Jim Carr

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the American computer professional, see Jim Carr (US); for the English comedian, see Jimmy Carr.

James Gordon Carr (born October 11, 1951) is a businessman and politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a member of the province's legislative assembly from 1988 to 1991, representing the Liberal Party.

Carr was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and was educated at the University of Manitoba and McGill University. He worked as a journalist, musician and administrator, serving as both an oboist and trustee with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra on different occasions. Before entering public life, he was also executive director of the Manitoba Arts Council.

On June 3, 1969, Carr and four other Young Liberals joined the New Democratic Party of Manitoba so as to support Sidney Green's unsuccessful bid to lead the party. He later returned to the Liberals. During the early 1980s, he worked as a reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press.

Carr first ran for the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1986, losing to Progressive Conservative leader Gary Filmon in the upscale west Winnipeg riding of Tuxedo. He ran again in the provincial election of 1988 during a period of increased support for the provincial Liberals, and scored a surprisingly strong victory in the riding of Fort Rouge, defeating NDP cabinet minister Roland Penner by over 2000 votes. The Progressive Conservatives formed a minority government after this election, and Carr became Deputy Leader of the official opposition party.

Following redistribution, Carr sought re-election in the 1990 provincial election in the riding of Crescentwood, where he defeated Progressive Conservative Tom DeNardi by 1310 votes. The Liberals fell from twenty seats to seven in this election, and Carr resigned his seat in February 1992. He has not sought a return to political life since this time.

From 1992 to 1997, Carr was on the editorial board of the Winnipeg Free Press. In 1998, he became president and CEO of the Business Council of Manitoba, an organization which he co-founded. Carr is also a board member on the Canada West Foundation, and the Winnipeg Airports Authority, and well as vice-president of the Performing Arts Consortium of Winnipeg, and a director of the Manitoba Arts Stabilization Fund. Carr, who is Jewish, has also been very active in the Canadian Jewish Congress and in support of Zionist causes.