29 Facts About Sterling Lyon

Sterling Lyon's government introduced several fiscally-conservative measures, and was sometimes seen as a local version of the government of Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom.

Sterling Lyon successfully fought for the inclusion of the notwithstanding clause in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Sterling Lyon graduated from Portage Collegiate Institute in 1944, where he served as vice-president of the school's student council.

Sterling Lyon graduated from United College in 1948, and received an LL.

Sterling Lyon was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in 1958, in the south-central Winnipeg riding of Fort Garry, running as a Progressive Conservative.

Roblin's Tories won a majority in 1959, and Sterling Lyon was easily re-elected in his own riding.

Sterling Lyon continued to serve as Attorney General, and served as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Minister of Public Utilities.

On December 9,1963, Sterling Lyon was shifted from the Attorney General's position to the Ministry of Mines and Natural Resources.

Sterling Lyon held this position until June 22,1966, and briefly served as Public Utilities minister again in mid-1964.

Sterling Lyon became Attorney General again after the 1966 election, and served as Minister of Tourism and Recreation from 1968 to 1969.

Sterling Lyon served a total of nine years as Attorney General.

When Roblin moved to federal politics in 1967, Sterling Lyon was one of four candidates who sought to replace him.

Sterling Lyon was defeated by Walter Weir on the third ballot, and did not seek re-election in 1969.

In February 1969, Sterling Lyon expressed skepticism about the wisdom of codifying common law rights in a written constitution.

Spivak, a former cabinet colleague of Sterling Lyon's who had been elected party leader in 1971, was a Red Tory opposed by many of the more conservative figures within his caucus.

Sterling Lyon returned to the legislature for the rural riding of Souris-Killarney in a 1976 by-election.

In 1977, Sterling Lyon transferred to the west Winnipeg seat of Charleswood.

Sterling Lyon's government cut spending in several departments and reduced investment in several social programs sponsored by the NDP.

Sterling Lyon was an initial opponent of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's constitutional plans, and subsequently became a leading supporter of the notwithstanding clause provision.

Sterling Lyon fought, unsuccessfully, to have property rights entrenched in the Constitution of Canada.

Sterling Lyon's PCs lost government to the NDP, now led by Howard Pawley, in 1981, after only one term in office.

Sterling Lyon acted as Leader of the Opposition for two years and fought Pawley's proposals to entrench the rights of Franco-Manitobans in the Constitution.

In 1983, Sterling Lyon stepped down as Tory leader and was replaced by Gary Filmon.

Sterling Lyon retired from politics when he did not run for re-election in the 1986 provincial election.

Sterling Lyon was appointed to the Manitoba Court of Appeal in 1986.

Sterling Lyon died on December 16,2010, following a brief illness, at the age of 83.

Sterling Lyon was sworn into the Privy Council on April 17,1982, by Governor General Edward Schreyer on the advice of Pierre Trudeau.

In 2004, Sterling Lyon was chosen as the University of Winnipeg's annual recipient of the "Distinguished Alumnus Award".

Sterling Lyon feared that provincial and federal parliaments would themselves cede their power to the courts to avoid controversial issues, a fear that has proved well founded.