Greg Selinger leadership profile

Greg Selinger

Riding: St. Boniface

Party: New Democratic Party of Manitoba

Age: 60

Profession: Professor of Social Work

Family: Greg Selinger and his wife, Claudette, have two children.

Background: The leader of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba and 21st premier of Manitoba Selingerwas bornFeb. 16, 1951, in Regina.

As a child, he moved to Winnipeg's St. James area with his single-parent mother, who later ran a small clothing store in the city.

Selingerbegan his post-secondary studies at the University of Manitoba, where he earned a degree in social work. He received his masters degree in public administration at Queens University in Kingston, Ont. and his PhD in London, England, at the London School of Economics.

In 1989, back in Winnipeg, he was elected to city council for St. Boniface. Three years later, he ran for mayor but was defeated by Susan Thompson.

Selinger went back to academics as a professor of social work at the University of Manitoba but in1999, was drawnagain to politics. He ran under the NDP banner in the provincial election and won theseat in St. Boniface. As an MLA in Premier Gary Doers first cabinet, Selinger was minister of finance and minster responsible for french services.

On Sept. 8, 2009, Selinger resigned from cabinet and announced his candidacy for the party leadership after Doer resigned to become Canada's ambassador to the United States. Selinger defeated rival Steve Ashton at a party leadership convention on Oct. 17, 2009.

Selinger was sworn in as premieron Oct. 19, the same day that Doer was sworn in as Canadian ambassador to the U.S.