| Rosann Wowchuk |
Article Index for Rosann |
Information AboutRosann Wowchuk |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT ROSANN WOWCHUK | |
| 1945 births | |
| wowchuk, rosann | |
| living people | |
| manitoba mlas | |
|
Wowchuk was born in Cowan , Manitoba. She attended Manitoba Teacher's College , and subsequently worked as a teacher and farmer. Wowchuk served as a municipal councillor and deputy Reeve in the mid-northern community of Swan River from 1983 to 1990 . Her brothers, Leonard and Harry Harapiak , were both NDP cabinet ministers during the 1980s. Wowchuk was first elected to the Manitoba Legislature in the 1990 Provincial Election , defeating incumbent Progressive Conservative Parker Burrell in the riding of Swan River . She was re-elected in the 1995 Election , defeating Tory candidate Fred Betcher by only 36 votes. There are many who believe that Independent Native Voice candidate Nelson Contois , who received 118 votes, was encouraged to run by local Tory organizers in an attempt to split the riding's left-of-centre vote. Also in 1995 , Wowchuk supported Lorne Nystrom 's campaign to become leader of the federal New Democratic Party . After spending nine years as an opposition MLA, Wowchuk moved to the government benches in 1999 after Gary Doer 's NDP won a parliamentary majority. She was appointed Minister Of Agriculture And Food on October 5 , 1999 , and held this portfolio for the entirety of the Doer government's first term. In 2003 , she supported Bill Blaikie 's campaign to become leader of the federal NDP. Wowchuk was easily re-elected in the Provincial Election Of 2003 , and was named Deputy Premier three days later. Retaining the agriculture portfolio, she was given ministerial responsibility for Intergovernmental Affairs and Cooperative Development on June 25 . On November 4 , the name of her ministry was changed to Agriculture, Food And Rural Initiatives , and she was relieved of responsibilities for Intergovernmental Affairs. Although Wowchuk opposed the decision of Gary Filmon 's government to eliminate the "single-desk" marketing of hog farms, she did not reverse the policy upon joining government. In 2004 , she rejected a request from the Manitoba Cattle Producers that all livestock animals killed in a proposed Winnipeg plant be tested for BSE . Wowchuk was also named acting Minister Of Intergovernmental Affairs And Trade on May 18 , 2004, following the resignation of Mary Ann Mihychuk . She retained this position until October 22 , 2004. She was re-elected in the 2007 Provincial Election . |
|
|