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Reynaldo Daluz Pagtakhan, PC (born 7 January 1935) is a Canadian physician, professor and politician. He was a cabinet minister in the governments of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin, and served as a Member of Parliament from 1988 until his defeat in the 2004 election.

Education

Born at the Mary Johnston Hospital in Manila and raised in Bacoor, Cavite in the Philippines, Pagtakhan received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of the Philippines. He is a brother of the Mu Sigma Phi, the first, the largest, and the most acclaimed medical fraternity in Asia. He completed his pediatric residency and cardiology fellowship at the Washington University Medical Center/St. Louis Children's Hospital and his Master of Science from the University of Manitoba and respirology fellowship at the Children's Hospital of Winnipeg. The degree of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) was conferred on Pagtakhan by the University of the Philippines. In 2010, the degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa) conferred by the University of Perpetual Help Rizal Jonelta Foundation-School of Medicine

Medical career and community involvement

Prior to his political career, Pagtakhan was a Full Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine. He joined the medical faculty at the University of Manitoba in 1971 as a lecturer and became a professor in 1985. He also worked as a pediatric respirologist at the Winnipeg Children's Hospital between 1971 and 1988.

In addition to the above responsibilities, Pagtakhan also served as Director of the Manitoba Cystic Fibrosis Centre, President of the Manitoba Pediatric Society, member of the Winnipeg Police Commission, the first chair of the Board of Presidents of the Canadian Ethnocultural Council, and National President of the United Council of Filipino Canadian Associations in Canada.

In 1986, he was elected as a Winnipeg school trustee in the St. Vital district and served in that capacity until 1988.

Political career

Pagtakhan was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1988 federal election in the riding of Winnipeg North, defeating incumbent New Democrat David Orlikow who had held the riding since 1962. He became the first Filipino-born Canadian to be elected to the House of Commons. He was easily re-elected in the 1993 election, defeating New Democratic challenger Judy Wasylycia-Leis. In the elections of 1997 and 2000, he was elected for the redistributed riding of Winnipeg North-St. Paul.

Pagtakhan served as parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien from 23 February 1996, to 15 July 1998. He was appointed to cabinet on 9 January 2001, and served as Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) until 15 January 2002. His appointment to cabinet marked the first time in over 75 years that an M.P. from north Winnipeg became a member of the federal cabinet. As Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific), Pagtakhan took on a number of tasks including representing Canada as Head of its delegation to the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.

On 15 January 2002, he was promoted to Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister responsible for Manitoba. In this capacity, he served on the Cabinet Committees on Economic Union, Social Union and Government Communications.

During his tenure as Minister responsible for Manitoba (also known as the Senior Minister for Manitoba), Pagtakhan was part of the government that funded major projects in Manitoba such as the expansion of the Red River Floodway and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Pagtakhan also served as Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development) from 26 May 2002, to 12 December 2003.

On 12 December 2003, new prime minister Paul Martin appointed him as Minister of Western Economic Diversification. In this capacity he served on the Cabinet Committees on Domestic Affairs and Aboriginal Affairs. During his tenure in this position, Pagtakhan, amongst other things, announced funding for the Winnipeg-based International Centre for Infectious Diseases.

Further redistribution pushed Pagtakhan back into the riding of Winnipeg North for the election of 2004. He lost to Judy Wasylycia-Leis, who had been elected for Winnipeg North Centre in 1997 and 2000.

Life after politics

Since returning to private life in 2004, Pagtakhan has been actively involved in numerous ventures. In 2005 and 2006, he served as the Founding Director of the Global College at the University of Winnipeg and Chair of the college's advisory board. He is currently co-chair of its Global Advisors. In addition, Pagtakhan serves as a Public Adjudicator of the Prairie Regional Panel of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, Governor of the Canadian International Peace Project and Chair of the Manitoba Liberal Party's Election Readiness Committee. In 2017, he was made a Member of the Order of Manitoba.

References

1. Dr. Rey D. Pagtakhan, P.C., M.P. - Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development) Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
2. Cabana, Ysh (15 December 2021). "Rey Pagtakhan". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
3. Dr. Reynaldo Pagtakhan: A Filipino in the Canadian Parliament Archived 2009-08-10 at the Wayback Machine University of the Philippines Forum. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
4. Rey Pagtakhan ’61 Honored by UPHS Jonelta. Archived 2010-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Mu Sigma Phi - The Medical Students' Fraternity of the UP College of Medicine. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
5. The Carillon - Achievements Archived 2010-05-01 at archive.today University of the Philippines. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
6. Dr. Rey D. Pagtakhan, P.C., M.P. - Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development) Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
7. Press Conference on Small Arms and Children United Nations, 11 July 2001. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
8. Prime Minister Announces New Ministry, 15 January 2002 Privy Council Office. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
9. Prime Minister Announces New Ministry, 15 January 2002 Privy Council Office. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
10. Manitoba Flood Protection - A National Infrastructure Priority, 18 August 2003 Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Infrastructure Canada. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
11. Government of Canada Provides Boost to Western Canadian Tourism Industry, 3 March 2004. Archived 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Western Economic Diversification. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
12. Government Briefing Gowlings. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
13. Public Health Agency Announcement - International Centre for Infectious Diseases Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine Western Economic Diversification. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
14. Manitoba Liberal Party Newsletter, August 2006. Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine Manitoba Liberal Party. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
15. "TWELVE MANITOBANS TO RECEIVE ORDER OF MANITOBA JULY 13". 12 July 2017.

• Living people
• 1935 births
• Members of the 26th Canadian Ministry
• Members of the 27th Canadian Ministry
• Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Manitoba
• Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada
• Liberal Party of Canada MPs
• Filipino emigrants to Canada
• Filipino expatriates in Canada
• Members of the Order of Manitoba
• University of the Philippines alumni
• University of Manitoba alumni
• Academic staff of the University of Manitoba
• People from Bacoor
• Politicians from Manila
• Politicians from Winnipeg
• Naturalized citizens of Canada
• Canadian people of Filipino descent
• Washington University in St. Louis fellows
• 20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada
• 21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada