Steven John Ashton was born on February 29,1956 and is a British-born Canadian politician in Manitoba, Canada.
22 Facts About Steve Ashton
1.
2.
Steve Ashton was a long-serving member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, and was a long-time cabinet minister in the New Democratic Party governments led by premiers Gary Doer and Greg Selinger.
3.
Steve Ashton resigned from cabinet on December 22,2014 to challenge Selinger for the leadership of the party.
4.
In 2017, Steve Ashton ran for Manitoba NDP leader, losing to Wab Kinew, who became premier in 2023.
5.
Steve Ashton moved with his family, including his brothers Martin and Alan, to Thompson, in northern Manitoba, at age eleven.
6.
Steve Ashton was educated at R D Parker Collegiate in that community, the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, and Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
7.
Steve Ashton was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1981 provincial election, defeating Progressive Conservative incumbent Ken MacMaster by 72 votes in the constituency of Thompson.
8.
At the time of his first election, Steve Ashton was involved in an INCO strike in the Thompson area as a member of the United Steelworkers of America; he was the second youngest person ever elected to the Manitoba legislature at the time.
9.
Steve Ashton was re-elected in the 1986 election by a greater margin.
10.
Steve Ashton did not serve in the cabinet of Howard Pawley.
11.
The NDP were defeated in the provincial election of 1988, although Steve Ashton won his own riding by a comfortable margin.
12.
When NDP leader Gary Doer became Premier of Manitoba in October 1999, Steve Ashton was appointed Minister of Highways and Government Services.
13.
In 2003, Steve Ashton supported Bill Blaikie's campaign to become leader of the federal NDP.
14.
Steve Ashton was re-elected in the 2007 provincial election and in September 2007 he was appointed Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister responsible for the Emergency Measures Organization.
15.
On September 4,2009, Steve Ashton announced his candidacy to succeed Gary Doer as leader of the Manitoba NDP in the 2009 leadership election and ran on a platform advocating the party's return to its social justice and labour roots.
16.
Steve Ashton became the lead minister for Canada-Manitoba Infrastructure programs.
17.
Steve Ashton resigned from cabinet on December 22,2014 to challenge Selinger in the 2015 Manitoba NDP leadership election, at which he was unsuccessful.
18.
Steve Ashton returned to cabinet in April 2015 as Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation and Minister responsible for emergency measures.
19.
In 2017, Steve Ashton ran for Manitoba NDP leader, losing to Wab Kinew.
20.
In 1979, Steve Ashton married Hariklia "Hari" Dimitrakopoulou, and the couple have two children.
21.
Steve Ashton is Secretary of the Canadian Committee for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles, seeking the return of the treasured sculptures from Britain to Greece.
22.
Steve Ashton speaks Greek, and has written on the political culture of that nation.