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Revision as of 18:49, 14 November 2008
Felix Holtmann (born December 5, 1944) is a former Canadian politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1984 to 1993, as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party.
Holtmann was born in Rosser, Manitoba, and educated at the University of Manitoba, Warren College and Jessups School of Advanced Dairy Science. He received a diploma of agriculture, and worked as a farmer. Before entering political life, he was a member of various hog marketing and advisory boards.
He was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1984 federal election, defeating New Democratic Party incumbent Terry Sargeant by 662 votes in Selkirk—Interlake amid a national landslide victory for the PC Party under Brian Mulroney. He was re-elected by an increased plurality in the 1988 election, for the redistributed riding of Portage—Interlake. During his time as a parliamentarian, Holtmann served as a backbench supporter of the Mulroney and Kim Campbell governments.
In 1988, New Democratic Party Member of Parliament (MP) Svend Robinson accused Holtmann of being visibly drunk in the Commons. Holtmann, in response, described this charge as an "outright lie by none other than a homosexual New Democrat" (CanWest News, 24 August 1988). Robinson later retracted his statement, observing that those suffering from alcoholism should not be mocked for their illness (Toronto Star, 25 August 1988).
Holtmann's relationship with the Progressive Conservative Party leadership was often fractious. He abstained from a vote on his party's budget in 1989, claiming that budget cuts to the military (most notably the closure of CFB Portage la Prairie) were opposed by his constituents (Toronto Star, 16 May 1989). He was later criticized in 1989 for vacationing in the Apartheid regime of South Africa. Holtmann did not clear his trip with External Affairs Minister Joe Clark, and refused to apologize to the government upon returning to Canada (Ottawa Citizen, 20 October 1989).
Holtmann was appointed chair of parliament's committee on communications and culture in 1989. After his appointment, he was quoted as saying, "I don't understand art, but I do understand one thing - somewhere we've got to cut, cut, cut" (Toronto Star, 30 June 1989). He later attracted controversy when he was quoted by Canadian Native Arts Foundation president John Kim Bell as saying, "We're giving the Indians too much money already and Indians are lazy. And we're not giving any more money for Indians for the arts, period." Holtmann denied that he had made this statement, and his denial was accepted by the Progressive Conservative Party leadership (Ottawa Citizen, 10 February 1990).
Later, Holtmann spoke out against the National Gallery of Canada's decision to purchase Barnett Newman's painting Voice of Fire in 1990. The painting, which cost $1.76 million, consisted of three vertical stripes on an eighteen-foot high canvas. Holtmann commented that "two cans of paint and two rollers and about ten minutes would do the trick." This comment gave Holtmann instant notoriety, and many have since described him as a cultural reactionary. On another occasion, he questioned the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's decision to play European classical music. He was replaced as committee chair in 1991.
Holtmann was fined $300 and prohibited from driving for three months in June 1992, after pleading guilty to impaired driving (Vancouver Sun, 20 June 1992).
Holtmann criticized the ethics of the Mulroney government in May 1993, claiming that "a lot of activity took place and some was questionable" (Edmonton Journal, 22 May 1993). In the same year, he supported Jim Edwards to succeed Mulroney as party leader (Edmonton Journal]], 23 March 1993).
He was defeated in the 1993 election, finishing third against Liberal candidate Jon Gerrard. He attempted a comeback in the 1997 election, but lost to Liberal John Harvard in Charleswood—Assiniboine.
Holtmann joined the Canadian Alliance shortly after its formation in 1993, and sought the new party's nomination for the 2000 federal election in Portage—Lisgar. He lost to Brian Pallister, in a contest that was marked by some acrimony. Holtmann later tried to sue the party for denying him the nomination (Winnipeg Free Press, 22 November 2000).
Holtmann was again arrested on drunk driving charges in 2002 (Winnipeg Free Press, 22 August 2002). He was acquitted by the courts on this charge on April 26, 2007 with the judge citing 'reasonable doubt' for driving slower than the speed limit, changing lanes and stumbling in front of the arresting officer.
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