Background
The son of Nicholas Derkach and Minnie Kalyniak, he was born in Rossburn, Manitoba, and was educated at Brandon University.
The son of Nicholas Derkach and Minnie Kalyniak, he was born in Rossburn, Manitoba, and was educated at Brandon University.
He worked as a teacher and farmer before entering provincial politics. He was also a school board trustee on the Pelly Trail School Board from 1979 to 1985, serving as chair from 1982 to 1985. In 1986, Derkach was elected to the provincial legislature as a Progressive Conservative in Roblin-Russell, a rural riding in the province"s southwest.
When Gary Filmon was sworn in as Premier on May 9, 1988, Derkach was named Minister of Education (which was renamed Minister of Education and Training on April 21, 1989).
In this capacity, he increased funding for the province"s private schools. Derkach was easily re-elected in the provincial election of 1990.
After a cabinet shuffle on January 14, 1992, he was named Minister of Rural Development. He was again re-elected in the provincial election of 1995, once more defeating Fred Embryk.
The Progressive Conservatives were defeated by the New Democrats in the provincial election of 1999.
Derkach was re-elected in the renamed riding of Russell by a reduced margin, defeating New Democrat Vince Lelond by 595 votes. He resigned from cabinet with the rest of the Filmon ministry after the election. Derkach served as opposition critic on matters relating to education and Manitoba"s growing casino economy, and was re-elected by an increased margin in the general election of 2003, despite the poor province-wide showing of the Progressive Conservative Party.
In addition to serving as a cabinet minister, Derkach also served as Director of the Canada Ukraine Legislative Education Project while in government.
He was re-elected in the 2007 election. In 2011, Derkach announced he would not seek an eighth term in the legislature.
He was a cabinet minister in the government of Gary Filmon, and was a member of the Manitoba legislature from 1986 to 2011.
