Leanne Rowat is a politician in

Manitoba , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital = Winn ...

, Canada. In 2003, she was elected to the

Manitoba legislature The Legislature of Manitoba is the legislature of the province of Manitoba, Canada. Today, the legislature is made of two elements: the King of Canada in Right of Manitoba, represented by the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, and the unicameral ...

as a Progressive Conservative. Prior to entering public life herself, Rowat was a constituency assistant to Progressive Conservative MLA

Harold Gilleshammer Harold Gilleshammer (born April 8, 1942) is a Canadian judge and former politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a member of the Manitoba legislature from 1988 to 2003, and a Cabinet Minister in the government of Progressive Conservative Premier G ...

, and worked as a community development officer in the Souris region. She also served on the board of directors of the ''South West Regional Health Authority'', and was a Public Relations Chair for the ''Manitoba Winter Games 2006 Bid Committee''. When Gilleshammer retired as MLA for Minnedosa in 2003, Rowat won the Progressive Conservative nomination to replace him. The riding is mostly rural, and is located in the province's southwestern corner. In the 2003 election, the governing New Democratic Party made the riding its top rural target. Rowat defeated NDP candidate Harvey Paterson, but by a margin of only twelve votes (as confirmed on recount). She has served as opposition critics in several areas: Culture, Heritage & Tourism; Aboriginal & Northern Affairs; Multiculturalism; and Communities Economic Development Fund. She is also a supporter of grandparents' rights. Rowat was re-elected in the 2007 provincial election. Prior to the 2011 provincial election, the Minnedosa riding was redistributed and dissolved. Rowat ran for election in the new riding of Riding Mountain and won the seat in 2011.

Electoral history

References

Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba MLAs Women MLAs in Manitoba Living people People from Souris, Manitoba 21st-century Canadian politicians 21st-century Canadian women politicians Year of birth missing (living people) {{Manitoba-politician-stub