Ginny Hasselfield

Who is Ginny Hasselfield?

Ginny Hasselfield is a Canadian politician, and was the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party between 1996 and 1998. A former Manitoba teacher and principal, she was also president and co-founder of Cross Cultural Communications International Inc. a company that provided diversity training and education throughout Canada. In 1995, she was awarded the Manitoba YM/YWCA Woman of Distinction award.

Although Hasselfield had never run for provincial office, she was known in Manitoba as a prominent organizer for the Liberal Party and was supported by the party's establishment against Kevin Lamoureux, a maverick MLA from north-end Winnipeg.

Hasselfield and Lamoureux had a very poor personal relationship during the 1996 leadership contest. The voting was determined by a "weighted" balloting process. Lamoureux received more membership votes, but the concentration of his support in north Winnipeg meant that Hasselfield was able to attain a 21-point victory.

After the federal election of 1997, Lamoureux and Gary Kowalski left the Liberal caucus to sit as "Independent Liberals".