Buckley Belanger

Harold "Buckley" Belanger (; born March 21, 1960) is a Canadian politician who has been Secretary of State (Rural Development) since 2025. Belanger was elected to the House of Commons in the 2025 federal election and serves as the member of Parliament (MP) for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River in Saskatchewan. Belanger is of Métis descent and is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Belanger previously served in provincial politics, as the member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Athabasca from 1995 to 2021. He was initially elected with the Saskatchewan Liberal Party before switching to the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP) in 1998. In 2021, Belanger resigned as MLA to run federally as a Liberal in Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, but lost to Conservative Gary Vidal. He ran again and won in 2025, becoming the only Liberal MP from Saskatchewan (a predominantly Conservative province).

Political career

Saskatchewan provincial politics He was originally elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 1995 general election as a Liberal member. He left the party to join the NDP in 1998, recontesting his seat in a by-election in which he attained 93.64 per cent of the vote, the second highest margin of victory ever attained by an electoral candidate in the province. He was swiftly placed in the cabinet by then Premier Roy Romanow. Belanger was re-elected in every provincial election to follow, most recently in the 2020 general election.

Belanger was a candidate in the 2001 Saskatchewan New Democratic Party leadership election, which was held after Roy Romanow announced his intention to resign as premier and party leader. He placed seventh, and Lorne Calvert was subsequently elected leader.

During his time as an MLA, Belanger served for almost a decade as a key member of the Roy Romanow and Lorne Calvert governments, including serving as minister for the Environment and Resource Management, associate minister for Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, and minister of Northern Affairs.

Prior to his election to the Saskatchewan legislature, Belanger served as mayor of Île-à-la-Crosse from 1988 to 1994 and worked as a journalist and administrator for MBC Radio. On August 15, 2021 he resigned from the legislature to run in the 2021 Canadian federal election, as a federal Liberal in Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River. He was defeated by Conservative candidate Gary Vidal. He was subsequent elected to again serve as mayor of Île-à-la-Crosse in 2024.

Federal politics Belanger ran in the 2021 Canadian federal election, under the Liberal Party in Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River.

The federal Liberals again chose Belanger as their candidate in Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River ahead of the 2025 Canadian federal election. On May 13, 2025, he was appointed Secretary of State (Rural Development).

Personal life Belanger is Métis. He is married to Rebecca Pederson and they have three adult daughters.

Electoral history

Federal elections

Provincial elections