Aimé Adam

Who was Aimé Adam?

Aime Raleigh Adam was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as a New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1971 to 1986, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Howard Pawley.

Adam was a successful farmer and rancher before entering political life. He was a charter member of the National Farmers Union, and served as president of its Local 509.

He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in a 1971 by-election in the rural riding of Ste. Rose, called after the sitting MLA, former Liberal leader Gildas Molgat, was appointed to the Canadian Senate. Although the NDP had never won the seat before, Adam scored a convincing victory over his Liberal and Progressive Conservative opponents, and provided Edward Schreyer's government with a functioning majority. He was easily re-elected in the election of 1973, although he was not appointed to Schreyer's cabinet.

Adam was again re-elected in the 1977 election, which was won by the Tories under Sterling Lyon. In early 1979, he supported Howard Pawley's bid to replace Schreyer as interim leader of the party.

The NDP under Pawley returned to government in the election of 1981, although Adam ironically faced the toughest re-election challenge of his career, defeating Progressive Conservative candidate Ivan Traill by fewer than 200 votes. It may be noted that there was no Liberal candidate in this race, and that most traditionally Liberal voters in rural Manitoba had shifted to the Progressive Conservatives by this time.