Former provincial finance minister remembered as leader, mentor

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This article was published 04/05/2020 (1974 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Eugene Kostyra rose from dropping out of high school to becoming the province’s finance minister.

Kostyra, who also became known for being the finance minister whose 1988 budget resulted in the fall of the Howard Pawley NDP government before later going on to become a key bureaucrat in the Gary Doer NDP government, died on Sunday, five years after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He was 72.

“He has left a real legacy in this province,” said Doer on Monday.

“He was always prepared. Always focused. He was tough, but honest. His word was his bond.”

Doer said it was because of these qualities, as well as Kostyra’s great negotiating skills, that he tapped him to lead his cabinet’s community and economic development committee.

“For the Simplot potato plant we were competing against Idaho and Alberta. Eugene brought together various departments and we got that plant in Portage la Prairie,” he said.

“And, when we agreed to have a minority public interest in a downtown arena, Eugene was the one who represented the province with True North and the city.

“He was an absolute force as a negotiator.”

Judy Wasylycia-Leis, who served as a provincial cabinet minister with Kostyra in the Pawley government before moving to federal politics, said he was her mentor from the time she first ran and through her many campaigns.

“It’s a huge loss for all of us, the party, the province and the country,” Wasylycia-Leis said.

“He guided me through political life. He was there at the beginning when I was running for office. He was always giving solid advice.”

Wasylycia-Leis said she clearly remembers when the March 8, 1988 budget vote came up and thinking something seemed to be up. What she didn’t know was that NDP MLA Jim Walding wasn’t going to vote with the government, causing it to fall, and leading to a Tory government with Premier Gary Filmon after an election.

“There were lots of people in the gallery who wouldn’t normally be there,” she said. “They threw stuff in the air when the vote came and the government lost — they knew it was going to happen.

“It was Eugene in the centre of it as finance minister, and it was Eugene who guided us when Howard Pawley decided not to run again.”

Kostyra was born to Albert and Jean on June 19, 1947, and went to Ralph Brown Elementary School, Isaac Newton Junior High, and St. John’s High School before dropping out.

A journeyman electrician before becoming active in labour unions, Kostyra rose to become Manitoba regional director of the Canadian Union of Public Employees and executive assistant to the national president.

Besides being provincial finance minister, Kostyra also served in other ministerial portfolios including culture and recreation, industry, trade and technology, and urban affairs. He also sat on the boards of CentrePort Canada, the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Football Club.

Kostyra was honoured with the Order of Manitoba in 2011.

Kostyra is survived by his wife, Jeri, and a son and daughter.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca