View source for Lyle Stewart

{{Short description|Canadian politician (1951–2024)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image               = 
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Honourable]]
| name                = Lyle Stewart
| honorific-suffix = [[Executive Council of Saskatchewan|ECS]]
| caption             = 
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1951|6|4}}<ref>
[http://www.saskarchives.com/web/seld/Members-of-Legislative-Assembly.pdf Members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725182436/http://www.saskarchives.com/web/seld/Members-of-Legislative-Assembly.pdf |date=2011-07-25 }}. Saskatchewan Archives.</ref>
| birth_place         = [[Regina, Saskatchewan]], Canada<ref>
[http://www.saskarchives.com/web/seld/Members-of-Legislative-Assembly.pdf Members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725182436/http://www.saskarchives.com/web/seld/Members-of-Legislative-Assembly.pdf |date=2011-07-25 }}. Saskatchewan Archives.</ref>
| death_date          = {{death date and age|2024|7|30|1951|6|4}}
| death_place         = [[Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan]], Canada
| residence           = [[Pense, Saskatchewan]], Canada
| assembly            = Saskatchewan Legislative
| constituency_AM     = [[Lumsden-Morse]]<br /><small>[[Thunder Creek (1975–2016 electoral district)|Thunder Creek]] (1999-2016)</small>
| term_start          = September 16, 1999
| term_end            = March 10, 2023
| predecessor         = [[Gerard Aldridge]]
| successor           = [[Blaine McLeod]]
| party               = [[Saskatchewan Party]]
| religion            = 
| occupation          = Farmer, rancher
| spouse              = 
| children            = 
}}

'''Lyle Eldon Stewart''' (June 4, 1951 – July 30, 2024) was a Canadian provincial politician. A member of the [[Saskatchewan Party]], he served six terms in the [[Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan]].

==Life and career==
Stewart was born on June 4, 1951.<ref>[https://www.encyclopedia.com/international/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/stewart-lyle-eldon-thunder-creek Stewart, Lyle Eldon (Thunder Creek)]</ref> He first became involved in politics in the 1970s. Stewart served as the [[executive assistant]] to [[Colin Thatcher]], who served as the MLA for [[Thunder Creek (1975–2016 electoral district)|Thunder Creek]]. Thatcher was a former [[Saskatchewan Liberal Party|Liberal]] who had [[crossing the floor|crossed the floor]] to the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan|Progressive Conservatives]] prior to that party winning power in the [[1982 Saskatchewan general election|1982 election]]. After Thatcher resigned in disgrace upon receiving a [[life sentence]] for the 1983 murder of his ex-wife,  Stewart twice sought the PC nomination, first for the ensuing [[by-election]] in 1985 and again for the [[1986 Saskatchewan general election|1986 general election]]. On both occasions, he was defeated by [[Richard Swenson|Rick Swenson]].

After the riding switched back to the Liberals following the [[1995 Saskatchewan general election|1995 election]], Stewart joined the new [[Saskatchewan Party]] which had essentially replaced the scandal-ridden PC's as the largest centre-right party in the province. This time, he defeated Swenson for the nomination. Stewart then unseated incumbent Liberal [[Gerard Aldridge]] in the [[1999 Saskatchewan general election|1999 general election]]. Stewart represented the constituency of [[Thunder Creek (1975–2016 electoral district)|Thunder Creek]] until its abolition in [[2016 Saskatchewan general election|2016]].<ref name="cabinet"/> Stewart was subsequently elected in [[Lumsden-Morse]], a new electoral district encompassing most of the former Thunder Creek constituency.

Stewart had been the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation since May 25, 2012, a role he maintained following the August 23, 2016 cabinet shuffle.<ref>{{cite web|title=Premier announces Saskatchewan cabinet shuffle|url=https://leaderpost.com/news/saskatchewan/premier-announces-saskatchewan-cabinet-shuffle|publisher=Regina Leader-Post|date=August 23, 2016}}</ref> He had been a member of the [[Executive Council of Saskatchewan]] since the Saskatchewan Party won its first majority government in 2007, previously serving as the Minister for Enterprise and Innovation.<ref name="cabinet">{{cite web |url=http://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/government-structure/cabinet/honourable-lyle-stewart |title=Honourable Lyle Stewart |work=Cabinet |publisher=Government of Saskatchewan |accessdate=2016-08-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180809184345/http://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/government-structure/cabinet/honourable-lyle-stewart |archive-date=2018-08-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On August 9, 2018, he announced he was resigning from Cabinet due to health concerns.<ref>[https://globalnews.ca/news/4378353/lyle-stewart-stepping-down-as-sask-agriculture-minister-following-cancer-diagnosis/ Adam MacVicar and David Baxter, "Lyle Stewart stepping down as Sask. agriculture minister following cancer diagnosis", Global News, August 9, 2018.]</ref> In late 2020 Stewart was named Legislative Secretary to the Premier responsible for Provincial Autonomy and also the role of [[Provincial secretary]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2020/november/09/premier-scott-moe-announces-new-cabinet-after-receiving-strong-mandate | title=Premier Scott Moe Announces New Cabinet After Receiving Strong Mandate &#124; News and Media }}</ref>

Stewart caused controversy in October 2022 when his mentor [[Colin Thatcher]] attended the [[Speech from the Throne]]. Thatcher was on parole for the murder of his wife, JoAnn Wilson.<ref>{{cite web |title=Convicted wife killer Colin Thatcher invited to tough-on-crime Saskatchewan throne speech |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/colin-thatcher-sask-throne-speech-1.6631009 |publisher=CBC News |access-date=May 18, 2023 |date=Oct 26, 2022}}</ref> Stewart later acknowledged in a statement that he had invited Thatcher, whom he called a "friend", and admitted that the invitation was an "error in judgment". He was removed from his role as legislative secretary by Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe but permitted to remain as a party caucus member.<ref>{{cite web |title=Moe apologizes, removes Stewart from duties after Thatcher invite |url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/sask-politics/lyle-stewart-removed-from-duties-after-inviting-colin-thatcher-to-throne-speech/wcm/986792be-b4c3-4746-a521-13e363ce65c9 |publisher=Calgary Herald |access-date=May 18, 2023 |date=Oct 31, 2022}}</ref>

On March 6, 2023, Stewart announced his resignation from the legislative assembly effective March 10, citing health reasons.<ref>{{cite web |title=Veteran Sask. Party MLA Lyle Stewart steps down for health reasons |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask-stewart-resignation-1.6770041 |website=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=2023-03-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311032938/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask-stewart-resignation-1.6770041 |archive-date=2023-03-11 |url-status=live |last1=Hunter |first1=Adam}}</ref>

He died from complications of cancer in [[Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan]], on July 30, 2024, at the age of 73.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Prisciak |first1=David |title=Former Sask. MLA Lyle Stewart dead at 73 |url=https://regina.ctvnews.ca/former-sask-mla-lyle-stewart-dead-at-73-1.6983698 |access-date=July 31, 2024 |work=CTV News Regina |date=July 30, 2024}}</ref>

==Electoral record==
{{Election box begin | title=[[2007 Saskatchewan general election]]:
Thunder Creek}}
|-
{{CANelec |SK |Saskatchewan |'''Lyle Stewart''' |5,558 |64.45% |+10.92}}
{{Canadian party colour|SK|NDP|row-name}}
|Larry Hall
|align="right"|1,997
|align="right"|23.16%
|align="right"|-7.65
{{CANelec|SK|Liberal|Rod Haugerud|590|6.84%|-6.84}}
{{Canadian party colour|SK|PC|row-name}}
|[[Richard Swenson]]
|align="right"|295
|align="right"|3.42%
|align="right"|-
{{CANelec|SK|Green|Russ Rudd|184|2.13%|-}}
|- bgcolor="white"
!align="left" colspan=3|Total
!align="right"|8,624
!align="right"|100.00%
!align="right"|
{{election box end}}

{{2003 Saskatchewan general election/Thunder Creek}}

{{Election box begin | title=[[1999 Saskatchewan general election]]:
Thunder Creek}}
|-
{{CANelec |SK |Saskatchewan |'''Lyle Stewart''' |3,969 |52.95% |-}}
{{CANelec|SK|Liberal|[[Gerard Aldridge]]|2,031|27.09%|-10.40}}
{{Canadian party colour|SK|NDP|row-name}}
|Ivan Costley
|align="right"|1,496
|align="right"|19.96%
|align="right"|-10.90
|- bgcolor="white"
!align="left" colspan=3|Total
!align="right"|7,496
!align="right"|100.00%
!align="right"|
{{election box end}}

==Cabinet positions==

{{s-start}}
{{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Scott_Moe}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post2preceded = [[Todd Goudy]]
| post2         = [[Executive Council of Saskatchewan|Provincial Secretary of Saskatchewan]]
| post2years    = November 9, 2020 &ndash; May 31, 2022
| post2note     =
| post2followed = [[Tim McLeod]]
| post1preceded = con'd from Wall Ministry
| post1         = [[Executive Council of Saskatchewan|Minister of Agriculture]]
| post1years    = February 2, 2018 &ndash; August 15, 2018
| post1note     =
| post1followed = [[Dave Marit]]
}}
{{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Brad_Wall}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post2preceded = [[Bob Bjornerud]]
| post2         = [[Executive Council of Saskatchewan|Minister of Agriculture]]
| post2years    = May 25, 2012 &ndash; February 2, 2018
| post2note     =
| post2followed = con'd into Moe Ministry
| post1preceded = ''Ministry Established''
| post1         = [[Executive Council of Saskatchewan|Minister of Enterprise and Innovation]]
| post1years    = November 21, 2007 &ndash; May 29, 2009
| post1note     =
| post1followed = [[Ken Cheveldayoff]]
}}
{{s-end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Moe Ministry}}
{{Wall Ministry}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, Lyle}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:Members of the Executive Council of Saskatchewan]]
[[Category:Saskatchewan Party MLAs]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan]]
[[Category:Canadian ranchers]]
[[Category:Farmers from Saskatchewan]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Saskatchewan]]