Harry Shafransky
Harry Shafransky (September 4, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was a Manitoba politician with the New Democratic Party. He served in the Manitoba legislature from 1969 to 1977.
Born in Poland, he moved to Canada as a child and grew up on a farm near Roblin, Manitoba. He studied at the University of Manitoba and worked as a teacher in northern British Columbia and in Winnipeg before entering politics.
Shafransky ran for the federal House of Commons in 1965 in the Winnipeg riding of St. Boniface and finished a strong third. His first provincial race, in Ste. Rose in 1966 against Liberal leader Gildas Molgat, ended in a distant fourth with 86 votes. He ran federally again in 1968 and placed second behind Liberal Joseph-Philippe Guay.
He was elected to the Manitoba legislature in 1969 for Radisson, a northeast Winnipeg riding, and was re-elected in 1973 over Progressive Conservative Abe Kovnats. He did not serve in Premier Edward Schreyer’s cabinet. Shafransky was defeated by Kovnats in 1977 and did not seek a comeback.
After leaving politics, he worked in the Manitoba departments of Highways and Transportation, Environment and Natural Resources. He died in Winnipeg at age 56 from a heart attack.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 14:00 (CET).