George Minaker

Clement George Minaker (born September 17, 1937 in Morris, Manitoba – April 30, 2012) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1973 to 1981, and served in the cabinet of Sterling Lyon. Subsequently, he was a Progressive Conservative member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1984 to 1988.[1]

Minaker was educated at the University of Manitoba, and worked as a professional engineer after graduation.[2] He was elected as an alderman in St. James in 1966, and was re-elected two years later for the new city of St. James–Assiniboia. In 1969, he was chosen as chair of the city's property committee.[3] He was elected as a councillor in the City of Winnipeg in 1971,[1] following the decision of Edward Schreyer's NDP government to amalgamate the city.

The amalgamation was unpopular with many St. James residents, and Minaker was able to use the issue to win election to the Manitoba Legislature, defeating NDP incumbent Al Mackling in the provincial election of 1973 by 374 votes. He was re-elected by a greater margin in the 1977 election,[4] in which the Tories under Sterling Lyon won a majority government. Minaker entered cabinet on November 15, 1979 as Minister of Community Services and Corrections.[1] The Tories were defeated in the 1981 provincial election, and Minaker lost his own riding to Al Mackling by 779 votes.[4]

He then turned to federal politics, and won riding of Winnipeg—St. James for the Progressive Conservatives in the general election of 1984. He defeated New Democratic Party candidate Lissa Donner by 2680 votes. He was not appointed to the cabinet of Brian Mulroney, and lost to Liberal John Harvard in the federal election of 1988.[1] He did not returned to politics after this time.

After leaving politics, Minaker worked for the National Transportation Agency in Ottawa.[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 George Minaker – Parliament of Canada biography
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "George Minaker". Ottawa Citizen. May 2, 2012. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  3. ↑ Winnipeg Free Press, 8 January 1969, p. 12.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "St. James". Manitoba Votes 2007 (CBC News). Retrieved 2014-01-16.