Greg Selinger

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The Honourable
Greg Selinger
MLA
Greg Selinger 2010.jpg
21st Premier of Manitoba
Assumed office
October 19, 2009
Monarch Elizabeth II
Lieutenant Governor Philip S. Lee
Janice Filmon
Preceded by Gary Doer
Manitoba Minister of Finance
In office
October 5, 1999 – September 8, 2009
Premier Gary Doer
Preceded by Harold Gilleshammer
Succeeded by Rosann Wowchuk
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Assumed office
September 21, 1999
Preceded by Neil Gaudry
Constituency St. Boniface
Winnipeg City Councillor
In office
October 25, 1989 – October 28, 1992
Preceded by Guy Savoie
Constituency St. Boniface
Personal details
Born Gregory Francis Selinger[1]
(1951-02-16) February 16, 1951 (age 73)
Regina, Saskatchewan[2]
Political party New Democratic Party
Spouse(s) Claudette Toupin
Alma mater London School of Economics
Queen's University
University of Manitoba
Occupation municipal and provincial politician
Profession academic
Website gregselinger.ca

Gregory Francis "Greg" Selinger, MLA (born February 16, 1951)[3] is a Canadian politician. He has been serving as the 21st Premier of Manitoba since October 19, 2009,[4][5][6] leading an NDP government. From 1999 to 2009 he was the Minister of Finance in the government of his immediate predecessor, Gary Doer.[4][5][6][7] Selinger has been the member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for St. Boniface since 1999.[4]

Early life and education

Selinger was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, the son of Margaret Eva (Crawford) and Nicodemus Selinger.[8][9] He came to Manitoba from Saskatchewan as a child with his single mother, who ran a small clothing store in Winnipeg.[10]

Selinger received a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Manitoba, a Master of Public Administration from Queen's University, and a PhD from the London School of Economics.[5][6][7][10][11][12]

Before entering politics, he worked as an associate professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba,[11] and sat on the boards of the St. Boniface Hospital, the St. Boniface Museum, the Community Income Tax Service Boards, and as president of the Old St. Boniface Residents Association.[5][6][12]

Municipal politics

After joining an alliance of progressive municipal politicians called Winnipeg into the '90s in the late 1980s, Selinger was elected to the Winnipeg City Council in 1989[13] as a candidate of the alliance in St. Boniface,[12] defeating incumbent Guy Savoie.[10] During his time as a city councillor, Selinger was a member of the Executive Policy Committee and was the chair of the Committee on Finance and Administration.[7][10][12]

In 1992, Selinger ran for Mayor of Winnipeg and came in second place, losing to Susan Thompson.[10][13][14] Some have attributed his loss to his refusal to accept corporate and union donations, which he based on principle.[10]

Post municipal career

Following his failed mayoral bid, Selinger stepped back from politics and return to teaching at the University of Manitoba.[15]

Provincial politics

Minister of Finance

Selinger was easily elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1999,[4] defeating his closest opponent, Liberal Jean-Paul Boily, by 5439 votes to 2994 in the Winnipeg riding of St. Boniface.[16]

Selinger was appointed Minister of Finance, after the 1999 election,[12] in Gary Doer's first cabinet, and was also given responsibility for French Language Services, the administration of the Crown Corporations Review and Accountability Act and the administration of the Manitoba Hydro Act.[4] In his ten years as Minister of Finance, Selinger balanced every budget.[17] On January 17, 2001, he was also given responsibility for the Civil Service.[4]

Following a cabinet shuffle on September 25, 2002, he was charged with the administration of the Liquor Control Act, while being relieved of his duties for the Manitoba Hydro Act.[4]

In 2003, Selinger supported Bill Blaikie's campaign to lead the federal New Democratic Party.[citation needed]

Selinger was re-elected in the provincial election of 2003[4][5] with almost 75% of the vote in his riding.[18] On November 4, 2003, he was relieved of responsibilities for the Liquor Control Act;[4] on October 12, 2004, he was made responsible for the Public Utilities Board.[citation needed]

In January 2005, Selinger announced that his government would change its system of accounting for expenditures and revenues. This followed a request from Auditor General Jon Singleton, who criticized the government for listing crown corporation losses and other matters as off-budget spending. Selinger is considered a strong performer in the Doer Cabinet.

He was re-elected in the 2007 provincial election.[4][5][19]

On June 28, 2007, Selinger regained responsibility for the administration of the Liquor Control Act and was charged with the administration of The Manitoba Lotteries Corporation Act.[4]

Premier

On September 8, 2009, Selinger resigned from his cabinet position and announced his candidacy for the leadership of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba.[20][21] He was running against fellow cabinet ministers Steve Ashton and Andrew Swan[11] until Swan dropped out of the race on September 28.[22][23] The leadership convention took place on October 17, 2009.[21] Rosann Wowchuk replaced Selinger as interim Minister of Finance.[24] He defeated his leadership rival, Steve Ashton, taking 1,317 votes among delegates, to Ashton's 685.[25][26] Selinger was sworn in as Premier of Manitoba by the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba on October 19, 2009, the same day that Gary Doer was sworn in as Canadian Ambassador to the United States.[25] Despite predictions of defeat, Selinger led the NDP to its fourth straight majority government in the October 2011 general election, surpassing Doer's record and winning 37 seats.

In April 2013, the Selinger government reneged on an earlier promise to not increase sales taxes by implementing a 1% increase in the provincial sales tax rate from 7% to 8%, which resulted in a precipitous decline in popular support for the government and, ultimately, a caucus revolt against Selinger's leadership culminating in the resignation of five cabinet ministers.[27][28] Due, in part, to the unpopularity of the tax increase, the NDP fell far behind the Opposition Progressive Conservatives in public opinion polls. In the fall of 2014 several cabinet ministers privately asked Selinger to resign in hopes that the party would recover under a new leader, he declined. In September 2014, during a caucus retreat, several MLAs openly told Selinger he needed to resign but he refused.[28] A month later, at the end of October Jennifer Howard, (Fort Rouge), minister of finance, Stan Struthers, (Dauphin), minister of municipal government, Theresa Oswald, (Seine River), minister for jobs and the economy, Andrew Swan, (Minto), minister of justice and Erin Selby, (Southdale), minister of health.[29] and several senior party officials went public with their call for Selinger's resignation.[28] On November 3, the five ministers resigned from cabinet due to their opposition to Selinger's continued leadership but remained in the NDP caucus as backbench MLAs. Selinger responded on November 9 by asking the party executive to hold a leadership election during the party's annual convention scheduled for March 6–8, 2015, stating his intention to be a candidate.[30] The party executive subsequently agreed. Theresa Oswald, one of the five rebel ex-ministers, challenged Selinger for the leadership as did Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation Steve Ashton who had not protested against Selinger but who resigned from cabinet to enter leadership contest.[31] At the March 8, 2015 leadership election, Ashton was eliminated on the first ballot and Selinger prevailed on the second ballot with 50.93% of ballots cast, defeating Oswald by 33 votes.[32]

Electoral record

New Democratic Party of Manitoba leadership election, 2009
Candidate Votes Percentage
Greg Selinger 1,317 65.75%
Steve Ashton 685 34.20%
Spoiled ballots 1 0.05%
Total 2,003 100.00%


Manitoba general election, 2007: St. Boniface
Party Candidate Votes % ∆% Expenditures
New Democratic Greg Selinger 5,090 66.04 −8.3 $16,599.60
Liberal Gilbert Laberge 1,049 13.61 0.82 $3,582.87
     Progressive Conservative Jennifer Tarrant 993 12.88 1.65 $722.42
Green Alain Landry 530 6.88 6.88 $378.57
Communist Thane-Dominic Carr 45 0.58 0.58 $373.97
Total valid votes 7,707 100.00
Rejected and declined ballots 38
Turnout 7,745 59.56
Electors on the lists 13,004


Manitoba general election, 2003: St. Boniface
Party Candidate Votes % ∆% Expenditures
New Democratic Greg Selinger 4,904 74.34
Liberal Dougald Lamont 952 14.43 –
     Progressive Conservative Dan Zahari 741 11.23
Total valid votes 6597 100.00
Rejected and declined ballots 38
Turnout 6635 52.19
Electors on the lists 12,712


Manitoba general election, 1999: St. Boniface
Party Candidate Votes % ∆% Expenditures
New Democratic Greg Selinger 5,439 56.57
Liberal Jean-Paul Boily 2,994 31.14 –
     Progressive Conservative Robert Olson 1,181 12.28
Total valid votes 9614 100.00
Rejected and declined ballots 63
Turnout 9677 74.35
Electors on the lists 13,015
1992 Winnipeg mayoral election
Candidate Votes Percentage
Susan Thompson 89,743 39.01%
Greg Selinger 75,123 32.66%
Dave Brown 31,859 13.85%
Ernie Gilroy 26,001 11.30%
Natalie Pollock 1,311 0.57%
Dan Zyluk 833 0.36%
Darryl Soshycki 727 0.32%
Walter Diawol 553 0.24%
Menardo A. Caneda 534 0.23%
Martin Barnes 526 0.23%
James W. Miller (Pin The Elder) 500 0.22%
Bryan R. Benson 491 0.21%
Bob McGugan 433 0.19%
Charles-Alwyn Scotlend 421 0.18%
Ed Hay 374 0.16%
Aurel Joseph Prefontaine 348 0.15%
Rudolph Parker 267 0.12%
Total 230,044 100.00%

References

  1. ↑ http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/c/r/a/Juliann-Crawford/ODT2-0001.html
  2. ↑ http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/nextpremier/candidateprofiles/2009/10/09/11359931.html
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ http://www.coastreporter.net/mother-of-manitoba-premier-greg-selinger-has-died-at-the-age-of-85-1.1197721
  9. ↑ http://passages.winnipegfreepress.com/passage-details/id-215232/name-Margaret_Selinger/order-publish_date%7CDESC,last_name%7CASC,first_name%7CASC/
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ http://todaysndp.ca/greg-selinger
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-revolt-5-ministers-resign-from-premier-greg-selinger-s-cabinet-1.2821632
  30. ↑ http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/manitoba-premier-greg-selinger-will-face-party-leadership-vote-in-march-282069911.html
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by Premier of Manitoba
October 19, 2009 – present		 Incumbent
President of the Executive Council of Manitoba
October 19, 2009 – present
Manitoba Minister of Federal/Provincial Relations
October 19, 2009 – present
Preceded by Manitoba Minister of Finance
October 5, 1999 – September 8, 2009		 Succeeded by
Rosann Wowchuk
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Preceded by Member of the Legislative Assembly for St. Boniface
September 21, 1999 – present		 Incumbent
Winnipeg City Council
Preceded by City Councilor for St. Boniface
October 25, 1989 – October 28, 1992		 Succeeded by
Unknown
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba
October 17, 2009 – present		 Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded by as the Premier of New Brunswick Canadian order of precedence
as the Premier of Manitoba		 Succeeded by
Christy Clark
as the Premier of British Columbia
Preceded by as the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba Order of precedence in Manitoba
as the President of the Executive Council of Manitoba		 Succeeded by
Richard Scott
as Chief Justice of Manitoba
  1. REDIRECT Template:First ministers of Canada

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