A colourful chronology
Highlights in the career of an outspoken, controversial politician
01/24/1947:
Pat Wilkening is born in Eastend, the first of four children.
1969:
After earning her bachelor of arts in psychology at the University of Saskatchewan, she moves to Holland for three years to live with her husband, Ted Lorje.
1972:
Lorje and her husband move back to Saskatoon, where she earns her master’s degree in psychology and is hired as the first psychologist at the Saskatoon Mental Health Centre.
1979:
Lorje is elected to represent Ward 2 for the first time. She is elected for four straight terms until 1991. During this time, she becomes the founding chair of the race relations committee.
1987:
Lorje’s husband dies of
cancer.
03/14/1988:
Lorje drives a city bus 11 blocks as part of celebrations to mark the transit system’s 75th anniversary and 600-millionth passenger. She is charged under the Highway Traffic Act with driving a bus without a proper licence and eventually pays the $55 fine in loonies, calling the charge “ludicrous.”
10/26/1988:
Lorje tops the polls with more than 33,000 votes as councillors are elected at large in an oddball election after wards were abolished. She got 10,000 more votes than Henry Dayday got for mayor.
1991:
Lorje is elected as a New Democrat MLA to represent the riding of Saskatoon Wildwood.
1995:
Lorje is re-elected as an NDP MLA in the new riding of Saskatoon Southeast.
01/1997:
Lorje breaks party solidarity and criticizes an NDP law requiring parents to pay babysitters minimum wage.
09/1997:
Lorje ends rampant speculation by announcing she does not intend to run for mayor. She cites her duty to those who elected her as an MLA as the reason she will not resign midterm.
05/1998:
While serving as chair of a committee investigating the sale of a SaskPower subsidiary, Lorje calls a lawyer an “unfathomable prick.” The Saskatchewan Party tries to have her removed as chair.
09/1999:
Lorje complains about a smear letter directed at the Sask. Party distributed in her riding and about missing campaign signs.
09/16/1999:
Lorje posts a 56-vote win over a strong Liberal challenger.
11/11/1999:
A Saskatchewan judge throws out Lorje’s election victory, citing counting irregularities. One recount showed Lorje’s Liberal opponent won the seat.
12/23/1999:
Lorje wins an appeal and has her MLA seat restored after a judge rules she won by 38 votes.
01 /2000:
Lorje discovers the frozen body of an aboriginal man, Rodney Naistus, while out running. His death was investigated by an RCMP task force looking at allegations of Saskatoon police misconduct against aboriginal people.
06/2000:
Lorje bursts into tears when she learns the Sask. Party held a press conference in the back alley behind her home after she suggested it accommodates more traffic than rural highways the opposition party wanted paved. She calls herself a “middle-aged widowed woman.”
07/2000:
Lorje presses Premier Roy Romanow to reveal his plans for the future.
09/2000:
Romanow announces he plans to retire from politics.
02/21 /2001:
After being passed over numerous times, Lorje is named to cabinet as aboriginal affairs minister by Romanow’s successor, NDP Premier Lorne Calvert.
10/12/2001:
Lorje is moved to advanced education and skills training in a cabinet shuffle.
01 /2002:
Lorje is criticized for saying she lived on Kraft dinner and Spam sandwiches while pursuing her education in response to concerns over the economic hardships imposed by tuition fees.
03/2002:
Lorje is named environment minister in Calvert’s restructured coalition government, her third post in 13 months.
04/19/2002:
Lorje is accused of giving the finger to Opposition members in the legislature. Lorje says it’s not her style to do so, but does not deny it outright.
05/15/2002:
Lorje announces she will step down as environment minister while a claim she harassed an employee is investigated.
06/11/2002:
Lorje returns to cabinet after an investigation finds she touched the face of an aide in a friendly and affectionate but inappropriate way. The woman who launched the complaint resigns. Media reports refer to the incident as a slap.
06/14/2002:
Calvert fires Lorje for revealing details about the incident to news media. Lorje said she affectionately touched the face of the aide and told her to “smarten up” after she failed to mail two birthday cards to Lorje’s brother.
08/19/2003:
Lorje announces she will not seek reelection as an MLA, blasting the news media and “prudish judgmentalism.” She says: “My style of politician is currently not fashionable.”
04/17/2006:
Lorje returns to Saskatoon from San Francisco and announces she intends to seek re-election to represent Ward 2 in the fall municipal election.
10/25/2006:
Lorje tops an eight-candidate field with 48 per cent of the vote to reclaim her seat on council.
10/28/2009:
Lorje easily fends off four challengers with 76 per cent of the vote.
10/24/2012:
Lorje survives a challenge by former Ward 2 councillor Owen Fortosky and returns with 61 per cent of the vote.
11 /24/2014:
Council votes to sanction Lorje for the release of a confidential report into riverbank slumping affecting homes in the Nutana neighbourhood. Lorje sent the report to former provincial cabinet colleague Eric Cline, who lives near the affected homes. Lorje insists she was seeking advice from a trusted adviser. She resists pressure to resign.
03/12/2015:
The provincial Ministry of Justice opts not to charge Lorje for violating the Cities Act by releasing the riverbank report. Lorje vows to fight “secrecy” at city hall.