The New Democratic Party of Manitoba fielded a full slate of candidates in the 1999 provincial election, and won 32 seats out of 57 to win a majority government in the legislature. Many of the party's candidates have their own biography pages; information about others may be found here. This page also includes information about New Democratic Party candidates who contested by-election between 1999 and 2003. Connie Gretsinger (Portage la Prairie) Gretsinger is a registered nurse in Portage la Prairie (Winnipeg Free Press, 12 July 1997). She campaigned for the federal New Democratic Party in the 1993 federal election and received 3,029 votes (8.49%) in the riding of Portage—Interlake, finishing fourth against Liberal candidate Jon Gerrard. She later campaigned for the provincial constituency of Portage la Prairie in the 1995 provincial election, and finished third against Brian Pallister of the Progressive Conservative Party with 1,519 votes (19.62%). Pallister retired two years later to campaign for the House of Commons of Canada, and Gretsinger entered the by-election to succeed him. She received 1,340 votes, finishing third against Progressive Conservative David Faurschou. A newspaper report lists her as having been 47 years old at the time (Winnipeg Free Press, 1 October 1997). She improved her standing to 2,769 votes in 1999, finishing a much stronger second against Faurschou. As of 2005, Gretsinger is a member of the Regional Health Authority for Central Manitoba Inc. She was appointed to represent this group at the National Healthcare Leadership Conference in June 2005. Peter Reimer (River Heights) Reimer received 1,492 votes (12.98%), finishing third against Manitoba Liberal Party leader Jon Gerrard. Leslie Fingler (Seine River) Fingler has worked as a florist, crisis counsellor and mental health-care worker. She has campaigned in two provincial elections and three municipal elections. When running for the St. Vital school board, she expressed concern that parents could turn to private schools in the future. She spoke against the planned OlyWest hog plant in the 2006 campaign. In a 1998 letter, she upheld the social aims of Cooperative Commonwealth Federation leaders Tommy Douglas and James Shaver Woodsworth. Iris Taylor (Southdale) Taylor is a graduate of the Labour College of Canada at the University of Ottawa, and has completed a three-year labour certificate program from the University of Manitoba (Winnipeg Free Press, 23 May 1997). She is a labour activist in Winnipeg. As of 2005, she serves on the Winnipeg Labour Council