Hugh McFadyen

Greg Farries — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:28:33 -0600

Hugh McFadyen is Leader of the Official Opposition and of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba. The Party won 19 seats in the provincial election held on May 22, 2007. He has been a provincial MLA since 2005.

On April 29, 2006, McFadyen became Leader of the Official Opposition of Manitoba after winning the PC leadership race with a decisive 67 percent of the vote. McFadyen announced his candidacy on February 23, 2006. During his leadership campaign, he was deeply critical of the governing NDP. He focused on health care, public safety, and fiscal management of the province. He won the leadership just months after winning a by-election for Fort Whyte on December 12, 2005. He won 52 percent of the vote.

McFadyen was born on May 31, 1967 in Selkirk, Manitoba, but was raised in St. James. He received a law degree from the University of Manitoba in 1993. Prior to entering politics, he worked as a lawyer and served as an advisor to both Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz and former Premier Gary Filmon.

He also enjoyed a successful career in junior curling, and remains an active supporter of the sport. In 1986, McFadyen skipped his Manitoba curling team to a Canadian Junior Championship. The team's win qualified them for the 1987 World Junior Curling Championships where they won a silver medal, losing to Scotland's Douglas Dryburgh.

McFadyen and his wife Jennifer have two children, Rachael and James.