Harry Shafransky

{{short description|Canadian politician}}

{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}

Harry Shafransky (September 4, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as a New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1969 to 1977.{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.mb.ca/hansard/members/mla_bio_deceased.html#S0 |title=MLA Biographies - Deceased |work=Legislative Assembly of Manitoba |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330155427/http://www.gov.mb.ca/hansard/members/mla_bio_deceased.html#S0 |archivedate=2014-03-30 }}

Born in Poland, he came to Canada while still young and grew up on a farm near Roblin, Manitoba.{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/business/hansard/33rd_2nd/hansardpdf/44.pdf |title=Hansard |date=May 8, 1987 |publisher=Legislative Assembly of Manitoba |accessdate=2014-01-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407073748/http://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/business/hansard/33rd_2nd/hansardpdf/44.pdf |archive-date=April 7, 2014 |url-status=dead }} Shafransky was educated at the University of Manitoba. He worked as a teacher in northern British Columbia and then Winnipeg before entering politics. He ran for the House of Commons of Canada in the federal election of 1965, finishing a relatively strong third in the Winnipeg riding of St. Boniface.{{cite web |url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/FederalRidingsHistory/hfer.asp?Include=Y&Language=E&rid=1253&Search=Det |title=St. Boniface, Manitoba (1952 - 1996) |work=History of Federal Ridings since 1867 |publisher=Library of Parliament |accessdate=2014-01-07}} His first venture into provincial politics was not as successful; he challenged Liberal leader Gildas Molgat 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.{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/manitobavotes2007/riding/031 |title=Radisson |work=Manitoba Votes 2007 |publisher=CBC News |accessdate=2014-01-07}}

Shafransky did not serve in the cabinet of Edward Schreyer. 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/shafransky_h.shtml |work=Memorable Manitobans |title=Harry Shafransky (1930-1986) |publisher=Manitoba Historical Society |accessdate=2014-01-07}}