Ben Hanuschak (born April 29, 1930) is a

Manitoba , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital = Win ...

politician. He was a cabinet minister in the government of New Democratic

Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of govern ...

Edward Schreyer Edward Richard Schreyer (born December 21, 1935) is a Canadian politician, diplomat, and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 22nd since Canadian Confederation. Schreyer was born and educated in Manitoba, and was first electe ...

, and was subsequently a founding member of the

Progressive Party of Manitoba The Progressive Party of Manitoba, Canada, was a political party that developed from the United Farmers of Manitoba (UFM), an agrarian movement that became politically active following World War I. See also *List of political parties in Canada ...

. Hanuschak was born in

Earl Grey Earl Grey is a title in the peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1806 for General Charles Grey, 1st Baron Grey. In 1801, he was given the title Baron Grey of Howick in the County of Northumberland, and in 1806 he was created Viscou ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North ...

. He was educated at the

University of Manitoba The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba.Manitoba legislature The Legislature of Manitoba is the legislature of the province of Manitoba, Canada. Today, the legislature is made of two elements: the King of Canada in Right of Manitoba, represented by the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, and the unicameral ...

in 1966, defeating Liberal incumbent

Mark Smerchanski Mark G. Smerchanski (November 1, 1914 – September 21, 1989) was a Canadian politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1962 to 1966, and a member of the House of Commons of Canada from 1968 to 1972. Smerchans ...

in the north

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749 ...

riding of Burrows. Along with others in the party, he believed that leader

Russell Paulley Andrew Russell Paulley (November 3, 1909 – May 19, 1984) was a Canadian politician. He served as leader of the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from 1959 to 1961, and its successor, the New Democratic Party of Manitoba, from ...

needed to be replaced before the next election. In 1968, he was the only member of the party's parliamentary caucus to support Sidney Green's leadership bid.

became provincial NDP leader in 1969, and won the subsequent election for the party. Hanuschak was chosen

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hunger ...

on August 14, 1969, and kept this position until August 20, 1970. Hanuschak joined Schreyer's cabinet on August 20, 1970. He initially served as Minister of Consumer and Corporate and Internal Services (August 20, 1970 – December 1, 1971), and later became Minister of Education (September 9, 1971 – September 22, 1976), Minister of Colleges and Universities (September 15, 1973 – September 22, 1976), Minister of Urban Affairs (February 15, 1973 – August 29, 1973) and Minister of Continuing Education and Manpower and Minister of Tourism, Recreation and Cultural Affairs from September 22, 1976 to October 24, 1977. He left cabinet when the Schreyer government was defeated in 1977. Like Sidney Green, Hanuschak became disillusioned with the directions taken by the provincial NDP after 1977. On March 3, 1981, he joined with Green and one other MLA to create the

. Although initially

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the ...

, this party also incorporated elements of the radical (but not extreme) right. It opposed the NDP's proposed anti-scab legislation, for instance, and was against "distinct status" recognition for minority groups. The Progressive Party did not elect any members in the 1981 election. Hanuschak, who had been re-elected without difficulty in 1969, 1973 and 1977, received only 728 votes, against 4890 for Conrad Santos of the NDP. He ran for the Progressive Party on two further occasions, but fared no better. Hanuschak returned to political life in 1986 as a school trustee in the Seven Oaks division. As of 2004, serves in this position.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanuschak, Ben 1930 births Living people Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba University of Manitoba alumni Members of the Executive Council of Manitoba Progressive Party of Manitoba (1981–1995) politicians New Democratic Party of Manitoba MLAs Canadian socialists of Ukrainian descent Canadian socialists Canadian people of Ukrainian descent