Selkirk-Interlake-Eastman

Conservative Association

James Bezan

Meet Your MP

Successfully elected six times since 2004, James Bezan’s most recently in the riding of Selkirk–Interlake–Eastman. Over the course of his parliamentary career, he has been a strong advocate for rural communities and the agricultural sector. He has chaired the standing committees for Agriculture and Agri-Food, Environment and National Defence.

He fought strongly for marketing freedom for Western Canadian farmers and ending the long-gun registry. He has also been instrumental in leveraging over $35 million for protecting Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba.

As Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence from 2013-2015, he was active on files dealing with military procurement, mental health issues in the Canadian Forces, the war against ISIS, and Russia's aggression in Ukraine. Bezan currently serves in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet as the Shadow Minister for National Defence.

Bezan has also been very outspoken on the issue of Ukrainian democracy and human rights and as a result, was one of thirteen Canadian officials sanctioned by the Russian Government in 2014. For his work on Ukrainian issues, he has been recognized with numerous awards both in Canada and abroad, including the ‘Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise’ (Ukraine’s highest civilian award) for his private members’ initiative in recognition of the Holodomor.

Before public life, Bezan worked in the livestock industry and currently resides on the farm near Teulon, Manitoba. With his wife Kelly, they have three adult daughters and two grandchildren. In his community of Teulon, Bezan is a member of the Teulon and Area Lions Club and the New Life Church.

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