Theresa Oswald

Theresa Oswald
Minister of Jobs and the Economy
In office October 18, 2013 – November 3, 2014
Premier	Greg Selinger
Preceded by	Peter Bjornson
Succeeded by	Kevin Chief
Minister of Health
In office September 21, 2006 – October 18, 2013
Premier	Gary Doer
Preceded by	Tim Sale
Succeeded by	Erin Selby
Minister of Healthy Living
In office October 12, 2004 – September 21, 2006
Premier	Gary Doer
Preceded by	Jim Rondeau
Member of the Legislative Assembly for Seine River
In office June 3, 2003 – April 19, 2016
Preceded by	Louise Dacquay
Succeeded by	Janice Morley-Lecomte
Personal details
Political party	New Democratic Party
Occupation	Vice-principal High school English teacher

Theresa Oswald is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. She was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 2003 to 2016 and a cabinet minister from 2004 until she stepped down in 2014 to unsuccessfully challenge Premier Greg Selinger for the party's leadership.

Early life

Oswald was born and raised in the St. Vital neighbourhood of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and was a teacher and school administrator for fifteen years before entering politics. She initially taught English, later serving as vice-principal at Victor Mager School, Winnipeg in the Louis Riel Division. In the latter capacity, she frequently worked with children and families who arrived in Canada from war-ravaged countries. Oswald has also been involved in local groups such as the Victoria Hospital, the Zoological Society of Manitoba and Take Pride Winnipeg!.

Political career

Oswald was part of the NDP's historic breakthrough in south-end Winnipeg in the provincial election of 2003, defeating incumbent Progressive Conservative Louise Dacquay in the riding of Seine River, 4,314 votes to 3,582. The NDP had never won this riding before. Oswald's campaign focused on greater access to post-secondary education and a tuition freeze for university students.

In August 2004, Oswald was appointed to lead a task-force committee looking for ways to encourage physical activity in the province's youth.

Oswald was appointed as a cabinet minister in Gary Doer's government on October 12, 2004, serving as the Minister responsible for Healthy Living, Seniors and Healthy Child Manitoba. In 2006, she was promoted to Minister of Health, where she introduced bold new initiatives such as making a family doctor available to every Manitoban, new investments in women's and maternal health, promoted organ donation and introduced groundbreaking legislation to require life-saving heart defibrillators in public places. Her work to improve cancer care, including making all cancer drugs available to patients at no charge, was celebrated by the Canadian Cancer Society with a Diamond Jubilee medal.

She was re-elected with an increased majority in the 2007 provincial election.

In 2013 she was again promoted to lead the government's new flagship department of Jobs and the Economy, where she has since focused on expanding access to training programs to help increase the supply of skilled workers, expanded supports for start-ups and young entrepreneurs and introduced a boost to housing benefits for those on social assistance and the working poor.

Challenge to Selinger's leadership

Oswald resigned her cabinet position on November 3, 2014, along with Jennifer Howard, Erin Selby, Stan Struthers, and Andrew Swan due to concerns about Premier Selinger's leadership. On December 21, 2014, Oswald declared her candidacy for the party leadership. Oswald was defeated by a margin of 33 votes on the second ballot at the leadership convention on March 8, 2015, by Selinger. Oswald remained an MLA after her defeat but did not run for re-election as an MLA in the 2016 provincial election.

Electoral results

2011 Manitoba general election: Seine River
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	New Democratic	Theresa Oswald	5,500	52.88	−4.01	$26,190.15
	Progressive Conservative	Gord Steeves	4,569	43.93	+11.73	$30,207.87
	Liberal	Troy Osiname	295	2.84	−8.04	$1,577.80
Total valid votes			10,364
Rejected and declined ballots			36
Turnout			10,400	70.82
Electors on the lists			14,686
Source: Elections Manitoba

2007 Manitoba general election: Seine River
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	New Democratic	Theresa Oswald	5,786	56.89	+5.83	$27,615.58
	Progressive Conservative	Steve Andjelic	3,275	32.20	-10.20	$31,015.94
	Liberal	Jennifer Lukovich	1,111	10.88	+4.33	$4,915.77
Total valid votes			10,172	100.00
Rejected and declined ballots			41
Turnout			10,213	63.35
Electors on the lists			16,147
Source: Elections Manitoba

2003 Manitoba general election: Seine River
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	New Democratic	Theresa Oswald	4,314	51.06
	Progressive Conservative	Louise Dacquay	3,582	42.40
	Liberal	Luciano Vacca	553	6.55