Harry Shafransky (September 4, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was a

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

, Canada. He served as a New Democratic member of the

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba () is the deliberative assembly of the Manitoba Legislature in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly at List of Manitoba genera ...

from 1969 to 1977. Born in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

, he came to Canada while still young and grew up on a farm near

Roblin, Manitoba Roblin is an incorporated urban community located within the Municipality of Roblin in Manitoba, Canada. Situated approximately 400 kilometres (250 miles) northwest of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Prior to 1 January 2015, Roblin was designated as a town. ...

. Shafransky was educated at the

University of Manitoba The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a public research university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1877, it is the first university of Western Canada. Both by total student enrolment and campus area, the University of ...

. He worked as a teacher in northern

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

and then

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

before entering politics. He ran for the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada () is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Monarchy of Canada#Parliament (King-in-Parliament), Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of Ca ...

in the federal election of 1965, finishing a relatively strong third in the

riding of St. Boniface. His first venture into provincial politics was not as successful; he challenged Liberal leader

Gildas Molgat Gildas Laurent Molgat, CD (January 25, 1927 – February 28, 2001) was a Canadian politician. He served as leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party from 1961 to 1969, and was subsequently appointed to the Senate of Canada, where he served as Spea ...

in Ste. Rose in the 1966 election, and finished a distant fourth with only 86 votes. He ran for federal office again in the 1968 election, and placed a more respectable second while still finishing well behind Liberal Joseph-Philippe Guay, the winner. Shafransky was finally elected to office in the 1969 provincial election, scoring a fairly easy victory in the northeast Winnipeg riding of Radisson. He was re-elected over Progressive Conservative challenge Abe Kovnats in the 1973 election. Shafransky did not serve in the cabinet of

Edward Schreyer Edward Richard Schreyer (born December 21, 1935) is a Canadian politician, diplomat, and statesman who served as the 22nd governor general of Canada from 1979 to 1984. He previously served as the 16th premier of Manitoba from 1969 to 1977. Schr ...

. He was defeated by Kovnats in the 1977 election, and did not seek a political comeback thereafter. After leaving politics, he worked in the Manitoba departments of Highways and Transportation, Environment and Natural Resources. Shafransky died in Winnipeg at the age of 56 of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

Electoral history

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shafransky, Harry New Democratic Party of Manitoba MLAs 1930 births 1986 deaths People from Roblin, Manitoba Polish emigrants to Canada Candidates in the 1965 Canadian federal election Candidates in the 1968 Canadian federal election New Democratic Party candidates for the Canadian House of Commons Manitoba candidates for Member of Parliament 20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba