Condolence Motion (13 May 2026)

From Hansard (13 May 2026)

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Passing of Former MLA Ralph Katzman

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m honoured to join with the Premier and the Opposition House Leader to pay tribute to Ralph Katzman, a long-time MLA in this legislature who served the constituents of Rosthern as well as the people of Saskatchewan from 1975 until 1986 with the Progressive Conservative Party.

The constituency of Rosthern that Mr. Katzman so ably served for 11 years is now split into seven different current constituencies, and my constituency of Warman would be the largest geographical area from the old Rosthern constituency.

While I didn’t personally know Mr. Katzman, Mr. Speaker, I know many people in Saskatchewan did, including my father who was a campaign manager in 1982 in Saskatoon. I spoke to my father last night, recalling some stories from that 1982 election, and the one thing that stuck out to my dad was Ralph’s, his selflessness during that campaign. He would come in, visit the campaign office in Saskatoon when he could have been campaigning in his own constituency, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Katzman and his late wife, Lucille, who predeceased him in 1992, have a fund in their name with the Saskatoon Community Foundation. In the foundation documents, Mr. Katzman was always actively involved in his community before, during, and after serving in this Assembly. Whether it was building a rink, helping organize and work a pancake breakfast in his community, or chairing a Quarter Horse Association meeting, or even just planning an event for the Saskatoon Blades, Ralph always put his community first.

After retiring from politics, Mr. Katzman returned home to his acreage near Dalmeny on a full-time basis and took great interest in helping maintain the Agudas Israel Cemetery, where he is laid to rest. The Ralph and Lucille Katzman Fund was established at Saskatoon Community Foundation as a means of sustaining that cemetery. Ralph said at the time, and I quote, “After doing some research, I found that endowing the donation then using the income for charitable uses really appealed to me.”

As a proud and practising member of the Jewish community, Mr. Speaker, Ralph believed in performing mitzvah, which is the responsibility of each person to do for others what they cannot do for themselves. Mr. Katzman served the people of his community, his constituency, and his province selflessly, and he will be missed.

It is with great sympathy that we express our condolences to his family, friends, and all of those who knew and loved Ralph Katzman.

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