COLUMN: Think Again – Much wisdom from Jake Epp

Last Friday, I had the privilege of attending the Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV) gala. The guest speaker was none other than former Provencher MP Jake Epp.

Jake Epp hardly needs an introduction. Not only did he serve as Provencher MP from 1972-1993, but he also held high-profile cabinet positions such as National Health and Welfare, Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and Energy, Mines, and Resources. Prior to becoming an MP, Epp served on Steinbach Town Council and was a high school history teacher.

Simply put, the man is a living legend. When I heard that Epp would be speaking at the MHV gala, I knew that I had to attend. I was not disappointed.

Epp started his speech by apologizing for his weak voice and said that he suspected that it had something to do with aging. That was a somewhat humorous understatement, since Epp is 85 years old. However, while his voice might have been wavering, his insight and wisdom remained as sharp as ever.

For the first part of his speech, Epp took his audience on a trip down memory lane. He spoke about growing up in Steinbach during the 1940s when World War II was raging. Interestingly, Epp was born on September 1, 1939, the same day that Germany invaded Poland.

Epp also talked about his past political activities. In 1958, when Epp was only eighteen years old, he helped organize Prime Minister John Diefenbaker’s first visit to Steinbach. One of his tasks consisted of clearing old tires from the venue so that it could be used for a huge political rally.

In 1970, at the age of thirty-one, Epp was elected to Town Council. Epp mentioned in his speech that Mayor A. D. Penner later appointed him deputy mayor. It wasn’t too long after that that Epp ran for Parliament and became the first Mennonite to serve in the House of Commons.

Epp also spoke about some of the people who had the most impact on his life. He mentioned that he appreciated the writings of Christian apologist Francis Schaeffer, particularly his book How Then Should We Live. This is a book that has been meaningful to me as well, since Schaeffer did an excellent job of highlighting the importance of Christians getting involved in public affairs.

It’s important to remember that Epp broke new ground when he ran for Parliament in 1972. Many Mennonite churches strongly discouraged any form of political involvement, while others banned it entirely. No doubt Epp dealt with a lot of naysayers at the time. However, I think Epp proved that it is possible for Christians enter politics without sacrificing their personal faith or their ethics.

Epp also mentioned that one of his heroes was former Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. Regular readers of this column will know that I am also a huge Diefenbaker fan. Not only do I own pretty much every book written about him, but I am always on the lookout for any Diefenbaker paraphernalia. Sadly, I never had the chance to meet Diefenbaker myself, so it’s always a treat for me to hear from someone who knew Diefenbaker personally.

Epp said that it’s important for everyone to have heroes. I agree. While Epp would no doubt shy away from thinking of himself as a hero (classic Mennonite humility), I have no problem saying that Epp is one of mine. Epp is a great example of someone who went into politics for the right reasons, made a positive difference while there, and got out with his integrity intact.

Jake Epp shared much wisdom at the MHV gala. I’d be happy to listen to him again anytime.

Michael Zwaagstra is a high school teacher and deputy mayor of Steinbach. He can be reached at mzwaagstra@shaw.ca.