Rey D. Pagtakhan, (born January 7, 1935) is a Canadian physician, professor and politician. He was a cabinet minister in the governments of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin, and served as a Member of Parliament from 1988 until his defeat in the 2004 election. Education Born at the Mary Johnston Hospital in Manila and raised in Bacoor, Cavite in the Philippines, Pagtakhan received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of the Philippines. He is a brother of the Mu Sigma Phi, the first, the largest, and the most acclaimed medical fraternity in Asia. He completed his pediatric residency and cardiology fellowship at the Washington University Medical Center/St. Louis Children's Hospital and his Master of Science from the University of Manitoba and respirology fellowship at the Children's Hospital of Winnipeg. The degree of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) was conferred on Pagtakhan by the University of the Philippines. In 2010, the degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa) conferred by the University of Perpetual Help Rizal Jonelta Foundation-School of Medicine Medical career and community involvement Prior to his political career, Pagtakhan was a Full Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine. He joined the medical faculty at the University of Manitoba in 1971 as a lecturer and became a professor in 1985. He also worked as a pediatric respirologist at the Winnipeg Children's Hospital between 1971 and 1988. In addition to the above responsibilities, Pagtakhan also served as Director of the Manitoba Cystic Fibrosis Centre, President of the Manitoba Pediatric Society, member of the Winnipeg Police Commission, the first chair of the Board of Presidents of the Canadian Ethnocultural Council, and as National President of the United Council of Filipino Canadian Associations in Canada. In 1986, he was elected as a Winnipeg school trustee in the St. Vital district and served in that capacity until 1988. Political career Pagtakhan was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1988 federal election in the riding of Winnipeg North, defeating incumbent New Democrat David Orlikow who had held the riding since 1962. He became the first Filipino-born Canadian to be elected to the House of Commons. He was easily re-elected in the 1993 election, defeating New Democratic challenger Judy Wasylycia-Leis. In the elections of 1997 and 2000, he was elected for the redistributed riding of Winnipeg North-St. Paul. Pagtakhan served as parliamentary