elected as mayor.
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In one 1988 incident, Pat Lorje drove a city bus 11 blocks as part of celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of Saskatoon Transit.
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Pat Lorje ultimately served three terms, being re-elected in 1995 and 1999, before retiring from provincial politics in 2003.
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One court-ordered recount actually put Karwacki ahead, but Pat Lorje ultimately retained the seat on appeal.
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Pat Lorje held posts in Aboriginal Affairs, Post Secondary Education and Skills Training, and Environment; she served as Provincial Secretary in 2001.
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Pat Lorje wrote a report that formed the basis of the provincial government's immigration policy and became the first minister to visit every First Nation in Saskatchewan.
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Pat Lorje briefly stepped away from cabinet in the spring of 2002 following an allegation of harassment from a staff member.
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An investigation found that she had touched the face of an aide in an inappropriate way, which media reports referred to as an "affectionate slap," and Pat Lorje was allowed to return to cabinet.
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Pat Lorje was elected to represent Ward 2 on Saskatoon City Council in the 2006 municipal election.
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In 2014, Pat Lorje was sanctioned by Council for revealing details of a confidential report to a member of the public, which was shown to be a former MLA colleague, Eric Cline.
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Pat Lorje was defiant about the charge, alleging that it was not an uncommon practice, but for one year she could access confidential documents only at City Hall.
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Pat Lorje remained involved in the community after her time on Council, including serving on the board of the local Montgomery Place Community Association.
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However, in 2018 Pat Lorje resigned from the board, citing the "racist attitudes" of some board members when the community was seen as divided over a proposal by the Saskatoon Tribal Council to establish a pre-school in the neighbourhood.
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Pat Lorje was on the board for Saskatoon City Hospital for 10 years.
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Pat Lorje is a pianist and spent time as a marathon runner.
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Pat Lorje ran six marathons and once organized a fitness competition between Saskatoon and Tartu, Estonia.
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Pat Lorje eventually married playwright and theatre director Tom Bentley-Fisher, and the couple briefly moved to San Francisco after her retirement from provincial politics.