Rosann Wowchuk

Who is Rosann Wowchuk?

Rosann Wowchuk is a former Manitoba politician, and was a cabinet minister in the New Democratic Party government of Premier Greg Selinger.

The daughter of William Harapiak and Mary Philipchuk, she was born Rosann Harapiak in Cowan, Manitoba. She attended Manitoba Teacher's College, and subsequently worked as a teacher and farmer. In 1968, she married Sylvestor Wowchuk. She 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.