Helmut Pankratz

Helmut Pankratz (born October 10, 1937[1]) is a retired Canadian politician from Manitoba. Pankratz served as mayor of Steinbach from 1981 to 1986.[2] From 1986 to 1990, he represented the electoral district of La Verendrye for the Progressive Conservative Party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.[1]

He was born to a Mennonite family[citation needed] in Winnipeg. His parents were Henry and Justina Pankratz. Before entering politics, he worked as a farmer. On August 24, 1961, he married Dolores Jean and had two children with her: Kevin Blair and Jillayne Fay.[3]

Pankratz was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1986, defeating Walter McDowell of the NDP by almost 2,000 votes.[4] In the 1988 election, he defeated Liberal C.E. Goertzen by over 1,400 votes as the Progressive Conservatives formed a minority government under Gary Filmon.[5]

Pankratz was not appointed to cabinet, but served as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Economic Development.[6] He retired from the legislature at the calling of the 1990 provincial election, and has not returned to political life since this time.[1] He now owns a recreational vehicle dealership in the Steinbach area.[7]

  1. ^ a b c "MLA Biographies - Living" Archived 2014-03-30 at the Wayback Machine (4 November 2009). The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Retrieved 12/19/2010.
  2. ^ "City of Steinbach" (21 November 2010). Manitoba Historical Society. Retrieved 12/18/2010.
  3. ^ Normandin, P.G.; A. Léopold Normandin (1990). Canadian Parliamentary Guide. Gale Canada, p.589
  4. ^ Normandin, P.G. (1988). The Canadian parliamentary guide. p.840
  5. ^ Normandin (1990), p.596
  6. ^ "Legislative Reports" (6 December 2010). Canadian Parliamentary Review. Retrieved 12/19/2010.
  7. ^ "BBB Reliability Report for Holiday R. V. Centre" (2010). Better Business Bureau. Retrieved 12/19/2010.