Shirley Render (born April 1, 1943 in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. She was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1990 to 1999, and was briefly a cabinet minister in the government of Gary Filmon.[1]
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Render was educated at the University of Manitoba, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1964 and a Master of Arts degree in 1984. She has worked as a social worker and High School teacher, and has lectured in Psychology at the University of Manitoba. She has also worked as a magazine editor.
Render is a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force Association, and has authored two published books on aviation history: Double Cross: The Inside Story of James A. Richardson and Canadian Airways (1999) and No Place for a Lady: the Story of Canadian Women Pilots, 1928-1992 (2000). She is a member of the International Association of Women's Pilots and the Women and History Association, and has served as President of the Western Canadian Aviation Museum (though her time as president coincided with a period of financial controversy at the museum).
Render was first elected to the Manitoba legislature as a Progressive Conservative in the provincial election of 1990 in the south-central Winnipeg riding of St. Vital, defeating incumbent Liberal Bob Rose by 118 votes. She was re-elected by a greater margin in the provincial election of 1995, with the social-democratic New Democratic Party displacing the Liberals for second place.
Render entered cabinet on February 5, 1999, the date of Premier Gary Filmon's final cabinet shuffle. She was appointed Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs, with responsibility for the Gaming Control Act. In the provincial election held later in the year, she was defeated by NDP candidate Nancy Allan by over 1500 votes.
Render sought to return to the legislature in the 2003 provincial election, but lost to NDP candidate Christine Melnick by over 1000 votes in the neighbouring riding of Riel.
Render is currently a member of the Community Partnership Executive at CBC Manitoba, and lectures at the Asper School of Business and Red River College. In 2001, she received a Governor General of Canada 125 award. She is currently the executive director of the Western Canada Aviation Museum.