Cathay Wagantall

Cathay Wagantall MP
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Yorkton—Melville
In office October 19, 2015 – Incumbent
Preceded by	Garry Breitkreuz
Succeeded by	N/A
Personal details
Born	Cathay Caswell (1956-07-03) July 3, 1956 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Political party	Conservative Party of Canada
Spouse(s)	H. Martin Wagantall (1976-present)
Children	3
Residence	Esterhazy, Saskatchewan
Education	University of Saskatchewan
Profession	Administrator, Athletic Director, Businesswoman, Politician.

Cathay Wagantall, MP (née Cathay Caswell; born July 3^rd, 1956)  in Regina, Saskatchewan is a Canadian parliamentarian, businesswoman, and administrator who was elected to be the Member of Parliament for Yorkton-Melville in the House of Commons of Canada during the 2015 Canadian federal election.

She is the Deputy Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs. She is also, the Chairman of the Canadian National Prayer Breakfast.

Personal

Born on July 3, 1956 in the Queen City – Regina, Saskatchewan – Cathay Wagantall was raised there until her parents and their six children moved to the small town of Esterhazy in East Central Saskatchewan in 1967. There she met her best friend and future husband, Marty.

Wagantall has been married to her husband Marty for 42 years; together they have three adult children and ten grandchildren.

In their early years together, Wagantall and her husband were fortunate to travel across Canada for a year on a music team. From Vancouver Island to St. John’s, Newfoundland, she met people from all over Canada and experienced the rich diversity in the communities and regions she visited.

Together they have also travelled to Jamaica and parts of Europe as well as the United States and Mexico in ways that have enriched their worldview. They were privileged to spend significant time in Delhi, India, working and building friendships in the Dalit community.

In 1991, her family moved to Lloydminster, Alberta, where she coached community, junior and senior high school basketball and worked as a teacher’s assistant with special needs children in kindergarten and high school.

Wagantall and her husband returned to their home town of Esterhazy, Saskatchewan in 2011. There they own and operate a successful signage and printing company – a change that was initiated when it became evident that her father was no longer able to run the business he began and loved because of the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.^[1]

Career

Wagantall’s first business venture with her husband was a partnership in a lumber/contracting business in Springside, Saskatchewan. After four good years, their company bought out its partners and then experienced the challenges of a recession – losing their small business and finding out what it is like to start over in difficult times.

as student, she worked in hospitals and level 4 care homes during the summer months where she cared for the elderly, the ill and those with special needs.

She and her husband moved to Edmonton, Alberta, in 1985 with three small children. There, Wagantall served as an Athletic Director at the North American Baptist College (later Taylor College and Seminary) while her husband, Marty, completed his B.A. and Master’s degree.

Wagantall worked for ten years at Taylor University College and Seminary in development, accounting and student loans. Much of her community service was volunteering in the church at which her husband served, leading youth group activities and children’s programming including Sunday classes, community mid-week clubs and summer day camps. She also organized retreats and seminars.^[2]

Education

On a full scholarship, Cathay completed 3 years of a 4-year Bachelor of Science, Physical Education program with top honours at the University of Saskatchewan. ^[3]

Political Involvement

Her political involvement began in 2004 on the first Conservative Party of Canada board of directors for Edmonton-Mill Woods-Beaumont where she gained valuable experience as election readiness chair, president and financial agent.

After running to be the Conservative candidate in Edmonton-Strathcona and losing by four votes on the 1st ballot, she then worked in M.P. Tim Uppal’s Edmonton-Sherwood Park constituency office until March of 2011.

After moving back to Esterhazy, Wagantall served four terms as a member of M.P. Garry Breitkreuz’s electoral district association. Upon his announcement in April 2014 that he would not be running in the 2015 federal election, Cathay made the decision to run for the nomination. She won on the first ballot.

On October 19, 2015, Wagantall was elected Member of Parliament for the federal constituency of Yorkton-Melville, Saskatchewan. ^[4]

MP Wagantall in France paying respects to soldiers who lost their lives in the Battle of Amiens.

In Parliament

As Deputy Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs she has continuously advocated for those who suffer from the affects of the anti-malarial drug Mefloquine. 

Wagantall introduced a Bill in the House of Commons named “Cassie and Molly’s Law” to try to protect a woman’s choice to carry to term. The bill would have made it possible for a judge to add an additional sentence for people convicted of assaulting or murdering a pregnant woman if during the act her pre-born child is harmed or killed as well. The Bill was voted down by the Liberals and the NDP as they felt the Bill would quote “re-open the abortion debate.”

Electoral Record

References